IDP Final Project Rubric

Discovery Document

Below is the grading rubric for the Discovery Document, structured with three performance levels: “Exceeds Expectations,” “Meets Expectations,” and “Does Not Meet Expectations.” Each main requirement is assigned a maximum point value, totaling 100 points.

Requirement	Exceeds Expectations	Meets Expectations	Does Not Meet Expectations	Points
Title and Author(s)	Title clearly reflects specific research questions; author(s) properly credited.	Title reflects general research topic; author(s) credited.	Title is missing or does not reflect research topic; author(s) not credited.	5
Research Questions	Provides a numbered list of at least 3 well-defined, answerable research questions with 1–3 sentence descriptions.	Provides a numbered list of 3 research questions with brief descriptions; questions are somewhat clear.	Provides fewer than 3 research questions; questions are vague or lack descriptions.	15
Motivation	Clearly articulates the significance of the research questions in 1–2 well-developed paragraphs; explains relevance and potential impact.	Provides a general explanation of the significance of the research questions; relevance is somewhat clear.	Motivation is unclear or missing; does not explain the significance of the research questions.	10
Dataset Description	Thoroughly describes dataset(s) including exact URLs; dataset is real, contains over 500 lines, and is appropriate for research; explains data source, collection methods, and potential limitations.	Describes dataset(s) with URLs; dataset meets basic requirements; provides some information on data source and collection methods.	Inadequate description of dataset(s); missing URLs; dataset is inappropriate or insufficient for research; lacks information on data source and collection methods.	20
Data Understanding	Demonstrates deep understanding of the data by identifying and explaining relevant columns, formats, units, ranges, and cleanliness; discusses data reliability, accuracy, completeness, and potential challenges.	Identifies and explains some relevant columns and data attributes; mentions data reliability and potential challenges.	Limited or no explanation of data attributes; does not address data reliability or potential challenges.	20
Challenges Identification	Clearly identifies and explains potential issues or challenges in working with the data (e.g., size, formatting, missing information); provides insights into how these challenges might impact research.	Identifies some potential issues or challenges with the data; provides limited insight into their impact on research.	Does not identify potential issues or challenges with the data; lacks understanding of how challenges might impact research.	10
Challenge Goals	Selects at least 2 appropriate challenge goals; provides strong justification for their relevance and suitability to the project.	Selects 2 challenge goals; provides some justification for their selection.	Fails to select appropriate challenge goals; justification is weak or missing.	10
Overall Documentation	Documentation is well-organized, free of grammatical errors, and formatted professionally; tables and figures (if any) are clear and enhance understanding.	Document is organized and mostly free of grammatical errors; formatting is adequate; tables and figures (if any) are understandable.	Document is poorly organized, contains grammatical errors, and lacks professional formatting; tables and figures (if any) are unclear or absent.	10
Total Points				100

Data Organization

Requirement	Exceeds Expectations	Meets Expectations	Does Not Meet Expectations
Data Preparation and Code Submission (40 points)	- Data is meticulously pre-processed, well-organized, and thoroughly documented. - Comprehensive, well-annotated code provided for data collection and organization.	- Data is adequately pre-processed and organized. - Code for data collection and organization is complete but may lack detailed annotations.	- Data is poorly organized or not pre-processed. - Code is missing, incomplete, or contains significant errors.
Plot Sketches and Visualization Planning (40 points)	- All research questions are addressed through diverse, creative, and feasible plot sketches. - Sketches are detailed, with clear titles, labeled axes, appropriate use of color, legends, annotations, and statistical indicators. - Effectively highlights challenge goals, such as machine learning predictions or interactive controls.	- Most research questions are addressed with a variety of plot types. - Sketches include titles and labeled axes but may lack some details like color or annotations. - Some challenge goals are incorporated into the sketches.	- Few or none of the research questions are addressed. - Sketches are incomplete or missing essential elements like titles and labeled axes. - Challenge goals are not considered or addressed.
Overall Documentation and Clarity (20 points)	- All sketches and documentation is clear, well-organized, and easy to interpret. - Documentation is professional, adheres to all guidelines, and effectively communicates the intended message. - All documentation is submitted per the requirements here	- Sketches and documentation is generally clear with minor areas of confusion. - Documentation mostly adheres to technical writing standards and communicates the intended message.	- Sketches and documentation is difficult to interpret due to poor organization or lack of clarity. - Presentation does not adhere to guidelines and fails to communicate the intended message.
Total Points:			100