Research Methods Comprehensive Exam Rubric Subject Poor (1) Fair (2) Satisfactory (3)

Research Methods Comprehensive Exam Rubric

Subject

Poor (1)

Fair (2)

Satisfactory (3)

Mastery (4)

Literature

The student wrote a literature review that seemed unrelated to the research question and hypothesis. The student’s response utilized limited to no citations, was difficult to understand and/or did not successfully synthesize material for the literature review.

The student wrote a literature review that provided background literature that seemed largely unrelated to the research question and hypothesis. The student’s response utilized limited citations and demonstrated a fair analysis and synthesis of the literature.

The student wrote a literature review that provided related background literature on the subject that logically led to the research question and hypothesis. The student’s response may lack some citations and/or organization, but the student demonstrated a satisfactory analysis and synthesis of the literature.

The student wrote a concise, clear literature review (1-2 paragraphs) that adequately provided enough background literature on the subject area to logically lead to a research question and hypothesis. The student’s response utilized extensive citations incorporating current scholarly resources. Student demonstrated a thorough, yet concise, exemplary analysis and synthesis of the literature.

Gap

The student did not successfully identify the gap in the literature or impetus for the study and/or both the gap and impetus were inappropriate for the proposed scenario.

The student identified either a gap in the literature or impetus for the study that were either not reflections of the literature presented or seemed inappropriate for the proposed scenario.

The student identified a gap in the literature and impetus for the study that was somewhat supported by the literature and scenario presented.

The student clearly identified a gap in the literature and impetus for the study, which were logical reflections of the literature and scenario presented.

Hypothesis

The student’s alternative, H1, and null, Ho, hypotheses were not accurately written or not appropriate for the literature, gap or scenario presented.

The student’s alternative, H1, and/or null, Ho, hypotheses were not accurately written or did not seem to reflect the literature, gap or scenario presented.

The student’s alternative, H1, and null, Ho, hypotheses were correct but may not fully reflect logical conclusions based on the literature and gap in the literature provided

The student included a clearly written alternative, H1, and null, Ho, hypotheses that are logical reflections of the literature and gap in the literature provided.

Variables

The student did not demonstrate understanding of Independent and Dependent Variables or how each IV, DV, and covariate will be incorporated into the proposed design.

The student inaccurately identified the Independent and Dependent Variables and/or Covariates and/or incorrectly identified the type of scale each variable would use (categorical/ continuous). Student demonstrated some lack of understanding of how each IV, DV, and covariate will be incorporated into the proposed design.

The student accurately identified the Independent and Dependent Variables. Some Covariates were identified. The type of scale for each variable was identified (categorical/ continuous). Some understanding of how each IV, DV, and covariate will be incorporated into the proposed design was demonstrated.

The student accurately identified the Independent and Dependent Variables as well as any Covariates and identified the type of scale each variable would use (categorical/ continuous). Student correctly indicates / defines how each IV, DV, and covariate will be incorporated into the proposed design.

Research Design

Student either incorrectly identified all or most elements of the proposed research design and did not appear to understand elements of research design.

Student properly identified some elements of the proposed research design but did not seem to have a good understanding of these elements and did not include clear examples demonstrating a limited understanding of the material.

Student properly identified some elements of the proposed research design, but some minor elements may be missing. Student used some jargon appropriately, demonstrating understanding of some terms with examples related to the proposed study.

Student properly identified the proposed research design; the design is appropriate to test the hypothesis. Student used jargon appropriately and demonstrates understanding of the terms by illustrating the terms with examples related to the proposed study.

Participants

Student’s description of the target participants was incomplete and/or inappropriate for the proposed study’s hypothesis and design and demonstrated a lack of understanding of the material.

Student included a description of the target participants but these seemed incomplete and/or inappropriate for the proposed study’s hypothesis and design and demonstrated a limited understanding of the material.

Student included a description of the target participants but lacked some elements.

Student included a detailed description of the target participants including the population, sample size, demographic breakdown and any additional relevant information.

Measures

Student provided a minimal description of the measures or instruments that will be used to collect information on the variables of study, and/ or included measures that were not relevant to the study or the study’s identified variables and demonstrated a fair–poor understanding of the reliability and validity of a measure.

Student provided a minimal description of the measures or instruments that will be used to collect information on the variables of study or included measures that were not relevant to the study or the study’s identified variables and/ or demonstrated a moderate –fair understanding of the reliability and validity of a measure.

Student provided a description of the measures or instruments that will be used to collect information on the variables of study but did not fully describe the measures and/ or demonstrated a moderate understanding of the reliability and validity of a measure.

Student provided a description of the measures or instruments that will be used to collect information on the variables of study. Each measure was described with detail on scoring (if relevant), and reliability and validity of the measure. Jargon was used appropriately with illustrations to help demonstrate a clear understanding of reliability and validity of a measure.

Procedures

Student did not provide a coherent description of the procedures from recruitment to completion of the interaction with participants, or the proposed study but lacked a significant amount of details enabling replication or did not include a clear procedure.

Student provided a description of the procedures from recruitment to completion of the interaction with participants, of the proposed study but lacked a significant amount of details enabling replication or did not include a clear procedure.

Student provided a description of the procedures from recruitment to completion of the interaction with participants, of the proposed study but lacked some detail enabling replication.

Student provided a detailed description of the procedures of the proposed study. The student included enough information so that the study could be replicated from recruitment through the end of the interaction with the participants.

Reliability & Validity of the study

The student either did not address the reliability and validity of a study (i.e. they may have addressed that of a measure instead) or the student addressed the reliability and validity of the proposed study using little to no jargon and/or not illustrating the concepts and/or had significant errors or were missing significant pieces of information.

The student addressed the reliability and validity of the proposed study using little jargon and/or little use of examples; however, the descriptions included significant errors or were missing significant pieces of information.

The student addressed the reliability and validity of the proposed study using jargon and illustrating understanding with relevant examples, however, the descriptions included minor errors or were missing some information.

The student addressed the reliability and validity of the proposed study using jargon and illustrating understanding with relevant examples.

Ethical Considerations

Student demonstrated little to no understanding of ethical considerations in research and was not able to adequately address possible ethical concerns that may arise or may be present in this study.

Student demonstrated minimal understanding of ethical considerations in research and minimally addressed possible ethical concerns that may arise or may be present in this study.

Student demonstrated some understanding of ethical considerations in research and addressed some possible ethical concerns that may arise or may be present in this study.

Student demonstrated an understanding of ethical considerations in research and addressed possible ethical concerns that may arise or may be present in this study.

Limitations

Student addressed minimal or less potential limitations to this proposed studied and did not clearly apply correlation versus causation to this study.

Student addressed some to minimal potential limitations to this proposed studied and/or did not clearly apply correlation versus causation to this study.

Student addressed some potential limitations to this proposed studied including application of correlation versus causation to this study.

Student addressed potential limitations to this proposed studied including application of correlation versus causation to this study.

Formatting and integrity?

The majority of citations are incorrectly formatted or not included. Or the citations are not reconciled with the references page. Or the paper’s overall formatting deviates significantly from APA style.

Significant errors exist in how sources are cited or formatted as references, or there are significant errors in APA formatting of the written response.

There are only minor errors in how sources are cited and included in References section. The response, in general, is formatted properly in APA style, but there may be some minor errors in this.

Sources are cited and included in References section accurately. Overall, the response is formatted properly in APA style.

Column Totals:

Total Sum of All Column Totals:

Divided by 12 to calculate overall score:

Student must earn an Overall Score of 3 or higher in order to pass this question.