Term Paper
Students are required to complete a term paper which is worth 2.5% of their overall grade.
The paper should examine a condition, situation, scenario specific to a stage in the life-span (ex.
Crises, aging, “failure to launch”, marriage/divorce, empty nest, sandwich generation, etc.)
The paper must be typed with 1” margins, double spacing and a 12-point Times Roman font. The
paper should also include a reference list. A minimum of three credible references must be utilized.
The American Psychological Association format must also be utilized for the paper. The paper
should be between four and six pages in length (not including cover page, abstract, references,
exhibits, etc.). The paper must be submitted through Canvas in order for the paper to be uploaded
to Turnitin®.
The following rubric will be utilized to grade the paper:
This syllabus is intended as a guide and is subject to change as needed. 11
Criteria Superior Satisfactory Poor Unsatisfactory Not Completed
Content 65 Points 49 Points 33 Points 17 Points 0 Points
•Provides substantive
and relevant
development of ideas
•Offers logical,
accurate, and
sufficient level of
detail
•Demonstrates an in
depth understanding
of the ideas
•Evaluates/responds
to ideas in a critical,
analytical and
persuasive manner
•Provides some
relevant development
of ideas
•Offers logical,
accurate, and
sufficient level of
detail
•Demonstrates a
general
understanding of the
ideas
•Evaluates/responds
to ideas in a
persuasive manner
•Provides limited relevant
development of ideas
•Offers minimal level of
detail
•Demonstrates a limited
understanding of the
ideas
•Evaluates/responds to
ideas with minimal
analytics and with less
persuasive arguments
•Provides no relevant
development of ideas
•Offers minimal level
of detail and detail is
off-topic and/or
unfocused
•Lacks understanding
of the ideas
•Fails to present
analytics and
persuasive arguments
•Assignment
Not Completed
Organization 20 Points 15 Points 10 Points 5 Points 0 Points
•Creates a clearly
identifiable
introduction, body,
and conclusion
•Provides a
sophisticated
paragraph structure
with each paragraph
developing one
central idea
•Utilizes APA format
•Creates an
identifiable
introduction, body,
and conclusion
•Provides a unified
paragraph structure
with most paragraphs
developing one
central idea
•Utilizes APA format
•Fails to develop a clear
organizational structure
•Demonstrates limited
paragraph structure
• Incorporates APA
format haphazardly
•Fails to have
organizational
structure
•Lacks unified
paragraph structure
•Lacks APA format
•Assignment
Not Completed
Language 5 Points 3 Points 2 Points 1 Points 0 Points
• Incorporates
sophisticated
terminology
•Avoids irrelevant
and redundant
words, phrases and
other distracting
information
•Contains no spelling
errors
•Lacks errors in
sentence boundaries
such as fused
sentences and
sentence fragments
•Uses paraphrase and
quotes skillfully
•Utilizes appropriate
terminology
• Incorporates relevant
words and phrases,
but contains some
distracting
information
•Contains limited
spelling errors
•Utilizes appropriate
sentence structure in
most instances (some
fused sentences and
fragments)
•Limits paraphrase
and quotes to an
acceptable level
•Utilizes inappropriate
terminology in certain
areas
• Incorporates irrelevant
words and phrases
•Contains limited
spelling errors
•Utilizes inappropriate
sentence structure
(fused sentences and
fragments)
•Uses paraphrase and
quotes in some
instances without
following APA (i.e.,
plagiarism)
•Utilizes inappropriate
terminology
•Presents distracting
information
throughout
•Contains numerous
spelling errors
•Utilizes inappropriate
sentence structure
(fused sentences and
fragments)
•Uses paraphrase and
quotes without
following APA in
numerous instances
(i.e., plagiarism)
•Assignment
Not Completed
Presentation 10 Points 7 Points 4 Points 1 Points 0 Points
•Presents information
in a clear, logical,
and effective manner
•Presents information
in an effective
manner
•Presents information in
a manner which results
in some confusion
•Presents information
in an ineffective
manner with lots of
confusion
•Assignment
Not Completed
Turnitin©
Unless otherwise instructed, assignments in this course must be submitted through Canvas in order
for the papers to be uploaded to Turnitin®; Turnitin® is an automatic text-recognition system
made for detecting, preventing and handling plagiarism. Students can review the Turnitin®
website to obtain additional information regarding the plagiarism checking process —
