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NR599 Nursing Informatics for Advanced Practice: Week 6 Assignment

NR599 Nursing Informatics for Advanced Practice: Week 6 Assignment

Chamberlain University NR599 Nursing Informatics for Advanced Practice: Week 6 Assignment– Step-By-Step Guide

 

This guide will demonstrate how to complete the Chamberlain University   NR599 Nursing Informatics for Advanced Practice: Week 6 Assignment assignment based on general principles of academic writing. Here, we will show you the A, B, Cs of completing an academic paper, irrespective of the instructions. After guiding you through what to do, the guide will leave one or two sample essays at the end to highlight the various sections discussed below.

 

How to Research and Prepare for  NR599 Nursing Informatics for Advanced Practice: Week 6 Assignment                                   

 

Whether one passes or fails an academic assignment such as the Chamberlain University   NR599 Nursing Informatics for Advanced Practice: Week 6 Assignment depends on the preparation done beforehand. The first thing to do once you receive an assignment is to quickly skim through the requirements. Once that is done, start going through the instructions one by one to clearly understand what the instructor wants. The most important thing here is to understand the required format—whether it is APA, MLA, Chicago, etc.

 

After understanding the requirements of the paper, the next phase is to gather relevant materials. The first place to start the research process is the weekly resources. Go through the resources provided in the instructions to determine which ones fit the assignment. After reviewing the provided resources, use the university library to search for additional resources. After gathering sufficient and necessary resources, you are now ready to start drafting your paper.

 

How to Write the Introduction for  NR599 Nursing Informatics for Advanced Practice: Week 6 Assignment                                   

 

The introduction for the Chamberlain University   NR599 Nursing Informatics for Advanced Practice: Week 6 Assignment is where you tell the instructor what your paper will encompass. In three to four statements, highlight the important points that will form the basis of your paper. Here, you can include statistics to show the importance of the topic you will be discussing. At the end of the introduction, write a clear purpose statement outlining what exactly will be contained in the paper. This statement will start with “The purpose of this paper…” and then proceed to outline the various sections of the instructions.

 

How to Write the Body for  NR599 Nursing Informatics for Advanced Practice: Week 6 Assignment                                   

 

After the introduction, move into the main part of the  NR599 Nursing Informatics for Advanced Practice: Week 6 Assignment assignment, which is the body. Given that the paper you will be writing is not experimental, the way you organize the headings and subheadings of your paper is critically important. In some cases, you might have to use more subheadings to properly organize the assignment. The organization will depend on the rubric provided. Carefully examine the rubric, as it will contain all the detailed requirements of the assignment. Sometimes, the rubric will have information that the normal instructions lack.

 

Another important factor to consider at this point is how to do citations. In-text citations are fundamental as they support the arguments and points you make in the paper. At this point, the resources gathered at the beginning will come in handy. Integrating the ideas of the authors with your own will ensure that you produce a comprehensive paper. Also, follow the given citation format. In most cases, APA 7 is the preferred format for nursing assignments.

 

How to Write the Conclusion for  NR599 Nursing Informatics for Advanced Practice: Week 6 Assignment                                   

 

After completing the main sections, write the conclusion of your paper. The conclusion is a summary of the main points you made in your paper. However, you need to rewrite the points and not simply copy and paste them. By restating the points from each subheading, you will provide a nuanced overview of the assignment to the reader.

 

How to Format the References List for  NR599 Nursing Informatics for Advanced Practice: Week 6 Assignment                                   

 

The very last part of your paper involves listing the sources used in your paper. These sources should be listed in alphabetical order and double-spaced. Additionally, use a hanging indent for each source that appears in this list. Lastly, only the sources cited within the body of the paper should appear here.

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Sample Answer for NR599 Nursing Informatics for Advanced Practice: Week 6 Assignment 

Purpose

The purposes of this assignment are to: (a) demonstrate nursing informatics skills to critique commonly used mobile applications, (b) synthesize nursing and non-nursing knowledge using a guided appraisal process, and (c) develop NI skills with computer technologies to support professional and personal development with implementation of medical applications in clinical practice.

Mobile Health, also known as mHealth, is defined as the use of wireless communication to support efficiency in public health and clinical practice. To facilitate mHealth, mobile applications (apps) have been developed, which can be executed either on a mobile platform or on a web-based platform which is executed on a server. Mobile medical apps are often accessories to a FDA-regulated medical device. Incumbent upon each healthcare provider is a clear understanding of the implications of this guidance on clinical practice as well as demonstrate discretion with regard to medical app implementation.

Medical Application Critical Appraisal

In this technology era, healthcare professionals and patients use multiple tools for information, medical guidance, and interactions. Mobile health apps have become commonplace to support mHealth as care providers pursue improved patient outcomes. The effectiveness and suitability of these apps depend on their features, including design, security, and navigation ease. Appraising a medical app can provide a detailed overview of its purpose, relevance in healthcare, how it operates, and other essentials. The purpose of this critical appraisal is to evaluate a medical app from multiple perspectives and provide a patient scenario to demonstrate its use.

ALSO READ: NR599 Nursing Informatics for Advanced Practice Week 1 Discussion

Medical App Critical Appraisal

Name

The app’s name is Medscape

Author

Authorship and continuous development of Medscape are associated with Peter Frishauf. Determined to challenge the status quo in the healthcare industry, Frishauf launched Medscape in 1995, which has grown into a reference for clinicians worldwide (Elsevier, 2021). He still works as an advisor, although much of the development is under WebMD and Medscape, Inc.

Endorsement

Linsecure or endorsement by medical professional organizations validates an app as an accurate and credible reference for medical information. The American Nurses Credentialing Center and the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education have accredited Medscape to provide continuing medical education for healthcare professionals (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2023). Users need to log in and get access to resources, education, and other crucial Medscape features.

Operation

The mobile-based platform is the most suitable for the app’s operation. When reviewing the usability of mHealth apps, Deniz-Garcia et al. (2023) noted that a simple and intuitive interface is among the features that make apps appropriate and likable for medical use. The mobile-based platform provides a simple and intuitive interface, allowing easy access to information.

Aesthetics

The simple interface and information availability in different but close sections allow easy navigation. Upon logging in, the user immediately locates drugs, procedures, conditions, and other sections in the upper part of the app. Scrolling right and down enables the user to access other areas, including news, quizzes, education, and events. For high usability, mHealth apps should have understandable and actionable tasks with minimal manual input (Deniz-Garcia et al., 2023). The app allows all that and can be used without instructions as long as the user can read, search, and understand information. A single click provides further information about a specific topic depending on the user’s choice and objective.

Purpose

From its design, tools, and links, the Medscape app’s purpose is to provide a resource for drugs, procedures, and conditions to facilitate treatment. Besides, the app has multiple point-of-care tools, notably pill identifiers, calculators, decision points, and drug interactions, among others. Its other purpose is to keep users informed about current events in the healthcare sector and medical field while educating them to improve their knowledge of selected medical matters. In Medscape Today’s section, numerous topics have been covered on matters such as brain function, falls among older adults, and hearing loss. Such information creates a well-informed healthcare workforce for improved patients’ and the population’s health.

Clinical Decision-Making

Effective clinical decision-making combines knowledge, awareness, multiple tools, and evidence-based practice. In healthcare, clinical decision support systems and tools enhance medical decisions with targeted clinical support and guidance to improve healthcare delivery (Sutton et al., 2020; Usmanova et al., 2021). Similarly, Medscape supports clinical decision-making by providing ready and accurate answers to clinical questions. The expert-reviewed disease and health condition articles, drug guidelines, and other resources facilitate informed decision-making besides diagnosis and treatment support.

Safety

Medical app safety is a key barrier to effective patient care. There is minimal potential for patient harm since Medscape does not collect private health information that unauthorized professionals can access. Moreover, the app is a reference tool and not primarily a diagnosis and treatment application.

Privacy/Security

mHealth apps’ developers should secure private data as much as possible. As a result, these apps should have the necessary technical, physical, and administrative data safeguards to enable secure usage (Alwakeel & Lano, 2022; Mia et al., 2022). The Medscape app’s privacy policy outlines information protection through data encryption and sharing with third parties. Personal data is not shared on social networks, although the app can use data from such networks to validate users during registration. Although there is no adequate information on how users are notified in case of a privacy breach, the app allows users to report an issue to timely intervention.

User

mHealth apps have targeted users since they contain specific health information. From the information and resources in the app, Medscape is developed for healthcare providers and professionals with an interest in medicine, such as medical scientists. On procedures, clinicians can refer to the app as a reference for anatomy, critical care, transplantation, and laboratory medicine. On conditions, there is massive information on anesthesiology, dermatology, infectious diseases, and others. Information and guidance on drug interactions and pill identifiers are appropriate for nurses, physicians, and other professionals involved in primary care. Medical scientists can use the app to expand their knowledge of drugs, interactions, and procedures as they explore areas for further research.

Distribution

Apps for local use would restrict downloading and access based on location. However, the app is accessible for users worldwide and can be accessed on Google Play and App Store. The accessibility implies that Apple and Android users can access the app for informed clinical decision-making in their practice areas without geographical limitation.

Credibility

Healthcare providers should always use credible sources for information reference. Such sources are characterized by fact-checking, authority, and being written by experts in a particular discipline (Fossum et al., 2022). Besides, the sources are free of errors and bias. Information sources in the app are reputable and from experts, such as Medscape Medical News, Reuters Health Information, and CDC Expert Commentary. Other credible authors and institutions providing information and guidance on critical health topics include the Hospital for Special Surgery and the American College of Cardiology.

Relevance

Apart from credibility, health information should be relevant. The same case applies to mHealth app data on various health topics, medication use, drug interactions, and other medical support. The information is current since most was published in the past three years. The links in the information sources provide access to peer-reviewed articles, mostly published in the last five years, as recommended for nursing sources. The update seems auto since the last occurred a day ago. An in-depth review of the content shows consistency with evidence-based literature since it is supported by scientific evidence and designed to improve the practice of medicine for improved health outcomes.

Patient Scenario for Medscape

Mrs. Dedan, a 55-year-old African American woman, presents herself at the geriatric unit of the community hospital struggling with type 2 diabetes. In the past six months, Mrs. Dedan has been on metformin XR medication (1000 mg per day). Since type 2 diabetes requires a holistic approach, lifestyle changes and dietary modifications are also recommended in the treatment plan (Garedow et al., 2023). Besides taking metformin, Mrs. Dedan commenced a lifestyle adjustment plan involving some moderate exercises weekly. However, glucose levels and other crucial variables have not improved, and the patient has sincere concern for her blood sugar. Mrs. Dedan comes from a family with a history of type 2 diabetes. She does not smoke but takes alcohol occasionally. The attending nurse wants to interview Mrs. Dedan in-depth to understand the barriers to effective treatment of type 2 diabetes that the patient could be facing in order to guide her accordingly.

The Medscape app provides patient care scenarios under Cases, Quizzes, and Trends. It describes how different cases are approached and how to treat a patient based on their conditions and current medications. Under this section, there is a patient simulation for a 53-year-old woman with type 2 diabetes, explaining how to interview the patient and ask appropriate questions. When interviewing patients with type 2 diabetes, focused doctor-patient communication is crucial and is achieved by individualizing information and engaging the patient (Pikkemaat et al., 2019). As a result, the app should be implemented at the point of care to guide the nurse in interviewing Mrs. Dedan. Its use will impact the process positively by ensuring the patient provides relevant information to guide clinical decision-making.

Conclusion

As nursing informatics evolve, technology use for clinical decision support will increase proportionately. This intensified use allows clinicians to use mobile apps and web-based references for point-of-care use. Medscape is such a reference for clinicians with information on drugs, procedures, conditions, and other essentials. It also provides education on diverse health matters for improved health knowledge and informed decision-making in clinical practice.

References

Alwakeel, L., & Lano, K. (2022). Functional and technical aspects of self-management mhealth apps: systematic app search and literature review. JMIR Human Factors9(2), e29767. https://doi.org/10.2196/29767

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2023). Medscape CE. https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/cme/medscape_cme.html

Deniz-Garcia, A., Fabelo, H., Rodriguez-Almeida, A. J., Zamora-Zamorano, G., Castro-Fernandez, M., Alberiche Ruano, M. D. P., … & WARIFA Consortium. (2023). Quality, usability, and effectiveness of mhealth apps and the role of artificial intelligence: Current scenario and challenges. Journal of Medical Internet Research25, e44030. https://doi.org/10.2196%2F44030

Elsevier. (2021). Question everything while you are learning- Peter Frishauf, founder of Medscape. Osmosis. https://www.osmosis.org/podcasts/question-everything-while-youre-learning-peter-frishauf-entrepreneur-and-founder-of-medscape

Fossum, M., Opsal, A., & Ehrenberg, A. (2022). Nurses’ sources of information to inform clinical practice: an integrative review to guide evidence-based practice. Worldviews on Evidence-Based Nursing19(5), 372–379. https://doi.org/10.1111/wvn.12569

Garedow, A. W., Jemaneh, T. M., Hailemariam, A. G., & Tesfaye, G. T. (2023). Lifestyle modification and medication use among diabetes mellitus patients attending Jimma University Medical Center, Jimma zone, south west Ethiopia. Scientific Reports13(1), 4956. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-32145-y

Mia, M. R., Shahriar, H., Valero, M., Sakib, N., Saha, B., Barek, M. A., … & Ahamed, S. I. (2022). A comparative study on hipaa technical safeguards assessment of android mhealth applications. Smart Health26, 100349. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.smhl.xxxx.xx.xxx

Pikkemaat, M., Boström, K. B., & Strandberg, E. L. (2019). “I have got diabetes!”–interviews of patients newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. BMC Endocrine Disorders19(1), 1-12. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12902-019-0380-5

Sutton, R. T., Pincock, D., Baumgart, D. C., Sadowski, D. C., Fedorak, R. N., & Kroeker, K. I. (2020). An overview of clinical decision support systems: benefits, risks, and strategies for success. NPJ Digital Medicine3(1), 17. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41746-020-0221-y

Usmanova, G., Lalchandani, K., Srivastava, A., Joshi, C. S., Bhatt, D. C., Bairagi, A. K., … & Sood, B. (2021). The role of digital clinical decision support tool in improving quality of intrapartum and postpartum care: experiences from two states of India. BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth21, 1-12. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12884-021-03710-y

Course Outcomes

This assignment is guided by the following Course Outcomes (COs):

CO 2 Demonstrate synthesis of nursing and non-nursing science with information and computer technologies through collaborative advanced nursing practice (PO 5)

CO 4 Exemplify professional values and scholarship to support professional and personal development (PO 1)

Preparation and Paper Outline:

PART 1: The medical application selection for this assignment is contingent upon the month of your birthday. Use the table below to identify the Medical App for this assignment.

Your Birth Month             Medical App for Assignment

January, February           MediCalc

March, April, May           AIDSinfo

June, July, August           CDC Milestone Tracker

September, October     ICD10

November, December  GoodRx

Use the Google Play Store for Android devices or the Apple iTunes App Store for Apple devices to search for the medical application as determined by the table above.

In order to complete the following guided appraisal, download the app to a mobile device (smartphone or tablet). The apps are free and do not require purchase to complete this assignment.

Provide proof of download by attaching a screenshot of the device screen in JPEG or PDF format to the assignment upload tab (in addition to submitting this assignment). Following the general instructions below for smartphone devices (specific device instructions may vary):

Android 4.0 and Newer: (Galaxy SIII, Galaxy S 4, Galaxy Note, HTC One,?Nexus phones, Droid phones)

Any Android phone running Ice Cream Sandwich (4.0) or later can easily take a screenshot. Hold the?Power?and?Volume Down?buttons together until the screen flashes and you hear the shutter sound. The screenshot image will appear in your?Gallery?app, usually inside the?Screenshots?folder

iPhone

The method for taking a screenshot in iOS has been the same since version 2.0. Hold the Power (Sleep/Wake) and Home buttons together until the screen flashes and you hear the shutter sound. The screenshot image will appear in your Photos app under Camera Roll.

PART 2: Answer the Medical App Critical Appraisal questions thoughtfully and comprehensively. Use the criteria headings on this outline as the headings on your properly APA- formatted paper.

NAME: What is the name of the app?

AUTHOR: Who created, developed, or maintains the app? Explain.

ENDORSEMENT: Is the app licensed by the Food and Drug Administration, other government agency, or endorsed by an academic institution or medical professional organization? Explain.

OPERATION: Which platform (mobile or web-based) is suitable for the app and why?

AESTHETICS: Is the information displayed in a way that is easy to navigate? Is it easy to use? Can you use it without instructions? Explain.

PURPOSE: What is the intended purpose or use of the app?

CLINICAL DECISION MAKING: What influence does the app have on clinical decision making? Explain.

SAFETY: Is there potential for patient harm? Explain.

PRIVACY/SECURITY: Does the app have privacy statement or setting? Is there a clear privacy policy stating information will be encrypted and not shared with third parties? Does the app share information on social networks? Are users notified in the event of a breach of privacy and health information? Explain.

USER: For whom is the app intended (providers, patients, or others)? Explain.

DISTRIBUTION: Is it designed for local use or wider distribution? Explain.

CREDIBILITY: How credible are the sources of information? How do you know? Explain.

RELEVANCE: How current is the information in the app? When was the last update? Is the content consistent with evidence-based literature or best practices/standards of care? Explain.

PART 3: Provide one example of an appropriate patient or clinical scenario for this app. The example should include the following details:

Patient Age-population (Pediatric, Adult, Geriatric)

Clinical Setting (Hospital, Private Practice, Extended Living Facility)

History of Present Illness and Diagnosis or Condition

Provide a detailed description of the app in your example. When will the app be implemented (at the Point-of-care or elsewhere)? Who will use the app? What potential impact will it have on the scenario? Incorporate the critical appraisal information from Part 2. Provide one evidence-based scholarly article as a reference to support clinical decision making.

This assignment will be graded on the quality of the information, inclusion of one evidence-based scholarly resource, use of citations, use of Standard English grammar, and organization based on the required components (see the paper headings and content details in Part 1).

The length of the paper is to be between 1,000 and 1,500 words, excluding title page and reference list.

Create this assignment using Microsoft (MS) Word. You can tell that the document is saved as a MS Word document because it will end in “.docx.”

APA format is required in this assignment, explicitly for in-text citations and the reference list. Use 12-point Times New Roman font with 1-inch margins and double spacing. See the APA manual for details regarding proper citation. See resources under Course Resources, “Guidelines for Writing Professional Papers” for further clarification.

* Scholarly Sources:?Only scholarly sources are acceptable for citation and reference in this course. These include?peer-reviewed?publications, government reports, or sources written by a professional or scholar in the field. The textbooks and lessons are NOT considered to be outside scholarly sources. For the threaded discussions and reflection posts, reputable internet sources such as websites by government agencies (URL ends in .gov) and respected organizations (often ends in .org)?can be counted?as scholarly sources. The best outside scholarly source to use is a peer-reviewed nursing journal.? You are encouraged to use the Chamberlain library and search one of the available?databases?for a peer-reviewed journal article.??The following sources?should not be used: Wikipedia, Wikis, or blogs.? These websites?are not considered?scholarly?as anyone can add to these. Please be aware that .com websites can vary in scholarship and quality.? For?example,?the American Heart Association is a .com site with scholarship and quality.? It is the responsibility of the student to determine the scholarship and quality of any .com site.? Ask your instructor before using any site if you are unsure. Points will be deducted from the rubric if the site does not demonstrate scholarship or quality. Current outside scholarly sources must be published?with the last 5 years.? Instructor permission?must be obtained?BEFORE the assignment is due if using a source that is older than 5 years.

Late Assignment Policy

Students are expected to submit assignments by the time they are due. Assignments submitted after the due date and time will receive a deduction of 10% of the total points possible for that assignment for each day the assignment is late. Assignments will be accepted, with penalty as described, up to a maximum of three days late, after which point a zero will be recorded for the assignment.

In the event of an emergency that prevents timely submission of an assignment, students may petition their instructor for a waiver of the late submission grade reduction. The instructor will review the student’s rationale for the request and make a determination based on the merits of the student’s appeal. Consideration of the student’s total course performance to date will be a contributing factor in the determination. Students should continue to attend class, actively participate, and complete other assignments while the appeal is pending.

This Policy applies to assignments that contribute to the numerical calculation of the course letter grade.

Evaluation Methods

The maximum score in this class is 1,000 points. The categories, which contribute to your final grade, are weighted as follows.

Graded Item Points Weighting
Discussion (50 points, Weeks 1–7; 25 points, Week 8) 375 37.5%
Shared Governance Model Paper (Week 3) 200 20%
Management of Power Paper (Week 5) 200 20%
Executive Summary (Week 7) 225 22.5%
Total 1,000 100%

No extra credit assignments are permitted for any reason.

All of your course requirements are graded using points. At the end of the course, the points are converted to a letter grade using the scale in the table below. Percentages of 0.5% or higher are not raised to the next whole number. A final grade of 76% (letter grade C) is required to pass the course.

Letter Grade Points Percentage
A   940–1,000 94% to 100%
A-  920–939 92% to 93%
B+ 890–919 89% to 91%
B   860–889 86% to 88%
B-  840–859 84% to 85%
C+ 810–839 81% to 83%
C   760–809 76% to 80%
F   759 and below 75% and below

NOTE:To receive credit for a week’s discussion, students may begin posting no earlier than the Sunday immediately before each week opens. Unless otherwise specified, access to most weeks begins on Sunday at 12:01 a.m. MT, and that week’s assignments are due by the next Sunday by 11:59 p.m. MT. Week 8 opens at 12:01 a.m. MT Sunday and closes at 11:59 p.m. MT Wednesday. Any assignments and all discussion requirements must be completed by 11:59 p.m. MT Wednesday of the eighth week.

Students agree that, by taking this course, all required papers may be subject to submission for textual similarity review to Turnitin.com for the detection of plagiarism. All submitted papers will be included as source documents in the Turnitin.com reference database solely for the purpose of detecting plagiarism of such papers. Use of the Turnitin.com service is subject to the Terms and Conditions of Use posted on the Turnitin.com site.

Participation for MSN

Threaded Discussion Guiding Principles

The ideas and beliefs underpinning the threaded discussions (TDs) guide students through engaging dialogues as they achieve the desired learning outcomes/competencies associated with their course in a manner that empowers them to organize, integrate, apply and critically appraise their knowledge to their selected field of practice. The use of TDs provides students with opportunities to contribute level-appropriate knowledge and experience to the topic in a safe, caring, and fluid environment that models professional and social interaction. The TD’s ebb and flow is based upon the composition of student and faculty interaction in the quest for relevant scholarship. Participation in the TDs generates opportunities for students to actively engage in the written ideas of others by carefully reading, researching, reflecting, and responding to the contributions of their peers and course faculty. TDs foster the development of members into a community of learners as they share ideas and inquiries, consider perspectives that may be different from their own, and integrate knowledge from other disciplines.

Participation Guidelines

Each weekly threaded discussion is worth up to 25 points. Students must post a minimum of two times in each graded thread. The two posts in each individual thread must be on separate days. The student must provide an answer to each graded thread topic posted by the course instructor, by Wednesday, 11:59 p.m. MT, of each week. If the student does not provide an answer to each graded thread topic (not a response to a student peer) before the Wednesday deadline, 5 points are deducted for each discussion thread in which late entry occurs (up to a 10-point deduction for that week). Subsequent posts, including essential responses to peers, must occur by the Sunday deadline, 11:59 p.m. MT of each week.

Direct Quotes

Good writing calls for the limited use of direct quotes. Direct quotes in Threaded Discussions are to be limited to one short quotation (not to exceed 15 words). The quote must add substantively to the discussion. Points will be deducted under the Grammar, Syntax, APA category.

Grading Rubric Guidelines

Performance Category 10 9 8 4 0

Scholarliness

Demonstrates achievement of scholarly inquiry for professional and academic decisions.

  • Provides relevant evidence of scholarly inquiry clearly stating how the evidence informed or changed professional or academic decisions
  • Evaluates literature resources to develop a comprehensive analysis or synthesis.
  • Uses valid, relevant, and reliable outside sources to contribute to the threaded discussion
  • Provides relevant evidence of scholarly inquiry but does not clearly state how the evidence informed or changed professional or academic decisions.
  • Evaluates information from source(s) to develop a coherent analysis or synthesis.
  • Uses some valid, relevant, reliable outside sources to contribute to the threaded discussion.
  • Discusses using scholarly inquiry but does not state how scholarly inquiry informed or changed professional or academic decisions.
  • Information is taken from source(s) with some interpretation/evaluation, but not enough to develop a coherent analysis or synthesis.
  • Little valid, relevant, or reliable outside sources are used to contribute to the threaded discussion.
  • Demonstrates little or no understanding of the topic.
  • Discusses using scholarly inquiry but does not state how scholarly inquiry informed or changed professional or academic decisions.
  • Information is taken from source(s) without any interpretation/evaluation.
  • The posting uses information that is not valid, relevant, or reliable
  • No evidence of the use of scholarly inquiry to inform or change professional or academic decisions.
  • Information is not valid, relevant, or reliable
Performance Category  10 9 8 4 0

Application of Course Knowledge –

Demonstrate the ability to analyze, synthesize, and/or apply principles and concepts learned in the course lesson and outside readings and relate them to real-life professional situations

  • Posts make direct reference to concepts discussed in the lesson or drawn from relevant outside sources;
  • Applies concepts to personal experience in the professional setting and or relevant application to real life.
  • Posts make direct reference to concepts discussed in the lesson or drawn from relevant outside sources.
  • Applies concepts to personal experience in their professional setting and or relevant application to real life
  • Interactions with classmates are relevant to the discussion topic but do not make direct reference to lesson content
  • Posts are generally on topic but do not build knowledge by incorporating concepts and principles from the lesson.
  • Does not attempt to apply lesson concepts to personal experience in their professional setting and or relevant application to real life
  • Does not demonstrate a solid understanding of the principles and concepts presented in the lesson
  • Posts do not adequately address the question posed either by the discussion prompt or the instructor’s launch post.
  • Posts are superficial and do not reflect an understanding of the lesson content
  • Does not attempt to apply lesson concepts to personal experience in their professional setting and or relevant application to real life
  • Posts are not related to the topics provided by the discussion prompt or by the instructor; attempts by the instructor to redirect the student are ignored
  • No discussion of lesson concepts to personal experience in the professional setting and or relevant application to real life
Performance Category  5 4 3 2 0

Interactive Dialogue

Replies to each graded thread topic posted by the course instructor, by Wednesday, 11:59 p.m. MT, of each week, and posts a minimum of two times in each graded thread, on separate days.

(5 points possible per graded thread)

  • Exceeds minimum post requirements
  • Replies to each graded thread topic posted by the course instructor, by Wednesday, 11:59 p.m. MT, of each week, and posts three or more times in each graded thread, over three separate days.
  • Replies to a post posed by faculty and to a peer
  • Summarizes what was learned from the lesson, readings, and other student posts for the week.
  • Replies to each graded thread topic posted by the course instructor, by Wednesday, 11:59 p.m. MT, of each week, and posts a minimum of two times in each graded thread, on separate days
  • Replies to a question posed by a peer

Summarizes what was learned from the lesson, readings, and other student posts for the week.

  • Meets expectations of 2 posts on 2 different days.
  • The main post is not made by the Wednesday deadline
  • Does not reply to a question posed by a peer or faculty
  • Has only one post for the week
  • Discussion posts contain few, if any, new ideas or applications; often are a rehashing or summary of other students’ comments
  • Does not post to the thread
  • No connections are made to the topic
Minus 1 Point Minus 2 Point Minus 3 Point Minus 4 Point Minus 5 Point
Grammar, Syntax, APA

Note: if there are only a few errors in these criteria, please note this for the student in as an area for improvement. If the student does not make the needed corrections in upcoming weeks, then points should be deducted.

Points deducted for improper grammar, syntax and APA style of writing.

The source of information is the APA Manual 6th Edition

  • 2-3 errors in APA format.
  • Written responses have 2-3 grammatical, spelling, and punctuation errors.
  • Writing style is generally clear, focused, and facilitates communication.
  • 4-5 errors in APA format.
  • Writing responses have 4-5 grammatical, spelling and punctuation errors.
  • Writing style is somewhat focused.
  • 6-7 errors in APA format.
  • Writing responses have 6-7 grammatical, spelling and punctuation errors.
  • Writing style is slightly focused making discussion difficult to understand.
  • 8-10 errors in APA format.
  • Writing responses have 8-10 grammatical, spelling and punctuation errors.
  • Writing style is not focused, making discussion difficult to understand.
  • Post contains greater than 10 errors in APA format.
  • Written responses have more than 10 grammatical, spelling and punctuation errors.
  • Writing style does not facilitate communication.
  • The student continues to make repeated mistakes in any of the above areas after written correction by the instructor
0 points lost -5 points lost

Total Participation Requirements

per discussion thread

The student answers the threaded discussion question or topic on one day and posts a second response on another day. The student does not meet the minimum requirement of two postings on two different days

Early Participation Requirement

per discussion thread

The student must provide a substantive answer to the graded discussion question(s) or topic(s), posted by the course instructor (not a response to a peer), by Wednesday, 11:59 p.m. MT of each week. The student does not meet the requirement of a substantive response to the stated question or topic by Wednesday at 11:59 pm MT.