8-1 Discussion: Ethical Challenges in Different Settings

PSY 570 Discussion Guidelines and Rubric
Overview: You will write an initial post (2–3-paragraph response) to the discussion and reply to at least two posts during the week outside of your initial post
thread. These discussions offer you the opportunity to express your own thoughts, ask questions for clarification, and gain insight from your classmates’
responses and instructor’s guidance. A response needs to be respectful and substantive, indicating a response with depth beyond “I agree” or “I disagree.” Your
participation posts must also demonstrate greater critical thinking beyond reframing another post.

Recommended best practices:

Initial post (1):
 Composed of two to three paragraphs unless otherwise noted
 In Module One, complete the initial post by Thursday at 11:59 p.m.

Eastern Time.
 In Modules Two through Ten, complete the initial post by

Thursday at 11:59 p.m. of your local time zone.
 Considers material (course content, other discussions, etc.) from

the current module and previous modules

Response posts (2):
 Reply to at least two other classmates outside of your own initial

post thread
 In Module One, complete the two response posts by Sunday at

11:59 p.m. Eastern Time.
 In Modules Two through Ten, complete the two response posts by

Sunday at 11:59 p.m. of your local time zone.
 Must have more depth and critical thinking than simply “I agree” or

“you are wrong”

For more information, see the Course Etiquette section of the COCE Guide to Student Success.

Critical Elements Exemplary (100%) Proficient (90%) Needs Improvement (70%) Not Evident (0%) Value
Application The discussion post was

written in a manner indicating
that the student clearly
understood the ethical
concepts presented in class;
demonstrates appropriate
application of concepts (100%)

The discussion post was written
in a manner indicating that the
student understood the ethical
concepts presented in class;
demonstrates application of
concepts (90%)

The discussion post was
written in a manner indicating
that the student struggled
with the ethical concepts
presented in class (70%)

Student did not provide
an initial response to
the discussion question
(0%)

35

Timeliness Submits initial post on time
(100%)

Submits initial post one day late
(70%)

Submits initial post two
or more days late (0%)

10

Critical Thinking Student demonstrates critical
thinking with the initial and
response posts. Critical
elements are addressed in a
comprehensive manner, tying
the response back to the
literature presented in the
week (100%)

Student provides a well-
thought-out initial post that
demonstrates a working
knowledge of the literature
presented from the week;
response posts demonstrate
critical analysis (90%)

Student provides a well-
thought-out initial post, but
does not make connections to
the material presented in the
course work from the week;
response posts indicate
challenges with critical
thinking (70%)

Student did not provide
an initial response to
the discussion question
(0%)

25

Writing
(Mechanics/

Citations)

No errors related to
organization, grammar and
style, or citations (100%)

Minor errors related to
organization, grammar and
style, and citations (90%)

Some errors related to
organization, grammar and
style, and citations (70%)

Major errors related to
organization, grammar
and style, and citations
(0%)

20

Participation Student provides the required
quantity of participation posts
which are substantive,
respectful, and add something
new to the discussion (100%)

Student provides the
required quantity of
participation posts. A
majority of the posts are
substantive and respectful to
fellow learners (90%)

Student does not submit the
required quantity or quality of
participation posts (70%)

Student does not submit
any participation posts
to fellow learners for
the discussion question
(0%)

10

Earned Total 100%