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:

1. Download the journal article from the following url: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3004979/
2. Write a critical summary of 250 words (+/- 10%). This does not include your references.
3. Include a title page.
4. Use appropriate APA formatting in-text.
5. Include a reference page with correct APA formatting.
6. An abstract is not required.
7. Submit the assessment via the Moodle as a Word doc or docx file with your last name and initial i.e. crawfordc.doc
8. 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)

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

Method (2 marks)

1. In TWO sentences describe how participants were recruited and how many participants were in the final sample?
2. In ONE or TWO sentences list the dependent variable(s).

Results/Discussion (4 marks)

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

Correct use of APA formatting (2 marks)

Total possible of 10 points.

Introduction and literature review (2 points)

• 0 Introduction not present or was not relevant to the journal article.
• 1 Introduction present, literature summarised, only loosely applied to the journal article.
• 1.5 Introduction present, literature summarised, Related clearly and effectively to the journal article
• 2 Introduction and literature concisely summarised, Related clearly and effectively to the journal article using original language and interpretation

Method (2 points)

• 0    Discussion on methodology not present or was not relevant to the journal article.
• 1    Methodology discussed but only loosely applied to the journal article.
• 1.5 Methodology discussed. Related clearly and effectively to the journal article
• 2    Methodology discussed. Related clearly and effectively to the journal article using original language and interpretation

Results / discussion (4 points)

• 0 Results / discussion not present or were not relevant to the journal article.
• 2 Results and discussion have been loosely summarised and relate to the journal article
• 3 Results and discussion are summarised and relate well to the journal article
• 4 Results and discussion are clearly and effectively summarised Related clearly and effectively to the journal article using original language and interpretation

APA formating (2 points)

• 0    APA formatting not present
• 1    Attempt made with APA formatting but contained many errors
• 1.5 APA formatting contained few errors
• 2    Exceptional formatting with very few errors

Assessment 2 - Short essay: Nature or nurture as a determinant for intelligence.

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. Write a brief essay which takes a stand on whether intelligence is determined primarily by nature or nurture.
2. Search the CQU library database or Google Scholar for the terms “nature, nurture” and “intelligence”
3. To widen the search, you may want to include terms such as: hereditary, environment, twin studies, etc.
4. Select and download the full-text version of the articles which both support your stance.
5. The essay to be approximately 750 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.

Assessment 2 - Marking Criteria

Total possible of 30 points.

Introduction and literature review (4 points)

• 0 Introduction not present or was not relevant to the journal articles. Student did not take a clear stance on the topic
• 2 Introduction present, literature summarised only loosely. Student took a stance, but not well supported by the literature..
• 3 Introduction present, literature summarised well. Student took a stance which was adequately supported by the literature
• 4 Introduction and literature concisely and effectively summarised. Student took a clear stance which was very well supported by the literature using original language and interpretation 4 marks

Utilisation of journal article one (8 points)

• 0 The journal article did not relate to the topic, was not summarised effectively or correctly. Summary was not linked to the stance taken by the student.
• 4 The journal loosely related to the topic and was summarised, but missed key points. The summary was only loosely linked to the stance taken by the student.
• 6 The journal article related to the topic, was summarised correctly. The summary covered most key points. The summary was linked well to the stance taken by the student
• 8 The journal related clearly to the topic and was effectively summarised. The summary was effectively covering all key points. The summary was creatively linked to the stance taken by the student using original language and interpretation..

Utilisation of journal article two (8 points)

• 0 The journal article did not relate to the topic, was not summarised effectively or correctly. Summary was not linked to the stance taken by the student.
• 4 The journal loosely related to the topic and was summarised, but missed key points. The summary was only loosely linked to the stance taken by the student.
• 6 The journal article related to the topic, was summarised correctly. The summary covered most key points. The summary was linked well to the stance taken by the student
• 8 The journal related clearly to the topic and was effectively summarised. The summary was effectively covering all key points. The summary was creatively linked to the stance taken by the student using original language and interpretation..

Conclusion (5 points)

• 0    Conclusion not present or not related to the stance taken by the student and / or not supported by the journal articles.
• 2.5 Conclusion related loosely to the stance taken by the student. Not well supported by the journal articles
• 4    Conclusion related well to the stance taken by the student and is supported by the journal articles.
• 5    Conclusion related clearly and effectively to the stance taken by the student, very well supported by the journal articles and uses original language and interpretation.

APA formatting (5 points)

• 0    APA formatting not present
• 2.5 Attempt made with APA formatting but contained many errors
• 4    APA formatting contained few errors
• 5    Exceptional formatting with very few errors

There are two online quizzes.

• Both quizzes are completed via the Moodle site.
• Quiz 1 opens on Friday 21 December at 12:15am AEST and closes on Sunday 23 December at 23:45pm AEST
• Quiz 1 will cover content from weeks 1-5.
• Quiz 2 opens on Friday 8 February at 12:15am AEST and closes on Sunday 10 February at 23:45pm AEST
• Quiz 2 will cover content from weeks 7-11.

Once you start the quiz, you have 60 minutes to complete all the questions.

• There are 60 questions in each quiz.
• It is usually best to skip questions you do not know and come back to them if you have time.
• Each page must be submitted to be graded. 
• At the end of 60 minutes the quiz will close.

There are two quizzes 

• Each quiz is worth 30% of the final grade.
• Each quiz has 60 questions
• Students will receive 0.5 marks per correct answer.