DNPProject I: Section 1 Proposal

Completion of this assignment will result in a contribution to the final DNP project proposal. During designated weeks, sections of
the project will be submitted in their final form. The student will receive feedback up to a total of 2 times for each section prior to
final submission of that section. If the submitted work does not require further revision after the first or second submission, these
attempts will be graded, respectively. On the third submission of each section, it will be considered a final submission and will be
graded accordingly based on the following rubric. In order to progress to DNP Project II, the academic mentor and course
instructor must approve the final submission of the DNP project proposal at the end of the term, and the student must achieve a
passing grade (minimum 83%) in DNP Project I.

Criterion Excellent
(100-93%)

Proficient (92-
87%)

Meets
Standards
(86-83%)

Needs
Improvement
(82-75%)

Unsatisfactory
(75% or less)

Project Title
(30 points)

Title indicates
that the
manuscript
concerns an
initiative to
improve
healthcare
(broadly
defined to
include the
quality, safety,
effectiveness,
patient-
centeredness,
timeliness, cost,
efficiency, and
equity of
healthcare)

Title is developed
at a proficient
level but content
development
requires further
revision to meet
excellent
standards.

Title meets
minimum
passing
standards but
requires further
revision in a few
areas to meet
excellent
standards.

Title needs
improvement and
requires further
revision in most
areas.

Poorly developed
title or not
developed at all.

Introduction,
Background,
Problem
Identification
(150 points)

Introduction,
Background,
Problem
Identification are
well developed.
Nature,
significance, and
background of the
local problem is
identified. The
problem identified
clearly aligns with
SQUIRE 2.0
guidelines for
quality
improvement
reporting as “a
meaningful
disruption, failure,
inadequacy,
distress, confusion
or other
dysfunction in a
healthcare service
delivery system
that adversely
affects patients,
staff, or the system
as a whole, or that
prevents care from
reaching its full

Introduction,
background,
problem
identification
developed at a
proficient level
but content
development
requires further
revision to meet
excellent
standards.

Introduction,
background,
problem
identification
meet minimum
passing
standards but
requires further
revision in a few
areas to meet
excellent
standards.

Introduction,
background,
problem
identification needs
improvement and
requires further
revision in most
areas.

Poorly developed
introduction,
background,
problem
identification, or not
developed at all.

http://squire-statement.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=page.viewpage&pageid=485#Systems

http://squire-statement.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=page.viewpage&pageid=485#Systems

potential.”
A brief statement
of the problem and
the resolution with
implications are
introduced.

Project Question
(60 points)

Project
question clearly
and succinctly
formulated and
supported.
Clear
connection to
project topic
made. Question
is answerable
through project
implementation
and reflects the
PICOT format.

Project question is
developed at a
proficient level
but content
development
requires further
revision to meet
excellent
standards.

Project
question meets
minimum
passing
standards but
requires further
revision in a few
areas to meet
excellent
standards.

Project question
needs improvement
and requires further
revision in most
areas.

Poorly developed
project question, or
project question not
developed at all.

Organization
(20 points)

Concise and well

organized writing.

Ideas are described

clearly and are

presented in a logical

sequence.

Ideas and arguments

are fully supported

Clear organization of

main points.

Ideas are described
clearly and are
presented in a logical
sequence.

Support and

development of ideas

Clear organization of

main points but some

areas may stray from

logical sequence.

Writing lacks logical

organization.

Poorly organized,

ideas are not

developed adequately

in the paper and lack

unity.

Does not meet
basic writing
standards of
organization.

and developed

through evidence.

Headings are used

appropriately to

indicate new content

areas.

is present but one or

more areas lack

evidence.

Headings are used
appropriately to
indicate new content
areas.

Paragraph structure is

appropriate with

logical transitions.

Support of ideas

present but is not

consistent.

Use of headings is not

consistent.

Minimal paragraph

structure issues.

Paragraphs headings

are not used

appropriately.

Major paragraph

structure issues.

Writing Style
(30 points)

Sentence structure

clear, with smooth

transitions, correct

grammar and

punctuation. No

spelling errors. Uses

standard English

language.

Word choice is

correct, precise and

unambiguous.

Overall sentence

structure is clear, with

smooth transitions

Less than 3 grammar,

punctuation or

spelling

errors.

Introduction has a

clear statement

addressing the

topic.

Overall sentence
structure is clear, with
smooth transitions

Less than 5 grammar,

punctuation or
spelling errors.

Introduction has a
clear statement
addressing the topic.

Spelling, punctuation,

and grammatical

errors create

distraction, making

reading difficult;

fragments, comma

splices, run-ons

evident. Errors are

frequent.

Writing style
does not meet
basic standards
for English
language.

Introduction has a
clear statement
addressing the topic.

Body paragraphs have

topic sentences that

are logical and fully

developed.

Paragraph structure is
appropriate with
logical transitions.

Writing does not

reveal discriminatory

bias.

Unity of the paper

clearly leads the

reader to the

conclusion and stirs

thought regarding the

topic.
Body paragraphs have
topic sentences that
are logical and fully
developed.
Paragraph structure is
appropriate with
logical transitions.

Writing does not
reveal discriminatory
bias.

Unity of the paper
clearly leads the
reader to the

conclusion.

Minimal paragraph
structure issues.

Transitions evident

but not used

throughout

Writing does not
reveal discriminatory
bias.

Clear bias is evident.

Ideas lack unity

APA
(35 points)

References are

current and are cited

appropriately

throughout paper.

Paper is formatted

per APA style guide

with no APA errors.

References are
current and are cited
appropriately
throughout paper.
Paper is formatted
per APA style guide

with less than 3 APA

errors.

References are
current and are cited
appropriately
throughout paper.
Paper is formatted
per APA style guide

with less than 5 APA

errors.

References are not

current and/ or are

not appropriately

cited.

Paper is not

consistent with APA

formatting guide.

There is evidence of

plagiarism. (Please

refer to plagiarism

policy, points

deducted for first

offense. Further

action as dictated per

policy.)

APA standards
grossly not met.

Total points
325