Issues paper rubric - criteria for grading

Rubrics are used by instructors as an assessment tool to define expectations of quality.  What are the specific criteria for determining the grades for your insurance industry issues paper? Aside from the “fatal errors” policy regarding spelling/grammar mentioned in the original assignment, the following items will considered when determining the overall grade for your report.

1. Indicate some relationship between your audience and your report’s purpose. Recall that the potential readers of your paper are classmates from FIL 250. You can assume the audience has been exposed to class topics so there is no need for significant review of background material. However, this does not mean that you totally ignore the material that has been covered in class.  As you introduce your topic, it will be helpful to bridge the gap from 250 topics to your specific topic. This will help the audience stay connected with your subject and help them consider your specific contributions. 
2. The paper’s organization should contribute to identifying your major topic/idea. Your paper should likely be a blend of background/review and your area of focus.  As mentioned in #1 above, you want to bridge your topic to FIL 250, so some review is useful.  But you also need to be able to express exactly how your paper extends topics discussed in class.  All of this in 5- to 7-pages might be a bit tricky.  Pay careful attention to the structure of your report as it will assist the reader in relating your topic to what they have already learned.  Make sure each section/paragraph has a clear purpose that helps the overall flow of the paper.  Finally, be sure the introduction is specific enough, so that the reader can see what will be covered.  A conclusion may seem redundant, but it should reiterate what you wanted to convey to your reader.
3. Make some quality contribution to the topic.  A good part of your paper will be providing some background for the reader and introducing the topic to those who are new to the area.  But also be sure that your paper adds something significant to what has already been written.  Whatever your topic, take time to think about exactly what the unique "hook" of your contribution will be.  Is it a comparison of two ways to provide coverage or a criticism of one way to do business?  If so, think about your contribution being advantages and disadvantages of existing alternatives.  Is your paper an explanation of a new type of insurance?  Perhaps you can include a specific example of coverage (maybe even include an appendix that includes an actual policy) and walk through the coverage carefully.
4. Reference materials should be appropriate and accurately documented. While there is no formal required style for references, they should be recognized in some consistent fashion. When choosing sources, there should be at least one source that is "substantial." Ideally, this would include a published book.  However, it may also include a consulting report or journal article of substantial length/breadth.  The idea of these major references is that if the reader was very interested in your topic, you could point them to at least one high quality resource that would expand on your contributions.  Other references to trade journals or newspapers can then supplement your major sources.

Hope this helps.  Let me know if you have questions or concerns about any of these major points.