Columbia Southern University Excellence as a Healthcare Professional Paper
Question Description
Unit 1 Essay
Weight: 8% of course grade
Grading Rubric
Instructions
For this assignment, you will write an essay about how you see yourself filling the role as a healthcare professional, whether now or in the future. First, identify the qualities you feel are critical to being a successful healthcare professional. You should then identify the qualities related to professionalism that you bring to the role and how these qualities affect your ability for career growth. Finally, identify the areas in which you feel you need to experience growth.
Your essay should be a minimum of two pages in length, not including the title or reference pages.
You are required to use at least two outside sources, one of which may be the textbook. All sources used must be referenced; paraphrased and quoted material must have accompanying citations. All references and citations used must be in APA style.
Criteria
Achievement Level
Level 1
Level 2
Level 3
Level 4
Level 5
Introduction
(20 points)
0 – 11
Presents little to no coherent information on the topic to engage the reader in the paper. Components of the thesis and/or summary of main points may be missing. The point of view may be unclear or too general. Provides no road map for the paper or provides one that does not accurately reflect the paper’s content.
12 – 13
Fails to provide enough background to truly engage the reader in the topic. Presents the essay’s thesis and a summary of main points so that the writer’s point of view or interpretation is fairly clear, but several components may be missing. Provides a road map for the paper that may require a lot of work.
14 – 15
Somewhat engages the reader with background information on the paper topic. Presents the essay’s thesis and a summary of main points so that the writer’s point of view or interpretation is somewhat clear, but a few components may be missing. Provides a road map for the paper that may need some work.
16 – 17
Mostly engages the reader with some form of creative “hook” and basic background information on the paper topic. Presents the essay’s thesis and a summary of the main points, mostly clarifying the writer’s point of view or interpretation, but a component may be lacking or need work. Provides a fairly clear road map for the paper either in the thesis statement or body of the introduction.
18 – 20
Engages the reader in the topic with some form of creative “hook” (such as a story, quote, example, etc.) and provides a clear background for the topic so that readers can gain an understanding of the purpose of the paper. Clearly presents the essay’s thesis and a summary of the main points that clarify the writer’s point of view. Provides a clear road map for the paper either in the thesis statement or body of introduction.
Quality of Discussion
(45 points)
0 – 26
Unclear, often because thesis is weak or nonexistent. Few to no topic sentences. Little or no evidence of critical thinking. Transitions are weak and often confusing.
27 – 31
Generally unclear, often wanders or jumps around. Little critical thinking is evident. Some transitions may be missing or weak. Several paragraphs may lack strong topic sentences.
32 – 35
Fairly clear and appropriate, although may wander occasionally. Shows an effort to think critically. Some transitions may be weak. A few paragraphs may lack strong topic sentences.
36 – 40
Mostly clear and appropriate, although may wander occasionally. Provides evidence of critical thinking. Transitions are adequate. One or two paragraphs may lack strong topic sentences.
41 – 45
Clear and appropriate. Provides strong evidence of critical thinking. Makes use of excellent transitions. Paragraphs contain strong topic sentences.
Organization
(15 points)
0 – 8
The organization is hard to follow; ideas are not linked together and/or may be fragmented. Lacking any logical grouping of ideas or transitions from one idea to the next.
9 – 10
The organization is mostly unclear and could be arranged in a more logical way. Some ideas are linked together, but some ideas are fragmented. There is little to no grouping of ideas or use of transitions.
11 – 11
The organization is fairly clear, but it could be arranged more logically to better support the proposed solution. Ideas are somewhat grouped together with a few transitions between groups.
12 – 13
The organization results in clarity and presents mostly logically arranged points to support the proposed solution. Ideas are grouped fairly well, and there are transitions throughout the document.
14 – 15
The organization results in clarity and presents logically arranged points to support the proposed solution. Related ideas are well grouped, and transitions between ideas flow smoothly.
Writing Mechanics
(10 points)
0 – 5
Writing lacks clarity and conciseness. Serious problems with sentence structure and gramm