Assessment Instructions
What do you need to do for this assessment?
Task:
You will be required to write a discursive essay based on the instructions below. The aim of this essay is to demonstrate your understanding and interpretation of the key issues and theories on culture, society and human behaviour.
Instructions:
Choose one topic from the list below and critically analyse its issues concerning culture, identity and human behaviour, with reference to major sociological approaches and other relevant theories:
• Language and Culture
• Culture and the Arts
• Culture, Identity and Youth Subcultures
You might choose a current news item in your home country or the UK that relates to the chosen topic as the focus for your discussion.
Your essay should be discursive, i.e., balanced and representing different views, and it should be supported by research. You do not have to demonstrate a strong position/opinion, but you can include tentative opinions in your conclusion.
You are expected to include a minimum of eight academic sources.
Please note:
This is an individual assessment so you should not work with any other student.
Your tutor will also ask for a draft copy of your report and provide written feedback at least 1 week before the deadline for the final version.
Before you submit this assessment, you are encouraged to act on the feedback useful to enhance your final submission.
Structure:
The suggested structure for this assignment is as follows:
The Introduction
• sets the question/topic against a wider background
• clarifies your understanding of the question/topic
• defines and explains key terms and ideas
• outlines an overview of the approach to the question/topic
• outlines different views presented
In the main body of the essay:
• all key points are clearly presented
• the points made are systematically backed up by facts/evidence/examples
• quotations and references to other works are accurately cited
• any diagrams, figures or tables are properly labelled
• different viewpoints are logically presented, synthesised and analysed
• Optional, if appropriate: research methods of studies referred to are analysed for their benefits and limitations
The conclusion:
• brings together/summarises the main points
• links back to the question/topic
• revisits the statement presented in the introduction and makes logical conclusion(s)
Theory and/or task resources required for the assessment:
You must conduct secondary research for this assessment finding relevant sources independently, in addition to the resources listed in your module handbook.
You are expected to include a minimum of eight academic sources.
Referencing style:
You must include author-date in-text citations and a Harvard style reference list at the end of your essay relating all your in-text citations.
Expected word count:
You are expected to write 1500 words, excluding the reference list, following the structure outlined above.
Learning Outcomes Assessed:
• Define and explain key terms and concepts fundamental to the study, understanding and interpretation of culture, society and human behaviour
• Using appropriate sources, research, to analyse and report on an aspect of culture or society
Submission Requirements:
You must include the following paragraph on your title page:
I confirm that this assignment is my own work.
Where I have referred to academic sources, I have provided in-text citations and included the sources in the final reference list.
How to avoid academic misconduct
You should follow academic conventions and regulations when completing your assessed work. If there is evidence that you have done any of the following, whether intentionally or not, you risk getting a zero mark:
Plagiarism & poor scholarship
• stealing ideas or work from another person (experts or students)
• using quotations from sources without paraphrasing and using citations
Collusion
• working together with someone else on an individual assessment, e.g., your work is corrected, rephrased or added to by another (both parties would be guilty)
Buying or commissioning work
• submitting work as your own that someone else produced (whether you paid for it or not)
Cheating
• copying the work of another student
• using resources or aids that are not permitted for the assessment
Fabrication
• submitting work, e.g., laboratory work, which is partly or completely made up. This includes claiming that work was done by yourself alone when it was actually done by a group
Personation
• claiming to be another student and taking an assessment instead of them (both parties guilty)
Specific formatting instructions:
You must type your assessment in Arial font 11, with single spacing.
You must submit the assessment electronically via the VLE module page. Please ensure you submit it via Turnitin.
Assessments submitted after the submission deadline may incur penalties or may not be accepted.
Additional submission information – check you have done the following:
Formatting Consistent font, spacing, page numbers, formatting and subheadings
Citations Correct format and location throughout the essay
Referencing Harvard referencing system used correctly in the reference list
Summarising Summarising the results of research
Paraphrasing Paraphrasing the contents of research findings
Spell check Spell check the essay
Proof-reading Proof-reading completed
Grammar Grammarly has been used to check the essay
