Sample rubric for a research paper or literature review or annotated bibliography ​(or any other sort of assignment that would include both a bibliography and some sort of context in which the sources were used or discussed)

Sample outcomes for Authority is Constructed and Contextual: Students will be able to select sources whose authority is appropriate to the research topic and assignment parameters. Students will be able to incorporate multiple/conflicting perspectives. ​Both Research as Inquiry and Searching as Strategic Exploration also

touch on multiple perspectives/multiple interested parties, so this outcome could be cross-listed with either one of those. I placed it here because of the emphasis that the Authority frame places on this idea in its dispositions.

Exemplary

Acceptable

Developing

Minimal

authority of sources

All sources have a level of authority that fits both the research topic and assignment parameters. Additional, incorporated sources that reflect multiple (especially unexpected) types of authority.

All sources have a level of authority that fits both the research topic and assignment parameters.

Some/many sources have a level of authority that fits both the research topic and assignment parameters.

Most/many sources lack a level of authority that fits the research topic and assignment parameters.

multiple perspectives

Student not only selected sources that reflect multiple/conflicting perspectives, but also incorporated sources that represented less popular/traditional perspectives or perspectives contrary to their own point of view.

Student selected sources that reflect multiple/conflicting perspectives.

Student selected sources that mostly reflect a single perspective.

Student selected sources that all reflect only a single perspective.

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Sample outcome for Information Creation as Process Student will be able to select sources whose formats/creation processes are appropriate to the research topic and assignment parameters. I wrote this as a very broad/vague outcome because actual assignment requirements vary so much. Criteria would be edited heavily to match the actual assignment. But I am imagining issues like popular vs. scholarly sources, general vs. specific, primary vs. secondary, factors that apply to specific disciplines, and delivery method. This one criterion could also be divided into several more specific criteria depending on the assignment.

Exemplary format/creation process

All sources have a format/creation process that fits both the research topic and assignment parameters. Additional, student showed creativity/critical thinking in seeking out more original, unexpected, or difficult to locate sources.

Acceptable All sources have a format/creation process that fits both the research topic and assignment parameters.

Developing

Minimal

Some/most sources have a format/creation process that fits both the research topic and assignment parameters.

Many sources do not have a format/creation process that fits both the research topic and assignment parameters.

Sample outcome for Information Has Value Students will be able to follow intellectual property rules and standards. ​Since both Information Has Value and Scholarship as Conversation

include proper attribution of sources, I decided to write separate learning outcomes for each. This one is more general, while the one for Scholarship is more focused on using a specific style.

Exemplary intellectual property rules

Student always provides proper attribution for sources and makes very few/no errors in

Rachel M. McMullin Humanities and Information Literacy Librarian West Chester University

Acceptable Student always provides proper attribution for sources and makes only occasional errors in

Developing

Minimal

Student provides proper attribution for sources, but makes frequent errors in citations/bibliography.

Student does not always provide proper attribution for sources. Student either does not use the require April 2016

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citations/bibliography, even when dealing with problematic/less common source types.

citations/bibliography.

citation style or makes numerous errors.

Sample outcomes for Research as Inquiry Students will be able to incorporate information from sources into their own work. Students will be able to synthesize information and draw reasonable conclusions. Students will be able to incorporate multiple/conflicting perspectives. ​(see under Authority is Constructed and Contextual) Students will be able to locate information sources that are a good match to their topic. ​(See under Searching as Strategic Exploration)

Exemplary

Acceptable

Developing

Minimal

incorporate information

Student made exceptional use of information sources, including using summary well and selecting the best quotations to support arguments. Student organized information in a way that provided excellent support for the thesis/arguments.

Student made good use of information sources, including using summary well and selecting good quotations to support arguments. Student organized information in a way that provided support for the thesis/arguments.

Student’s use of information sources was mixed. Student did not always use summary well and did not always select appropriate quotations. Student had some problems with organizing information to support the thesis/arguments.

Student’s use of information was poor. Student had difficulty using summary and selecting quotations to support arguments. Student had major problems with organizing information to support the thesis/arguments.

synthesize and draw conclusions

Student synthesized information from a wide variety of sources and combined it into a cohesive whole. Student drew appropriate conclusions from individual sources

Student synthesized information from multiple sources and combined it into a whole. Student drew reasonable conclusions from individual sources and used them to support

Student used information from multiple sources, but had limited success in combining it into a whole. Student was not always successful in drawing appropriate conclusions

Student used information from sources, but had little success in synthesizing that information into a whole or in drawing appropriate conclusions and using them to support the

Rachel M. McMullin Humanities and Information Literacy Librarian West Chester University

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and used them to support the thesis/arguments. Student did a superior job of combining information from sources with their own original thoughts.

the thesis/arguments. Student was able to combine information from sources with their own thoughts.

from sources.

thesis/arguments.

Sample Outcomes for Scholarship as Conversation Students will be able to integrate appropriate scholarly sources into their assignment. The following two outcomes both relate to the frame’s emphasis on scholarship as a conversation, but I developed the first with an annotated bibliography in mind, because of the focus on individual sources, and the second with a research paper in mind, because it focuses on the overall context more than the specific sources. Both could potentially work for a literature review.

Students will be able to identify the contributions of specific scholarly works to the scholarly conversation surrounding their topic. (annotated bibliography)

Students will be able to connect their research topic/question to the larger scholarly conversation. ​(research paper)

Students will be able to follow conventions of ​discipline X​ and ​citation style X​ in in paper format, citations, and bibliography. ​I tried to make this more discipline specific than the outcome for Information Has Value, including not only citing sources in a particular style, but also issues related to proper attribution or formatting that might vary from discipline to discipline.

Exemplary appropriate scholarly sources

Student selected scholarly sources from appropriate disciplines that add substantially to the discussion of the research topic. Student selected superior sources (e.g.,

Rachel M. McMullin Humanities and Information Literacy Librarian West Chester University

Acceptable Student selected scholarly source from appropriate disciplines that add substantially to the discussion of the research topic.

Developing Student selected scholarly sources, but not all were from appropriate disciplines or some did not add much to the discussion of the research topic.

Minimal Some of the student’s sources are not scholarly. Many of the selected sources added little to the discussion of the research topic.

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sources from highly authoritative authors, journals, or presses; sources from multiple perspectives or disciplines; sources representing changes over time) contribution of specific sources

Student described the contribution of all sources to the scholarly conversation. Student’s discussion showed knowledge of authority, multiple scholarly perspectives, and different types of scholarship. Additionally, it showed knowledge of multiple disciplines, and changes in the scholarly conversation over time or across disciplines.

Student described the contribution of all sources to the scholarly conversation. Student’s discussion showed knowledge of authority, multiple scholarly perspectives, and different types of scholarship.

Student described the contribution of some/most sources to the scholarly conversation. Student’s discussion showed some knowledge of issues such as authority, multiple scholarly perspectives, and different types of scholarship.

Student described the arguments of individual scholarly sources, but did not tie those sources to the larger scholarly discourse.

larger scholarly conversation

Student connected his/her research topic/question and selected sources to the larger scholarly conversation. Student’s discussion showed knowledge of authority, multiple scholarly perspectives, and different types of scholarship. Additionally, it showed knowledge of multiple disciplines and changes in

Student connected his/her research topic/question and selected sources to the larger scholarly conversation. ​ ​ Student’s discussion showed knowledge of authority, multiple scholarly perspectives, and different types of scholarship.

Student made some connections between his/her research topic/question and selected sources to the larger scholarly conversation. ​ ​ Student’s discussion showed some knowledge of issues such as authority, multiple scholarly perspectives, and different types of scholarship.

Student did little to connect his/her research topic and selected sources to the larger scholarly conversation.

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April 2016

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the scholarly conversation over time or across disciplines.

conventions of the citation style

Student followed the conventions of both discipline X​ and ​citation style X​ with very few/no mistakes.

Student followed the conventions of both discipline X​ and ​citation style X​ with some minor mistakes.

Overall, student followed the conventions of both discipline X​ and ​citation style X​, but made numerous mistakes.

Student frequently failed to follow the conventions of both ​discipline X​ and citation style X​. Mistakes appeared in multiple areas (format, citations, and bibliography).

Sample outcomes for Searching as Strategic Exploration Students will be able to locate information sources that are a good match to their topic. ​Also listed under Research as Inquiry, because it involves not just the ability to locate sources, but also the ability to select the most appropriate ones.

Students will be able to locate sources that are appropriate to assignment parameters (or list specific resource types). ​The criteria for this would be edited heavily to match the actual assignment requirements. This outcome could also be divided into multiple smaller criteria or partially combined with the Format/Creation Process outcome above. Students will be able to incorporate multiple/conflicting perspectives. ​(see under Authority is Constructed and Contextual)

Exemplary

Acceptable

Developing

Minimal

sources reflect research topic

All sources are very appropriate to the topic and support the thesis, argument, or discussion in a meaningful way.

All sources are appropriate to the topic, and some/most support the thesis, argument, or discussion in a meaningful way.

A majority of sources are appropriate to the topic, but many do not support the thesis, argument, or discussion in a meaningful way.

Many sources show only a limited connection to the topic or sources are repetitive. Most do not support the thesis, argument, or discussion in a meaningful way.

sources match

Student exceeded the

Student met, but did not

Student met either the

The student did not meet

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April 2016

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assignment requirements

minimum number of sources required and found a wide variety/specific types of sources in keeping with assignment’s requirements. Age of all sources are very appropriate to topic and requirements.

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exceed, the minimum number of sources and variety/type requirement. Age of sources are generally appropriate to topic and requirements.

minimum number of sources requirement or the variety/type requirement, but not both. Age of some sources are not appropriate to topic and requirements.

the minimum number of sources required and did not find a variety of sources in keeping with the assignment’s requirements. Age of many sources are not appropriate to topic and requirements.

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