CRITICAL THINKING RUBRIC Not Proficient Some Proficiency Proficient Highly Proficient Points Received (10 x 5) Identified and Explained Issues Fails to identify, summarize, or explain the main problem or question, or represents the issues inaccurately or inappropriately. Identifies main issues but does not summarize or explain them clearly or sufficiently. Successfully identifies and summarizes the main issues, but does not explain why/how they are problems or create questions. Clearly identifies and summarizes main issues and successfully and identifies implicit issues, addressing their relationship to each other. Recognizes Stakeholders and Contexts Fails to accurately identify and explain any context for the issues or presents problems as having no connections to other contexts. Shows some understanding of the influences of theoretical contexts on stakeholders, but does not identify any specific ones relevant to situation at hand. Correctly identified all the empirical and most of the theoretical contexts relevant to all the main stakeholders in the situation. Not only correctly identifies all the contexts relevant to stakeholders, but also finds minor stakeholders and contexts and shows conflicts of interests among them. Takes Intellectual Risks Stays strictly within the guidelines of the assignment. Considers new directions or approaches without going beyond the guidelines of the assignment. Incorporates new directions or approaches to the assignment in the final product. Actively seeks out and follows through on untested and potentially risky directions or approaches to the assignment in the final product. Evaluates Assumptions Fails to identify and evaluate any of the important assumptions behind the recommendations made. Identifies some of the most important assumptions, but does not evaluate them for plausibility or clarity. Identifies and evaluates all the important assumptions, but not the ones deeper in the background–the more abstract ones. Not only identifies and evaluates all the important assumptions, but also some the more hidden, more abstract ones. Innovative Thinking Merely restates existing ideas. Experiments with creating a novel or unique idea, format, or product. Actually creates a novel or unique idea, identifies a new void, or proposes a new product. Extends a novel or unique idea, question, format, or product to create new knowledge or knowledge that crosses boundaries. Each student will be required to find a current article about a marketing development in the business press (The Wall Street Journal, BBC, CNBC, Bloomberg, Businessweek.

1. CRITICAL THINKING RUBRIC
Not Proficient
Some Proficiency
Proficient
Highly Proficient
Points Received
(10 x 5)
Identified and
Explained Issues
Fails to identify,
summarize, or explain
the main problem or

2. question, or represents
the issues inaccurately
or inappropriately.
Identifies main
issues but does not
summarize or
explain them
clearly or
sufficiently.
Successfully
identifies and
summarizes the
main issues, but
does not explain
why/how they
are problems or
create questions.

3. Clearly identifies
and summarizes
main issues and
successfully and
identifies implicit
issues, addressing
their relationship to
each other.
Recognizes
Stakeholders and
Contexts
Fails to accurately
identify and explain any
context for the issues or
presents problems as
having no connections

4. to other contexts.
Shows some
understanding of
the influences of
theoretical
contexts on
stakeholders, but
does not identify
any specific ones
relevant to
situation at hand.
Correctly
identified all the
empirical and
most of the
theoretical
contexts

5. relevant to all
the main
stakeholders in
the situation.
Not only correctly
identifies all the
contexts relevant to
stakeholders, but
also finds minor
stakeholders and
contexts and shows
conflicts of interests
among them.
Takes
Intellectual
Risks

6. Stays strictly within the
guidelines of the
assignment.
Considers new
directions or
approaches
without going
beyond the
guidelines of the
assignment.
Incorporates
new directions
or approaches to
the assignment
in the final
product.

7. Actively seeks out
and follows through
on untested and
potentially risky
directions or
approaches to the
assignment in the
final product.
Evaluates
Assumptions
Fails to identify and
evaluate any of the
important assumptions
behind the
recommendations
made.

8. Identifies some of
the most important
assumptions, but
does not evaluate
them for
plausibility or
clarity.
Identifies and
evaluates all the
important
assumptions, but
not the ones
deeper in the
background–the
more abstract
ones.

9. Not only identifies
and evaluates all the
important
assumptions, but
also some the more
hidden, more
abstract ones.
Innovative
Thinking
Merely restates existing
ideas.
Experiments with
creating a novel or
unique idea,
format, or product.

10. Actually creates
a novel or
unique idea,
identifies a new
void, or
proposes a new
product.
Extends a novel or
unique idea,
question, format, or
product to create
new knowledge or
knowledge that
crosses boundaries.
Each student will be required to find a current article about a

11. marketing development in the business press (The Wall Street
Journal, BBC, CNBC, Bloomberg, Businessweek, Fortune,
AdAge, etc.) and submit a summary with the below
requirements (50 points total). The source should be reputable
and students should formulate their own opinions and ideas
about the topic taking into account adjacent industries.
The objectives of these reports are useful in the ways detailed
below:
1. They guide you in discovering that marketing is not simply a
collection of static terms and dated theories. Rather, both
corporate and social organizations are living the principles we
are learning.
2. The purpose of this assignment is to emphasize the
importance of seeing the ‘big picture’ behind business
developments. Also, students should be able to stimulate an
intellectual conversation on the topic based on the article and
their own individual research.
Format
Reports are to be typed, double-spaced, on 3 (maximum) sheets
of 8 ½ʺ × 11ʺ paper, stapled together, with no plastic bindings. I
expect that these reports will represent your best presentation
quality.
Include the following headings:
I. Introduction
II. Environment
III. Marketing Mix Variables
Please follow this outline for your written report:
I. Introduction
1. In your own words, summarize the key points of the article.
2. Be sure to relate the article to key points and concepts citing

12. how and why this development is important to the marketing
world.
Please use the following citation format:
Author’s last name, first name, “Title of the article,” in
Periodical, (dates), page numbers.
II. Environment
Explain how this development has impacted the marketing
environment relevant to the situation discussed in the article.
Pay special attention to the competitive environment and issues
bearing on competitive advantage.
III. Marketing
Mix Variables Explain how this change impacts the marketing
mix relevant to the situation. How should affected
companies/industries adjust their marketing strategies to deal
with this development