CASE ANALYSIS
Revision: 11 February 2008
Name: ____________________________________________
I.
Problem definition:
a. Clearly defined problem in one short phrase, bold print in text
10
b. Clearly defined problem in one short phrase
8
c. Reader has to search for problem buried in text somewhere, or
figure it out from student’s text
5
II. Justification for problem definition (“information environment”):
a. Analysis explicitly addresses all four information factors as explained in “guidelines”
handout (i.e., what information is known, what information is unknown, what
assumptions student will make, and why those assumptions are reasonable at the time
of writing the analysis)
10
b. Student will lose 2.5 points for each missing factor identified above
III. List alternative courses of action
a. 7 or more alternatives including the alternative of “doing
nothing”, alternatives are clearly and distinctly identified
and numbered
15
b. 7 or more alternatives but student failed to include the
alternative of “doing nothing” OR 4 – 6 alternatives including
the alternative of “doing nothing”
10
c. 4 – 6 alternatives but student failed to include the alternative of
“doing nothing” OR less than 4 alternatives altogether
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OR student made reader go looking for his alternatives (i.e., he
“hid” them in his text by failing to break each alternative out into a
separate paragraph and failing to put each alternative in bold text)
5
IV. Evaluate alternatives
a. Perfection. Paper can be sent to Bellevue for world-wide use as a model. Paper is
outstandingly better than almost any other paper
30
b. Student addresses costs, potential benefits and risks (“Cs, PBs, Rs”)for each alternative
identified in section III, and provides multiple examples of potential benefits and risks
for at least half of the alternatives, student identifies benefits as “potential” in chart,
student addresses quantity level for the Cs, PBs & Rs for each alternative (either in chart
or in a separate second chart)
28
c.
At least one example of C, PB & R for each alternative , use of
word “potential” to describe benefits and identifies quantity level
as described above
20
d. At least one example of a C, PB & R for each alternative and student
either uses word “potential” to describe benefits or provides
quantification
15
e. Incomplete evaluation, i.e., failure to address Cs, PBs & Rs for each
alternative OR student addresses C/PB/Rs for each alternative but
forgets use of word “potential” AND forgets to quantify the C/PB/Rs
10
f.
Student fails to address C/PB/Rs but instead addresses
“advantages” versus “disadvantages” (the lazy man’s
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evaluation) OR student hides evaluation in text and reader
has to search for it
5
V. Recommendations
a. Perfection. Paper can be sent to Bellevue for world-wide use as
model. Outstandingly better than almost any other paper.
25
b. Student clearly identifies one or more solutions in bold
print in text and provides his justification why he prefers
this/these solution(s)
23
c. Student clearly identifies one or more solutions in text and provides
justification why s/he prefers this/these solution(s)
20
d. Student clearly identifies solution(s) but justification is weak
or missing
15
e. Solution is not explicitly clear from text
10
f.
Reader has to guess what the recommended solution is
5
g. There is no recommendation whatsoever
0
VI. Grammar, APA
a. No mistakes in English, APA compliance
10
b. One point off for each English mistake down to 5 points,
but APA compliant, or the English is perfect but paper is
not APA-compliant
c.
5
5 or more mistakes in English and failure to comply with APA
0
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