Assessment 1 introduction:

• Learning is an essential element for survival. Changes within the brain (neural plasticity) underlie the learning process.
• It is generally accepted that neural plasticity is most active in young organisms as during this time there is a need to learn essential skills.
• However, there is a growing body of evidence which suggests neural plasticity continues to be active throughout the organism's life.
• Hence neural plasticity plays a vital role: from learning a first language, to developing new patterns of thinking through psychotherapy, to recovery from a stroke.
• Your task is to read and critically review a journal article that discusses the evidence for neural plasticity and learning.

Assessment 1 instructions:

• Download the journal article from the following url: http://www.brainvolts.northwestern.edu/documents/HayesetalClinNeurophys2003.pdf
• Write a critical summary of 250 words (+/- 10%). This does not include your references. Include a title page.
• Use appropriate APA formatting in-text. Include a reference page with correct APA formatting.
• An abstract is not required.
• Submit the assessment via the Moodle as a Word doc or docx file with your last name and initial  i.e. crawfordc.doc 
• It is good practice to submit the assessment a couple of days before the due date to allow Turnitin to review your work. 

Follow the assessment structure below.  (The total for this assessment task is 10 marks.)

Introduction/Literature Review (2 marks)

• In ONE or TWO sentences outline the issue being investigated.
• In ONE sentence explain why this issue was important enough to research 

Method (2 marks)

• In ONE or TWO sentences describe how were participants recruited? How many participants were in the final sample?
• In ONE or TWO sentences describe the dependent variable(s). 

Results/Discussion (4 marks)

• Pick ONE of the main findings discussed in this section and in TWO sentences describe the finding AND what it means.
• In ONE sentence describe a methodological issue that may have impacted on the findings.
• In ONE sentence describe the future direction for research noted by the authors.
• In ONE sentence summarise the overall conclusion of the article. 

Correct use of APA formatting (2 marks)

Assessment 2 - Introduction

• Intelligence is commonly defined as "... the ability to acquire and apply knowledge and skills." 
  
• Historically there have been two perspectives on what contributes to intelligence.
• The first is often referred to as nature: the organism's inherited genetic code which provides an innate advantage or disadvantage over other organisms.
• The second perspective is nurture: the environment in which the organism finds itself including social setting and available learning opportunities.
• It is currently accepted that these two factors interact and both contribute to intelligence.
• However, your task is to use current research and argue that one is more important than the other.

Assessment 2 - Instructions:

1. Search the CQU library database or Google Scholar for the terms “nature, nurture” and “intelligence”
2. Select two journal articles.
3. Download the full text version of the articles.
4. Write a brief essay which takes a stand on whether intelligence is determined primarily by nature or nurture.
5. Essay to be approximately 600-700 words. This does not include your references.
6. Include a title page.
7. Use appropriate APA style. Use appropriate APA in-text referencing.
8. Include a references list for the two articles in APA formatting.
9. An abstract is not required.
10. Submit the assessment via the Moodle as a Word doc or docx file with your last name and initial i.e. crawfordc.doc
11. It is good practice to submit the assessment a couple of days before the due date to allow Turnitin to review your work.

• Introduction (4 marks) - incorporate a clear position taken by the author.
• Critical summary of article 1 (8 marks) - discuss the purpose, sample, methodology, findings and limitations of the research.
• Critical summary of article 2 (8 marks) - discuss the purpose, sample, methodology, findings and limitations of the research.
• Conclusion (5 marks) - summarise your position and refer back to the research in the journal articles.
• Correct use of APA formatting (5 marks).

 Assessment Instructions

There are two online quizzes, each worth 30% of your overall grade (60% in total).

Please ensure you have a reliable Internet / connection.

Quizzes will be available during a 36 hour time period.

Quizzes will open at 1200 on Thursday of the assigned week, and close on Friday at 2345 AEST.

The first quiz is during Week 6, the second quiz is during Week 12.

Quizzes are comprised of 60 multiple-choice style questions that relate to the course material for the previous weeks of the term.

Quizzes are open book, but you will need to ensure you know the course material in order to be able to complete the quiz within the allocated time frame.

Complete the quizzes individually.

Questions will be randomly selected from a larger pool of items so each individual will have a slightly different version of the quiz.

You will have 60 minutes to complete the quiz from the time you open the exam.

At the 60 minute mark the quiz will close and all your answers will be saved.

Extensions are granted only in extreme circumstances and relevant documentation must be provided.

You must contact the course coordinator in order to arrange to sit the quiz after it has closed.

Each quiz contains 60 questions and each quiz is worth 30% of your final grade. 

The first quiz will contain material from weeks 1 - 5.

The second quiz will contain material from weeks 7 - 11.