Group: “It’s Your Gavel” Question Assignments Guidelines & Requirements:

1. A list of participating and non-participating student names. As well as, screen shots evidencing compliance by each student with the Group Work Assignment Guidelines & Requirements  noted above.

2. Complete detailed answers addressing each of the issue(s)/question(s) in the selected cases using proper English. APA Style is required only for citations and references.

3.The issue(s)/question(s) shall be repeated in full and followed by the group’s narrative response which must include substantively and properly used APA Style citation for sources.

4. The references used for each issue(s)/question(s) shall follow each narrative before proceeding to the next issue(s)/question(s), if any.

5. At least three (3) “External Authoritative Sources” are required in addition to the textbook and case for maximum points on EACH issue/question.

     5.1 Each paragraph and each substantive issue addressed in an answer must have at least one “External Authoritative Sources” cited (not including the text book or case).

     5.2 It is unacceptable to have any paragraph(s) or issue(s) with zero sources cited

     5.3 It is improper to have one paragraph or issue contain all three “external authoritative sources” 

6. The assigned cases are as follows. See Course Calendar for Due Dates.

Module 4 – Kirk v. Mercy Hosp. Tri-County, 851 S.W.2d 617 (Mo. Ct. App. 1993). Found in Ch 20 (pg553-554). 

7. A source cannot be referenced unless it was cited in the narrative answer.

8. The text book and case study must be cited just like any other source. It is not permissible to write "In the text book…" or In the case study…" unless the proper APA Style citation is found at the end of the sentence.

9. Any "direct quote" in the narrative must include the page or paragraph number at the end of the citation.

10. It is improper to place a citation/source at the end of a paragraph if material from the source appears before the last sentence in the paragraph.

11. It is improper to place a citation in the middle of a sentence. One can lead with the source in the sentence but cannot use a citation within parenthesis except at the end of the sentence.

12. “External Authoritative Sources” for purposes of this course shall mean: articles from published books, peer reviewed journal articles, education and government sites as well as non-partisan national or international organizations (such as WHO, UNICEF, UNAIDS etc) provided, however the article selected must have:

     12.1 Authors; and

     12.2 In text citations and references to support statements made therein.

      12.3 Under no circumstances are newspapers (e.g., the Wall Street Journal), blogs (regardless of source), editorials, panel discussions, definition of terms, the assigned case study, “dot com” sites, and text books from the course or other courses to be used. The foregoing are not considered authoritative for this course.

13.  It is recommended students review the adobe connect session with FIU Libraries and Writing Center on APA Style formatting and contact them personally if more assistance is needed.

14. Proper Submission Required: The assignment must be posted in the appropriate Assignment Folder.

15. Late submissions are not accepted

16. Grading Rubric for 10 maximum points per assignment:

It’s Your Gavel Group Assignments Rubric

4 – Excellent

3 – Good

2 – Fair

1 – Poor

All assigned questions/issues were answered in their entirety in the students’ own words and not a string of direct quotes. 

The submission complies with the proper APA style of in-text citations and references

All assigned questions/issues were answered in their entirety in the students’ own words; however there were a few stings of direct quotes.

The submission complies with the proper APA style of in-text citations and references with minimal errors.

The assigned questions/issues were not answered in their entirety; or most of the content was not the students’ own thoughts – it contained an excessive amount of direct quotes.

The submission does not fully comply with the proper APA style

The assigned questions/issues were not answered in their entirety and most, or if not all, of the content was a string of direct quotes.

The submission does not comply with the proper APA style

4 – Excellent

3 – Good

2 – Fair

1 – Poor

Each question/answer response cites the text book and MORE THAN two external authoritative sources.

Each paragraph and/or issue uses MORE THAN one external authoritative source (not including the text book)

Use of two external authoritative source per issue, question, or paragraph.

Submission contained only one external authoritative source in the entire submission. 

Submission did not contain any external authoritative sources.

2 – Excellent

1 – Good

0.5 – Fair

0 – Poor

Submission is clear and concise.

Submission is clear, concise, with minimal errors. 

The submission was somewhat clear and concise – more than minimal errors