SCI 200 Project Part One: First Draft Guidelines and Rubric
Overview: You have identified an issue in the natural sciences and developed an initial research question. In Modules Three and Four, you will practice
evaluating scientific sources and then identify and describe sources related to your topic. As you investigate your topic through these sources, you will revisit
your research question and make adjustments.
Prompt: In this first draft, you will identify appropriate resources related to your issue and begin to analyze them and compile your reference list. You will
complete the first two critical elements (introduction and body) of Project Part One, and you will complete a draft of the conclusion in Modules Five and Six. You
will also begin building critical element IV, the reference list, in this draft.
Specifically, the following critical elements must be addressed:
I. Introduction: In this section, you will discuss your natural science issue and select resources that you can use to research the issue. This will lead you to
the development of a research question related to your issue. Specifically, you should:
a. Describe the issue in the natural sciences that you have selected to investigate. Why is this issue significant? (You identified this issue in Module
One, but how would you revise this piece now that you have received instructor feedback and investigated your sources?)
b. Describe at least three science resources that you could use to investigate the issue you selected. Your sources must be relevant to your issue
and must be of an academic nature appropriate for the issue. In your description, consider questions such as: What are the similarities and
differences in the content of your sources? What makes them appropriate and relevant for investigating your issue? What was your thought
process when you were searching for sources? How did you make choices?
c. Based on your review of science resources, develop a specific question related to the issue you selected. In other words, what would you like to
know more about?
II. Body: In this section, you will use the natural science resources that you selected to investigate your question, focusing on an appropriate audience and
the scientific principles related to the issue. Make sure to cite your sources. Based on your research:
a. Identify an audience that would be interested in your issue and the question you developed. For example, who would benefit most from hearing
your message, or who could best help in addressing the issue?
b. Describe how and why you can tailor your message to your audience, providing specific examples. For example, will your audience understand
scientific terminology and principles, or will you need to explain them? How will you communicate effectively with your audience?
c. Identify the natural science principle(s) that apply to your question and issue. For example, if your issue is global climate change, the principle
you might identify is that the sun is the primary source of energy for Earth’s climate system.
d. Explain how the principle(s) you identified apply to your issue and question. In other words, how are the natural science principle(s) you
identified relevant to your question and issue?
IV. Provide a reference list that includes all of the science resources you used to investigate your issue and question so far. Ensure that your list is formatted
according to current APA guidelines (or another format, with instructor permission).
Rubric
Guidelines for Submission: The first draft of your planning document should be 2–4 pages, double spaced, with 12-point Times New Roman font and one-inch
margins. You should use current APA guidelines (or another format approved by your instructor) for your citations and reference list.
Critical Elements Proficient (100%) Needs Improvement (75%) Not Evident (0%) Value
Introduction: Issue Describes selected issue in natural
sciences and its significance
Describes selected issue in natural
sciences and its significance but with
gaps in detail or clarity
Does not describe selected issue in
natural sciences and its significance
5
Introduction: Science
Resources
Describes at least three relevant and
appropriate science resources that
could be used to investigate selected
issue
Describes at least three science
resources that could be used to
investigate selected issue but with gaps
in appropriateness, relevance, or detail
or is missing one or more sources
Does not describe science resources that
could be used to investigate selected
issue
15
Introduction: Specific
Question
Develops specific question related to
selected issue based on review of
science resources
Develops specific question related to
selected issue, but question is not
based on review of science resources
Does not develop specific question
related to selected issue
5
Body: Audience Identifies an audience that would be
interested in issue and question, citing
source(s)
Identifies an audience, but audience is
not appropriate for issue and question,
or there are gaps in citation
Does not identify an audience 15
Body: Message Describes how and why message can
be tailored to audience, providing
specific examples and citing source(s)
Describes how and why message can
be tailored to audience but with gaps
in examples or citation
Does not describe how and why message
can be tailored to audience
15
Body: Identify Principle(s) Identifies natural science principle(s)
that apply to issue and question, citing
source(s)
Identifies natural science principle(s)
that apply to issue and question but
with gaps in accuracy or citation
Does not identify natural science
principle(s) that apply to issue and
question
15
Body: Explain Principle(s) Explains how identified principle(s)
apply to issue and question, citing
source(s)
Explains how identified principle(s)
apply to issue and question but with
gaps in detail, clarity, or citation
Does not explain how identified
principle(s) apply to issue and question
15
Reference List Provides reference list that includes all
science resources used to investigate
issue and question, and list is
formatted according to current APA
guidelines
Provides reference list that includes all
science resources used to investigate
issue and question, but list has gaps in
adherence to current APA formatting
guidelines
Does not provide reference list that
includes all science resources used to
investigate issue and question
10
Articulation of Response Submission has no major errors related
to citations, grammar, spelling, syntax,
or organization
Submission has major errors related to
citations, grammar, spelling, syntax, or
organization that negatively impact
readability and articulation of main
ideas
Submission has critical errors related to
citations, grammar, spelling, syntax, or
organization that prevent understanding
of ideas
5
Total 100%
