UReCA 2019- SOCIAL SCIENCE RUBRIC 

  5  4  3  2  1 

Thesis/  Clear, concise,  Clear thesis  Coherent thesis  Unclear or  Complete lack 
Objective  and consistent  statement with  statement with  inconsistent  of thesis/main 
statement and  minor flaws in  possible major  application of  argument; 
application of  consistency or  flaws in  thesis; thesis  either 
objectives  precision in  application  statement may  non-existent or 
throughout the  application  throughout the  be heavily  incoherent. 
article.  throughout the  article.  flawed. 
article. 

Style/  Argument and  Argument flows  Argument lacks  Argument and  Argument has 
Mechanics  ideas flow  well but may be  an organic flow  ideas do not  no structure; 
together  problematic in  that distracts  flow and  incoherent 
organically and  some parts;  from the  structure leads  and/or 
well with  most grammar,  purpose of the  to confusion;  inconsistent 
elegant diction;  language,  article;  mistakes with  usage of 
there are no or  syntax, and  grammar,  grammar,  language, 
very minimal  citations are  syntax,  syntax,  syntax, 
errors in usage  used correctly  citations, and  citations, and  citations, and 
of language,  but there may  language  language are  grammar 
syntax, and  be a few  issues are  noticeable and  throughout the 
grammar; the  mistakes; there  common.  distracting.  piece; article 
piece is styled  may be some  not written in 
consistently  errors in styling  English. 
according to  compliant with 
APA, APSA, etc.  APA, APSA, etc. 
guidelines.  guidelines. 

Literature  The piece has  The piece has a  The piece has a  The piece has  The piece has 
Review  an extensive,  comprehensive  clear literature  an insufficient  no literature 
comprehensive,  and clear  review with  or weak  review, or has a 
Some  clear, and  literature review  larger gaps in  literature review  completely 
materials  concise  with minor  past arguments  in need of  inappropriate 
may not be  literature review  errors in  or greater  major revision  literature review 
works of  with clear  misattributing  errors in  or addition of  for the subject 
totally new/  indications to  ideas or gaps in  misattribution  sources; it is not  matter; the 
creative  where and from  review of past  of ideas; it is  clear exactly  research either 
research  whom ideas  literature; the  somewhat  how the  has no backing 
with clear  have been  original  clear on how  literature review  in past action 
needs for  borrowed; the  research is an  the original  works in the  or is totally 
methodolog original  extension of  research is  scope of the  unrelated to the 
y and may  research done  what has been  supposed to fit  research;  literature 
make  is an organic  discussed and  into the  literature review  review; very few 
arguments  extension of  contributes to  background  may be  or none of the 
primarily  past arguments  the discussion  research done;  partially  sources are 
based in the  with clear  laid out in the  with revisions,  incomplete; few  relevant to the 
literature  indications as  review; the vast  the literature  of the sources  research. 
review.   to how the  majority of  review would  are relevant to 
Editorial  research adds  sources are  be sufficient;  the research. 
discretion  to the  obviously and  some of the 
discussion; the  directly relevant  sources are 
sources are  obviously and 
should be  obviously and  to the research  directly relevant 
used.  directly relevant  conducted.  to the research 
to the research  conducted. 
conducted. 
 
Methodology 
for reviewing 
the primary 
literature 
concerning a 
topic is 
thoroughly 
explained and 
well developed. 
Literature 
reviews of the 
best quality will 
synthesize past 
research in an 
innovative way 
to show trends 
or findings that 
are otherwise 
not readily 
apparent. 

Methods  Easily  Understandabl The explanation  Very little  No methods are 

understandable  e and  used to test the  explanation or  used/explained 
and  comprehensive  hypothesis/thes inaccurate  ** to support 
comprehensive  explanation  is contains  explanation  the thesis or the 
explanation of  used to test the  many errors or  used to support  methods are 
the  hypotheses/  gaps in  thesis; there  inappropriate 
methodology  thesis with  explanation;  may be large  for the project; 
used to test the  some minor  data collection  errors in  data collection 
hypotheses/obj errors or gaps  is valid and the  describing  is invalid and 
ectives/thesis;  in explanation;  majority of  models, etc; the  data sources 
data collection  data collection  sources are  majority of data  are not given, 
is statistically  is valid and  transparent,  sources and  invalid, 
valid and  sources are  valid, reliable,  collection  unreliable or 
sources are  transparent,  and relevant.  method may  irrelevant. 
transparent,  valid, reliable,  be invalid, 
valid, reliable,  and relevant.  unreliable, 
and relevant.  and/or 
irrelevant. 

Analysis/  Information  Presents  Author analyzes  The paper only  The analysis in 
Evidence  interpretation is  interesting,  the results on a  brings up the  this paper is 
in-depth and  original content  superficial level  idea of analysis  nonexistent or 
results are  yet could use  but needs more  but does not  incoherent. This 
evaluated in a  deeper analysis  insightful  actually  paper fails to 
compelling  and/or scope of  analysis. The  conduct an  mention or 
way. The paper  the evidence  paper mentions  analysis of the  acknowledge 
clearly uses  found through  or  research. This  the evidence 
evidence of the  the research  acknowledges  paper does not  found using the 
research done  methodology.  the evidence  mention the  methodology. 
to firmly  This paper uses  found but does  evidence found 
 support the  the evidence to  not correlate  using the 
analysis.  support the  the evidence to  methodology 
analysis, but the  the analysis.  at all. 
evidence could 
be used more 
effectively to 
create more 
compelling 
analysis. 

Summary of  Thesis  Thesis  Thesis  Thesis  There is no 

Findings/  statement is  statement is  statement and  statement and  summary or 
Discussion  effectively  restated and  findings are  findings are  discussion of 
restated with  findings are  summarized  either not  the research 
findings  explained in a  but not clearly  summarized or  and thesis 
concisely  mostly clear  or concisely;  are in a  statement; no 
restated and  and concise  flaws in  confusing way;  flaws in 
flaws in the  way; flaws are  methodology  flaws and areas  methodology or 
methodology  acknowledged  and areas for  for future  future research 
acknowledged;  and areas for  future research  research are  areas are 
explains where  future research  are barely  not mentioned.  discussed. 
future research  are touched on.  mentioned if at 
can be applied  all. 
and areas 
where more 
information is 
needed. 

Appendix/  Easy-to-  Easy-to-  Appendix/works  Appendix/works  Complete lack 

Works Cited  understand  understand  cited has  cited fails to  of appendix/ 
appendix/works  appendix/works  several major  cite several  works cited, fails 
Figures and  cited of all of  cited used  flaws in  sources used  to cite many 
charts may  the sources  throughout the  formatting or is  throughout the  sources used in 
be included  used  article with  missing a  article or  the article; 
in either the  throughout the  minor flaws in  couple of  consistent,  nonexistent or 
body of the  article using  formatting.  sources.  major flaws in  incoherent. 
submission  correct  formatting. 
and/or the  formatting. 
appendix