©2023 Walden University 1

ST3001: Descriptive Statistics: Analyze data relative to central tendency, dispersion, and graphical displays.

Assessment Rubric

Rubric Criteria
Does Not Meet
Expectations

Meets Expectations Exceeds Expectations

Variables in a published study
Describe chosen study. Response is incorrect for

chosen study or omits key
portions of study.

Response briefly describes study
without sufficient detail to
understand study as a whole.

Response provides exemplary
detailed explanation of study and
what it contains.

Identify sample in study.

Response is incorrect.

Response accurately identifies
the sample used in the study.

Response gives an exemplary
explanation of sample used and
provides supporting evidence.

Identify population in
study.

Response is incorrect.

Response accurately identifies
the population used in the study.

Response gives an exemplary
explanation of population used and
provides supporting evidence.

Determine if the data is
quantitative or
qualitative.

LO1: Identify quantitative
and qualitative data

Response is incorrect.

This rubric does not have a
“Meets Expectations” option and
will be graded as either “Does
Not Meet Expectations” or as
“Exceeds Expectations.” Faculty,
please do not select this option.

Response accurately identifies the
type of data represented.

©2023 Walden University 2

Explain how you
determined the type of
data.

LO2: Justify identification
of quantitative and
qualitative data

Response gives an
explanation that does not
apply.

Response gives a valid
explanation of why a type of data
was selected.

Response gives an exemplary
explanation of why a type of data was
selected and supporting material is
referenced.

Determine the level of
measurement of a data
set.

LO3: Identify the level of
measurement of data sets

Response is incorrect. This rubric does not have a
“Meets Expectations” option and
will be graded as either “Does
Not Meet Expectations” or as
“Exceeds Expectations.” Faculty,
please do not select this option.

Response accurately identifies the
level of measurement.

Explain how you
determined the level of
measurement.

LO4: Justify identification
of levels of measurement

Response gives an
explanation that does not
apply.

Response gives a valid
explanation of why a level of
measurement was selected.

Response gives an exemplary
explanation of why a level of
measurement was selected and
provides supporting evidence.

Determine if study is
quantitative or
qualitative in nature.

Response is incorrect. Response gives a valid
explanation as to type of study
completed.

Response gives an exemplary
explanation of type of study and
provides supporting evidence.

Graphical representation of data
Create qualitative graph.

Graph is not appropriate
for qualitative data or does
not accurately display data
or no caption is present.

Response includes appropriate
graph but graph lacks labels or
caption lacks detail.

Response includes an exemplary
graph with clear labels and detailed
caption.

Create histograms.

LO3: Create histograms

Response includes a
histogram with incorrect bin
widths, or no caption is
present.

Response includes a histogram
with accurate number displays
but lacks labels or caption lacks
detail.

Response includes an exemplary
histogram with clear labels and
detailed caption.

Create box plot.

LO3: Create histograms

Response includes a box
plot with incorrect values,
or no caption is present.

Response includes a box plot
with accurate number displays

Response includes an exemplary box
plot with clear labels and detailed
caption.

©2023 Walden University 3

but lacks labels or caption lacks
detail.

Measures of Central Tendency
Find the mean, median,
and midrange.

LO1: Calculate measures
of central tendency

Response accurately
calculates only one or two
measures of central
tendency.

This rubric does not have a
“Meets Expectations” option and
will be graded as either “Does
Not Meet Expectations” or as
“Exceeds Expectations.” Faculty,
please do not select this option.

Response accurately calculates the
mean, median, and midrange of the
data set.

Measures of Variation
Find the range, variance,
and standard deviation.

LO1: Calculate measures
of dispersion

Response accurately
calculates only one or two
measures of dispersion.

This rubric does not have a
“Meets Expectations” option and
will be graded as either “Does
Not Meet Expectations” or as
“Exceeds Expectations.” Faculty,
please do not select this option.

Response accurately calculates
range, variance, and standard
deviation for a data set.

Module 5: Interpreting Data
Explain conclusions
about a measure of
central tendency.

LO1: Interpret measures of
central tendency

Response includes a
conclusion that is vague or
incomplete, or the
conclusion does not relate
to the data or measures of
central tendency.

Response offers one valid,
complete conclusion that is in line
with the data and relates directly
to measures of central tendency.

Response offers an exemplary
conclusion that is valid and complete
while in line with the data and relates
directly to measures of central
tendency.

Explain conclusions
about variability.

LO2: Interpret measures of
variability

Response includes a
conclusion that is vague or
incomplete, or the
conclusion does not relate
to the data or to measures
of variability.

Response offers one valid,
complete conclusion that is in line
with the data and relates directly
to the measures of variability.

Response offers an exemplary
conclusion that is valid and complete
while in line with the data and relates
directly to the measures of variability.

Identify outliers.

LO3: Interpret the shape of
distributions

Response indicates
incorrect outliers or fails to
identify all outliers.

Response correctly identifies all
outliers complete with
explanation.

Response offers an exemplary
explanation for identification of all
correct outliers.

©2023 Walden University 4

Professional Writing
Professional Writing: Clarity,
Flow, and Organization

Content contains significant
spelling, punctuation, and/or
grammar/syntax errors. Writing
does not demonstrate adequate
sentence and paragraph
structure and requires additional
editing/proofreading. Key
sections of presented content
lack clarity, logical flow, and/or
organization.

Content contains few spelling,
punctuation, and/or
grammar/syntax errors. Writing
demonstrates adequate
sentence and paragraph
structure and may require some
editing. Content presented is
satisfactorily clear, logical,
and/or organized, but could
benefit from additional
editing/revision.

Content is free from spelling,
punctuation, and
grammar/syntax errors. Writing
demonstrates appropriate
sentence and paragraph
structure. Content presented is
clear, logical, and well-
organized.

Professional Writing: Context,
Audience, Purpose, and Tone

Content minimally or does not
demonstrate awareness of
context, audience, and/or
purpose. Writing is not reflective
of professional/scholarly tone
and/or is not free of bias. Style
is inconsistent with the
professional setting/workplace
context and reflects the need for
additional editing.

Content demonstrates
satisfactory awareness of
context, audience, and purpose.
Tone is adequately professional,
scholarly, and/or free from bias,
and style is mostly consistent
with the professional
setting/workplace context.

Content clearly demonstrates
awareness of context, audience,
and purpose. Tone is highly
professional, scholarly, and free
from bias, and style is
appropriate for the professional
setting/workplace context.

Professional Writing:
Originality, Source Credibility,
and Attribution of Ideas

Content does not adequately
reflect original writing and/or
paraphrasing. Writing
demonstrates inconsistent
adherence to reference
requirements, including the use
of credible evidence to support
a claim, with appropriate source
attribution (when applicable)
and reference. There are
numerous and/or significant
errors.

Content adequately reflects
original writing and
paraphrasing. Writing
demonstrates adequate
adherence to reference
requirements, including the use
of credible evidence to support a
claim, with appropriate source
attribution (when applicable) and
references. There are one or two
minor errors.

Content reflects original thought
and writing and proper
paraphrasing. Writing
demonstrates full adherence to
reference requirements,
including the use of credible
evidence to support a claim,
with appropriate source
attribution (when applicable)
and references.

©2023 Walden University 5

Interpreting Data & Quantitative Fluency: Interpret quantitative data in order to analyze issues and make decisions.
0

Not Present
1

Needs Improvement
2

Meets Expectations
LO1: Identify conclusions
from numeric information
presented in narrative
and/or graphic form

No conclusions are
made based on numeric
information.

Connections between conclusions
and numeric information are
vague or inaccurate.

Conclusions identified are
appropriately connected to the
numeric information.

LO2: Use both narrative
and graphic form to explain
the same data

Graphs and/or narrative
is not present.

Supportive connection between
narrative and graph is not clearly
explained.

Narrative explanation of quantitative
data explains the graph and the
graph illustrates and clarifies the
narrative.