Thesis and Dissertation Proposal Evaluation Rubric
Component Fully met (3)
Proposal overview Effectively and insightfully
develops a set of testable,
supportable and impactful
study hypotheses.
Justification for The introduction section
hypotheses provides a cogent
overview of conceptual
and theoretical issues
related to the study
hypotheses. Demonstrates
outstanding critical
thinking.
Supporting Provides clearly
evidence appropriate evidence to
support position
Review of relevant Sophisticated integration,
research synthesis, and critique of
literature from related
fields. Places work within
larger context.
Maintains The proposal is well
purpose/focus organized and has a tight
and cohesive focus that is
integrated throughout the
document
Methodology Identifies appropriate
 Sample methodologies and
 Procedures research techniques (e.g.,
 Measures justifies the sample,
procedures, and
measures). Data analytic
Met (2) Partially Met (1) Not met (0) Score
Develops a set of testable Develops hypotheses. Hypotheses are not
and supportable testable or justifiable.
hypotheses.
The introduction section The proposal provides Very little support for
provides a logical overview weak support for study the conceptual and
of conceptual and hypotheses. Provides theoretical relevant to
theoretical issues related some evidence of the study hypotheses
to the study hypotheses. sound critical thinking. was provided. Provides
Demonstrates competent little evidence of sound
critical thinking. critical thinking.
Provides adequate Provides inappropriate Provides little or no
evidence to support or insufficient evidence evidence to support
position to support position position
Provides a meaningful Fails to cite important Provides little or no
summary of the literature. or relevant scholarship. relevant scholarship.
Shows understanding of Misinterprets research
relevant literature findings.
The proposal has an The proposal is The document lacks
organizational structure somewhat focused or focus or contains major
and the focus is clear has minor drifts in the drifts in focus
throughout. focus.
Identifies appropriate Identifies appropriate The methodologies
methodologies and methodologies and described are either
research techniques but research techniques not suited or poorly
some details are missing or but many details are suited to test
vague. missing or vague. The hypotheses. The
methodology is under-
  Data plan is suitable to test
analytic study hypotheses.
plan Provides appropriate
justification for controls.
Project is feasible
Grammar, clarity, The manuscript is well
and organization written and ideas are well
developed and explained.
Sentences and paragraphs
are grammatically correct.
Uses subheadings
appropriately.
References and Properly and explicitly
citations cited. Reference list
matches citations
General recommendations for the thesis /dissertation defense:
methodology is largely developed and/or is
incomplete. not feasible.
The manuscript effectively The manuscript The manuscript is
communicates ideas. The communicates ideas poorly written and
writing is grammatically adequately. The confusing. Ideas are
correct, but some sections manuscript contains not communicated
lack clarity. some grammatical effectively.
errors. Many sections
lack clarity.
Properly cited. May have a The manuscript has The manuscript lacks
few instances in which several instances of proper citations or
proper citations are improper use of includes no citations.
missing. citations. Contains
several statements
without appropriately
citing.
 Thesis and Dissertation Defense Evaluation Rubric
Component Fully met (3)
Thesis/dissertation Effectively and insightfully
overview develops a set of testable,
supportable and impactful
study hypotheses. In
general the document is
well organized and
maintains a tightly
integrated focus
throughout the manuscript.
Justification for The introduction section
hypotheses provides a cogent overview
of conceptual and
theoretical issues related to
the study hypotheses.
Demonstrates outstanding
critical thinking.
Supporting Provides clearly
evidence appropriate evidence to
support position
Review of relevant Sophisticated integration,
research synthesis, and critique of
literature from related
fields. Places work within
larger context.
Maintains The proposal is well
purpose/focus organized and has a tight
and cohesive focus that is
integrated throughout the
document
Met (2) Partially Met (1) Not met (0) Score
Develops a set of testable Develops hypotheses. Hypotheses are not
and supportable The manuscript lacks a testable or justifiable.
hypotheses. The clear organizational Focus of the
manuscript is nicely structure and cohesive manuscript is hard to
organized and the focus focus; some sections follow; lacks
of the manuscript is are clearly organized organizational
generally maintained and focused and others structure.
throughout the are not.
document.
The introduction section The proposal provides Very little support for
provides a logical weak support for study the conceptual and
overview of conceptual hypotheses. Provides theoretical relevant to
and theoretical issues some evidence of the study hypotheses
related to the study sound critical thinking. was provided. Provides
hypotheses. little evidence of sound
Demonstrates competent critical thinking.
critical thinking.
Provides adequate Provides inappropriate Provides little or no
evidence to support or insufficient evidence evidence to support
position to support position position
Provides a meaningful Fails to cite important Provides little or no
summary of the or relevant scholarship. relevant scholarship.
literature. Shows Misinterprets research
understanding of relevant findings.
literature
The proposal has an The proposal is The document lacks
organizational structure somewhat focused or focus or contains major
and the focus is clear has minor drifts in the drifts in focus
throughout. focus.
 Methodology Identifies appropriate
 Sample methodologies and
 Procedures research techniques (e.g.,
 Measures justifies the sample,
 Data procedures, and measures).
analytic Data analytic plan is
plan suitable to test study
hypotheses. Provides
appropriate justification for
controls. Project is feasible
Results section The results clearly align
with study hypotheses and
the data analytic plan.
Tables are well integrated
and discussed in the
section. Controls and
preliminary analyses are
well explained and justified.
The statistical results are
discussed in a sophisticated
and accurate way.
Discussion section Provides a sophisticated
integration of the findings
within the extant literature.
Clarifies how the findings
and research hypotheses
advance the field.
Addresses strengths,
weaknesses, and limitations
of the current study
accurately and insightfully.
Grammar, clarity, The manuscript is well
and organization written and ideas are well
developed and explained.
Identifies appropriate Identifies appropriate The methodologies
methodologies and methodologies and described are either
research techniques but research techniques not suited or poorly
some details are missing but many details are suited to test
or vague. missing or vague. The hypotheses. The
methodology is largely methodology is under-
incomplete. developed and/or is
not feasible.
The results discussed are The results section is The statistics used are
consistent with under developed. inappropriate to test
hypotheses and the data Results section is study hypotheses. Or,
analytic plan. Tables are incomplete in that results are discussed
somewhat integrated and tables are somewhat incorrectly or
discussed in the section. integrated, or inappropriately. There
Adequate justification of preliminary analyses is not a good
preliminary analyses and and statistical controls correspondence
statistical controls. The are not justified. between the tables and
statistical results are Results are not always the written document.
discussed adequately. described accurately.
Adequately integrates the The integration of the No integration of the
findings within the extant findings within the findings within the
literature. Addresses how extant literature is extant literature. Fails
the findings and research superficial or to attend to issues of
hypotheses advance the incomplete. Poorly generalizability or
field. Attends to issues of justifies the strengths, design strengths and
strengths, weaknesses, weaknesses, and weaknesses.
and limitations of the limitations of the
current study. current study.
The manuscript The manuscript The manuscript is
effectively communicates communicates ideas poorly written and
ideas. The writing is adequately. The confusing. Ideas are
 Sentences and paragraphs grammatically correct, manuscript contains not communicated
are grammatically correct. but some sections lack some grammatical effectively.
Uses subheadings clarity. errors. Many sections
appropriately. lack clarity.
References and Properly and explicitly Properly cited. May have The manuscript has The manuscript lacks
citations cited. Reference list a few instances in which several instances of proper citations or
matches citations proper citations are improper use of includes no citations.
missing. citations. Contains
several statements
without appropriately
citing.
Responsive to prior Highly responsive to Largely responsive to Somewhat responsive Highly unresponsive to
feedback previous feedback from previous feedback from to previous feedback previous feedback
faculty. Feedback is well faculty. Feedback is from faculty. from faculty.
integrated into the current somewhat integrated into
document. the current document.
General recommendations for the thesis /dissertation defense:
 Qualifying Exam Rubric: Pre-oral exam evaluation of the written document
Component Fully met (3)
Biological bases of Effectively and insightfully
psychology answers the exam
question. Provides
scientific evidence to
support conclusions and
provides a thoughtful,
rich, astute answer that is
consistent with and or
extends existing empirical
and theoretical work.
Social bases of Effectively and insightfully
psychology answers the exam
question. Provides
scientific evidence to
support conclusions and
provides a thoughtful,
rich, astute answer that is
consistent with and or
extends existing empirical
and theoretical work.
Cognitive-affective Effectively and insightfully
bases of psychology answers the exam
question. Provides
scientific evidence to
support conclusions and
provides a thoughtful,
rich, astute answer that is
consistent with and or
extends existing empirical
and theoretical work.
Met (2) Partially Met (1) Not met (0) Score
Provides a solid answer Answers the question, Question is not
to the question. Presents but the answer lacks answered. The answer
good scientific evidence depth and a clear is superficial and lacks
to support conclusions, integration of existing any clear
although may have research and theory. demonstration of an
missed a few relevant Some sections are understanding of the
citations. The answer is clearly organized and conceptual issues the
clearly represents the focused and others question addressed.
empirical and theoretical are not.
work.
Provides a solid answer Answers the question, Question is not
to the question. Presents but the answer lacks answered. The answer
good scientific evidence depth and a clear is superficial and lacks
to support conclusions, integration of existing any clear
although may have research and theory. demonstration of an
missed a few relevant Some sections are understanding of the
citations. The answer is clearly organized and conceptual issues the
clearly represents the focused and others question addressed.
empirical and theoretical are not.
work.
Provides a solid answer Answers the question, Question is not
to the question. Presents but the answer lacks answered. The answer
good scientific evidence depth and a clear is superficial and lacks
to support conclusions, integration of existing any clear
although may have research and theory. demonstration of an
missed a few relevant Some sections are understanding of the
citations. The answer is clearly organized and conceptual issues the
clearly represents the focused and others question addressed.
empirical and theoretical are not.
work.
 Component Fully met (3)
Individual differences Effectively and insightfully
answers the exam
question. Provides
scientific evidence to
support conclusions and
provides a thoughtful,
rich, astute answer that is
consistent with and or
extends existing empirical
and theoretical work.
Grammar, clarity, and The manuscript is well
organization written and ideas are well
developed and explained.
Sentences and paragraphs
are grammatically correct.
Uses subheadings
appropriately.
References and Properly and explicitly
citations cited. Reference list
matches citations
Notes:
Met (2) Partially Met (1) Not met (0) Score
Provides a solid answer Answers the question, Question is not
to the question. Presents but the answer lacks answered. The answer
good scientific evidence depth and a clear is superficial and lacks
to support conclusions, integration of existing any clear
although may have research and theory. demonstration of an
missed a few relevant Some sections are understanding of the
citations. The answer is clearly organized and conceptual issues the
clearly represents the focused and others question addressed.
empirical and theoretical are not.
work.
The manuscript The manuscript The manuscript is
effectively communicates ideas poorly written and
communicates ideas. The adequately. The confusing. Ideas are
writing is grammatically manuscript contains not communicated
correct, but some some grammatical effectively.
sections lack clarity. errors. Many sections
lack clarity.
Properly cited. May have The manuscript has The manuscript lacks
a few instances in which several instances of proper citations or
proper citations are improper use of includes no citations.
missing. citations. Contains
several statements
without appropriately
citing.
 Oral defense Checklist

Content

Does the student appropriately and effectively exhibit or use the following:

Components Yes (2) Sometimes No (0) Total

(1)
Accurately answer questions
Clarifies concerns in written
document (if NA answer yes)
Recovers from anxiety
Demonstrates knowledge of the
content area

total

Presentation and delivery: Oral components

Does the student appropriately and effectively exhibit or use the following:

Components Yes (2) Sometimes No (0) Total

(1)
Eye contact
Facial expressions
Gestures/movement
Appropriate word choice
Proper pronunciation
Vocal variety
Self-confidence
Professionalism
Enthusiasm
Timing/pace
 total

Presentation and delivery: Visual components

Are the visual aids (Power point slides, handouts..)

Components Yes (2) Sometimes No (0) Total

(1)
Well organized
Clear and readable
Free of mechanical and
grammatical errors
Relevant and meaningful
Appropriately cited
Enhance overall presentation
total

Overall total:______________