Overview
This unit will prepare you for rural practice by providing an overview of rural Australia and its social, cultural, geographic, environmental and economic influences. Guided by a sociological perspective, you will gain an understanding of the historical transformation of rural Australia, and the social structures and cultural processes underpinning problems that characterise rural communities. The meaning of ‘rurality’ and the implications of ‘rurality’ for health and social service delivery and practice is covered from a range of viewpoints and experiences. You will develop an understanding of your role as professionals, and of rural health issues, including the health status of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. You will gain an appreciation of the unique features of rural service delivery in relation to the use of communication technology, rural practice models, and responses to natural disasters. This unit would be of particular interest to those planning to live and work in rural and remote Australia; including allied health practitioners, community development officers, nurses, paramedics and teachers.
Details
Pre-requisites or Co-requisites
Students are required to have completed 24 units of credit.
Important note: Students enrolled in a subsequent unit who failed their pre-requisite unit, should drop the subsequent unit before the census date or within 10 working days of Fail grade notification. Students who do not drop the unit in this timeframe cannot later drop the unit without academic and financial liability. See details in the Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework).
Offerings For Term 1 - 2020
Attendance Requirements
All on-campus students are expected to attend scheduled classes - in some units, these classes are identified as a mandatory (pass/fail) component and attendance is compulsory. International students, on a student visa, must maintain a full time study load and meet both attendance and academic progress requirements in each study period (satisfactory attendance for International students is defined as maintaining at least an 80% attendance record).
Recommended Student Time Commitment
Each 6-credit Undergraduate unit at CQUniversity requires an overall time commitment of an average of 12.5 hours of study per week, making a total of 150 hours for the unit.
Class Timetable
Assessment Overview
Assessment Grading
This is a graded unit: your overall grade will be calculated from the marks or grades for each assessment task, based on the relative weightings shown in the table above. You must obtain an overall mark for the unit of at least 50%, or an overall grade of 'pass' in order to pass the unit. If any 'pass/fail' tasks are shown in the table above they must also be completed successfully ('pass' grade). You must also meet any minimum mark requirements specified for a particular assessment task, as detailed in the 'assessment task' section (note that in some instances, the minimum mark for a task may be greater than 50%). Consult the University's Grades and Results Policy for more details of interim results and final grades.
All University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
You may wish to view these policies:
- Grades and Results Policy
- Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework)
- Review of Grade Procedure
- Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure - Domestic Students
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure - International Students
- Student Refund and Credit Balance Policy and Procedure
- Student Feedback - Compliments and Complaints Policy and Procedure
- Information and Communications Technology Acceptable Use Policy and Procedure
This list is not an exhaustive list of all University policies. The full list of University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
Feedback, Recommendations and Responses
Every unit is reviewed for enhancement each year. At the most recent review, the following staff and student feedback items were identified and recommendations were made.
Feedback from Have Your Say
I liked that the assessment tasks were two large reports rather than separate, individual quizzes or assignments as this aligned well with other units within the same term.
Two separate assessments will continue to be set. Alignment with other units during the term will continue.
Feedback from Have Your Say
Thank you for the term! Both Wendy and Susan have been wonderful. It was nice to have all assessments completed by week 12 and just two assessment tasks.
We are committed to our students and to the betterment through learning and teaching. We will continue to provide this support for all our students.
Feedback from Have Your Say
Not enough guidance given to those who were not doing a siciology degree and were given no extra information that sociology students would have already had in regards to theories
In consultation with HoP in Allied Health, Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy, the unit will be totally re-written for a 2020 cohort.
- Use a sociological perspective to discuss the impacts of global forces, historical changes and rural culture on the social organisation of Australian rural communities
- Identify the social-structural characteristics of rural areas and the factors (social, economic, cultural) that influence the health of rural Australians, and delivery of health care to rural and remote areas
- Describe the health issues experienced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and other social groups (e.g. new migrants, people living with disability) living in rural and remote communities
- Explain the role of the health professional working and living in rural and remote Australia, and the rewards and challenges this provides
- Compare and contrast the various health service delivery models used in rural and remote communities.
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Learning Outcomes
| Assessment Tasks | Learning Outcomes | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | |
| 1 - Written Assessment - 50% | |||||
| 2 - Written Assessment - 50% | |||||
Alignment of Graduate Attributes to Learning Outcomes
| Graduate Attributes | Learning Outcomes | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | |
| 1 - Communication | |||||
| 2 - Problem Solving | |||||
| 3 - Critical Thinking | |||||
| 4 - Information Literacy | |||||
| 5 - Team Work | |||||
| 6 - Information Technology Competence | |||||
| 7 - Cross Cultural Competence | |||||
| 8 - Ethical practice | |||||
| 9 - Social Innovation | |||||
| 10 - First Nations Knowledges | |||||
| 11 - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultures | |||||
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Graduate Attributes
| Assessment Tasks | Graduate Attributes | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | |
| 1 - Written Assessment - 50% | |||||||||||
| 2 - Written Assessment - 50% | |||||||||||
Textbooks
Second Opinion: An Introduction to Health Sociology
- Edition: 6 (2019)
- Authors: Germov, John
- Oxford University Press
- ISBN: 9780190306489
- Binding: Paperback
Additional Textbook Information
Copies are available for purchase at the CQUni Bookshop here: http://bookshop.cqu.edu.au (search on the Unit code)
IT Resources
- CQUniversity Student Email
- Internet
- Unit Website (Moodle)
All submissions for this unit must use the referencing styles below:
For further information, see the Assessment Tasks.
s.rockloff@cqu.edu.au
Week 1
Begin Date: 09 Mar 2020Module/Topic
Imagining Health Problems as Social Issues
Chapter
Germov (2019) - Chtr 1 - textbook
Events and Submissions/Topic
Week 2
Begin Date: 16 Mar 2020Module/Topic
Theorising Health: Major Theoretical Perspectives in Health Sociology
Chapter
Germov (2019) - Chtr 2 - textbook
Events and Submissions/Topic
Week 3
Begin Date: 23 Mar 2020Module/Topic
Global Public Health and the Class Origins of Health Inequality
Chapter
Germov (2019) Chtr 4 - textbook
Germov (2019) Chtr 5 - textbook
Events and Submissions/Topic
Week 4
Begin Date: 30 Mar 2020Module/Topic
Rural Health
Chapter
Germov (2019) Chtr 10 - textbook
Events and Submissions/Topic
Week 5
Begin Date: 06 Apr 2020Module/Topic
Indigenous Health: The Perpetuation of Inequality
Chapter
Germov Chtr 8 - textbook
Events and Submissions/Topic
Vacation Week
Begin Date: 13 Apr 2020Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Week 6
Begin Date: 20 Apr 2020Module/Topic
Rural issues 1:
Ageing, Health, and the Demographic Revolution;
The Illness Experience: Lay Perspectives, Disability, and Chronic Illness;
and, Young People's Health
Chapter
Germov (2019) Chtr 17 - textbook
Germov (2019) Chtr 15 - textbook
Germov (2019) Chtr 11 - textbook
Events and Submissions/Topic
Week 7
Begin Date: 27 Apr 2020Module/Topic
Rural Issues 2:
Gendered Health;
and, Power, Politics and Health Care
Chapter
Germov (2019) Chtr 7 - textbook
Germov (2019) Chtr 20 - textbook
Events and Submissions/Topic
Week 8
Begin Date: 04 May 2020Module/Topic
Rural issues 3:
Ethnicity, Health and Multiculturalism
Chapter
Germov (2019) Chtr 9 - textbook
Events and Submissions/Topic
Week 9
Begin Date: 11 May 2020Module/Topic
Well-being and Wellness in rural, regional & remote Australia
Chapter
Germov (2019) Chtr 3 - textbook
Events and Submissions/Topic
Week 10
Begin Date: 18 May 2020Module/Topic
Working with Indigenous Australians in rural communities
Chapter
Gwynne, K., & Lincoln, M. (2017). Developing the rural health workforce to improve Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health outcomes: a systematic review. Australian Health Review, 41(2), 234-238. e-journal
Jones, L., Jacklin, K., & O'Connell, M. E. (2017). Development and use of health-related technologies in indigenous communities: critical review. Journal of medical Internet research, 19(7), e256. e-journal
Zhao, Y., Russell, D. J., Guthridge, S., Ramjan, M., Jones, M. P., Humphreys, J. S., ... & Wakerman, J. (2017). Long-term trends in supply and sustainability of the health workforce in remote Aboriginal communities in the Northern Territory of Australia. BMC health services research, 17(1), 836. e-journal
Events and Submissions/Topic
Week 11
Begin Date: 25 May 2020Module/Topic
Professional practice in rural areas
Chapter
Germov (2019) - Chtr 24 textbook
Germov (2019) - Chtr 25 textbook
Events and Submissions/Topic
Week 12
Begin Date: 01 Jun 2020Module/Topic
Challenges to professional practice in rural communities
Chapter
Germov (2019) Chtr 21 - textbook
Events and Submissions/Topic
Review/Exam Week
Begin Date: 08 Jun 2020Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Exam Week
Begin Date: 15 Jun 2020Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
1 Written Assessment
The purpose of the portfolio is to get you to make connections between the unit material and real life application and issues surrounding rural communities, and working and living in rural communities in Australia. At some point in your professional career you will treat people who work and live in rural and remote areas of Australia. You will need to have an understanding of rural/urban differences generally in order to deliver the best care and support possible.
You need to select and complete four (4) portfolio questions on the template provided on the unit Moodle site. Each answer response must be 500 words (+/-10%) for a total word count of 2,000 words (+/-10%). Each answer needs to show a word count at the end. In your answers you are encouraged to use examples where possible to make and support points, and to illustrate your understanding to the marker.
Each answer needs to: address the question, use relevant sociological key concepts, reference sociological literature, show understanding of issues and key concepts, and provide a meaningful critique. The list of questions are drawn from content covered in weeks 1 – 5 of the unit.
Question 1. Using a sociological perspective examine a major health issue in a rural and/or remote Australian community (apply the
sociological imagination of History, Structure and Culture to a social issue to elaborate and explain your discussion).
Question 2. What is one (1) of the social challenges facing rural and remote practitioners in contemporary Australia? (use supporting evidence and examples to back up your argument).
Question 3. Define "Rural health" and explain its importance to rural and remote Australia.
Question 4. Explain why ethnic minorities living in rural or remote areas have lower health outcomes than the Australian urban population.
Question 5. Explain how "age" impacts population health outcomes in a rural and remote Australian context.
Use of sociological references to inform your answers is essential to presenting a sociological understanding and perspective. You may elect to use either the APA or Harvard (author-date) referencing styles (see the two referencing style guides in the Assessment block).
The aim of this assessment is for you to demonstrate competency in the stated unit learning outcomes and facilitate online discussion amongst other students. You are encouraged to discuss the questions with other students in the Assessment Discussion Forum in order to expand your knowledge and learn from your peers. Through use of the discussion forum you will receive guidance and input from the Unit Coordinator on your sociological thinking and academic writing style prior to submission of this assignment. Please do not post drafts or written out ideas of your work to the discussion forum as this could result in plagiarism. Instead bring to the discussion your insights, useful references, examples and questions. In the portfolio, you are required to demonstrate that they have engaged with and understood the unit material, as opposed to repeating back information given in the lecture notes and set readings.
Instructions to students
The word count is measured from the first word of the answer to the last word of the answer and includes in-text referencing. The reference list is not included in the word count. A 10% leeway is permitted on either side of the word count. If you exceed the word limit, only the first 500 words (+10%) will be read and marked. When answering the question you do not need to restate it at the beginning of your answer.
Overuse of direct quotes detracts from the originality of the writing and will result in a loss of marks. As a general rule direct quotes should not comprise more than 10% of the word count. The writing standard expected is that of an advanced unit level and with academic style presentation.
Include a Title page at the front with:
- student name
- student number
- unit code
- unit name
- term date and year
- name of unit coordinator
- name of assignment
- due date for submission (if an approved extension has been given, include the new submission date)
- your final word count.
Within the portfolio you are required to:
- Write in the third person (e.g. do not use ‘I’, or ‘me’)
- Use double-line spacing and Arial 11-point font
- Include a reference list correctly formatted to APA 6th Edition (2010) or Harvard (author-date) (Term 1 2017 Edition) referencing style
- Submit your assignment by the due date and allow several minutes for submission to be completed. Contact your unit coordinator if you are in doubt about your submission upload and include a copy of your assignment in the email as proof of completion.
- Upload with the file named in the following format: Surname_ First name_ Student number_ A1.
Week 6 Wednesday (22 Apr 2020) 6:00 pm AEST
Wednesday 22 April, 2020
Week 8 Wednesday (6 May 2020)
All marked assignments will have a 14 day turnaround time.
| HD 85-100% | D 75-84% | C 65-74% | P 50-64% | F Below 50% |
| Structure and Design (20%) | ||||
| Excellent presentation of assignment, double-spaced with Arial 11-point font. Title page included and all information included. Consistently accurate with spelling, grammar and paragraph structure. Organisation and structure are clear and easy to follow.(10%) | Well-presented assignment, double spaced with Arial 11-point font. Title page included with most information included. Minimal (2-3) critical errors in spelling, grammar or paragraph structure. Organisation and structure are clear and relatively easy to follow. | Well-presented assignment, double spaced with Arial 11-point font. Title page included with a few errors or omissions. Few (3 - 4) critical errors with spelling, grammar or paragraph structure. Organisation and structure are appropriate and can be followed. | Well-presented assignment, double spaced with Arial 11-point font. Title page included with several errors or omissions. Several (4-5) critical errors with spelling, grammar or paragraph structure. Organisation and structure are apparent although not easy to follow. | Poorly presented. Double spacing not used. Arial 11-point font not used. Title page not included. Many (>6) errors with spelling, grammar or paragraph structure. Organisation and structure lack clarity and difficult to follow. |
| Clear and succinct writing that is well organised and introduces the topics for discussion and outlines the direction of the discussion. Clear and succinct outlining of the main points and brings the argument to a logical close.Adheres to prescribed word count. (10%) | Mostly clear and succinct writing that introduces the topics for discussion and outlines the direction of the discussion. Generally, clear and succinct outlining of the main points and brings the argument to a logical close. Adheres to prescribed word count. | Sufficiently clear and succinct writing that gives an appropriate introduction to the topics for discussion and outlines the direction of the writing. The structure outlines most of the main points and endeavours to bring the argument to a close. Adheres to prescribed word count. | Some clear sections of writing that introduce some of the topics for discussion and shows some directed discussion. Some effort to outline the main points and bring the argument to a logical close. Topics may not be clearly introduced and only some main points are covered. Adheres to prescribed word count. | No recognisable logical structure or presentation of topics for discussion in a clear and easy to understand manner. There is no logical close to the argument or summary points. Deviates significantly from prescribed word count (>+10% or <-10%). |
| Approach and Argument (60%) | ||||
Answers 1 - 5. - Independent reading and research - Relevant arguments - Supporting examples - Relevant theories and concepts - Evidence of originality |
Content provides strong and appropriate discussion and includes: - Independent reading and research - Relevant arguments - Supporting examples - Relevant theories and concepts - Evidence of originality |
Content provides adequate discussion and includes: - Independent reading and research - Relevant arguments - Supporting examples - Relevant theories and concepts - Evidence of originality |
Content provides some relevant discussion and includes: - Independent reading and research - Relevant arguments - Supporting examples - Relevant theories and concepts - Evidence of originality |
Content provides no or inadequate discussion and lacks: - Independent reading and research - Relevant arguments - Supporting examples - Relevant theories and concepts - Evidence of originality |
| Referencing (20%) | ||||
| Consistently integrates references to support and reflect all ideas, factual information and quotations. (5%) | Generally integrates references to support and reflect ideas, factual information and quotations with 1 or 2 exceptions. | Frequently integrates references to support and reflect ideas, factual information and quotations, with 3 or 4 exceptions. | Occasionally integrates references to support and reflect ideas, factual information and quotations, with 5 or 6 exceptions. | Fails to or infrequent attempts (6 or more errors) to integrate references to support and reflect ideas, factual information and quotations. |
| Consistently accurate with in-text referencing. (5%) | 1-2 consistent in-text referencing errors identified. | 3-4 consistent in-text referencing errors identified. | 5-6 inconsistent in-text referencing errors identified. | Referencing is inconsistent with APA style. >6 inaccuracies with in-text referencing. |
| A minimum of 12 up-to-date references used including 6 journal articles as well as relevant books and websites. (5%) | A minimum of 10 up-to-date references used including 5 journal articles as well as relevant books and websites. | A minimum of 8 up-to-date references used including 4 journal articles as well as relevant books and websites. | A minimum of 7 up-to-date references used including 3 journal articles as well as relevant books and websites. | The required number of 7 references not used, or none are up-to-date. Journal articles not sourced or not peer-reviewed. Chosen websites not recognised. |
| Reference list appears in alphabetical order and fully adheres to reference list presentation guidelines.(5%) | Reference list appears in alphabetical order and consistently adheres to reference list presentation guidelines. | Reference list appears in alphabetical order and frequently adheres to reference list presentation guidelines. | Reference list appears in alphabetical order and occasionally adheres to reference list presentation guidelines. | Reference list does not appear in alphabetical order and does not adhere to reference list presentation guidelines. |
- Use a sociological perspective to discuss the impacts of global forces, historical changes and rural culture on the social organisation of Australian rural communities
- Identify the social-structural characteristics of rural areas and the factors (social, economic, cultural) that influence the health of rural Australians, and delivery of health care to rural and remote areas
- Describe the health issues experienced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and other social groups (e.g. new migrants, people living with disability) living in rural and remote communities
- Communication
- Problem Solving
- Critical Thinking
- Information Literacy
- Information Technology Competence
2 Written Assessment
This assignment requires you to write a 2,500 word essay based on two scenarios given to you and using academically credible literature and other associated relevant documents to support your introduction, discussion and conclusion. The essay gets you to engage with two individuals from some of the culturally diverse groups that live and work in rural and remote Australian communities.
The following task is a problem based learning activity that requires you to write an essay on both scenarios. You are encouraged to discuss the two scenarios with other students on the Assessment Discussion Forum and to review the supporting literature in order to treat the person effectively and provide the most appropriate support. Please do not share your written out ideas, or draft assignment with others as this can lead to plagiarism.
The purpose of this task is to prepare you for professional practice in rural and remote communities, and to understand the whole person through a broader lens.
Your essay needs to address the following two areas in the discussion:
1. Historical and contemporary social and cultural issues to accessing health care
2. Action that professionals can take to improve access, health outcomes and delivery of services to people from rural communities and culturally diverse backgrounds.
Scenario 1.
Harry West is a 60-year-old retired Aboriginal man who lives in a small flat in a regional town with his wife, Edna. Harry and Edna had one son who was killed 10 years ago. They have a daughter-in-law, Bridget, who is a nurse, and one grandson, Trevor. Harry is concerned about Edna because she is experiencing frequent memory lapses.
Harry was admitted to the hospital last night after he contacted the doctor and told him that he could not catch his breath. Harry has several medical problems including hypertension and high cholesterol. His failing health and his concern for his increasingly forgetful wife lead him through various transitions that affect his family and his living situation. Their daughter-in-law, Bridget, also has concerns for their living arrangements.
Scenario 2.
Mandy Lawrence is an 84-year-old female who lives alone in a small home in a remote location. Her husband, Howard, passed away a year ago and she has a cat, Paws, who is very important to her. Mandy has one daughter, Denise, who is 50, who lives nearby, and is Mandy's major support system. Her current medical problems include: hypertension, glaucoma, osteoarthritis of the knee, stress incontinence and osteoporosis. Mandy is at the GP's surgery for a routine examination and medication follow up. She is taking several anti-hypertensive medications, diuretics and analgesics.
Several weeks after the clinic visit, Mandy is in the hospital with a diagnosis of urinary tract infection and dehydration. Her presentation is atypical and she is confused. At the 3:00 PM shift change, Mandy has been in her room on the medical-surgical unit for about six hours. She was in the Emergency Department overnight because there were no available beds on the medical units. Due to her confusion, Mandy did not take her medications properly in the days prior to admission and as a result, her blood pressure is very elevated. Mandy's daughter, Denise is at the bedside and is quite concerned about the confusion and elevated blood pressure.
Based on the material covered in the unit, think about the various barriers and issues, and socio-cultural factors impeding Harry and Mandy’s recovery. Also, think about what may be some of the issues for Mandy and her professional health care person that may be impeding her access to services, treatment and management to better her health and well-being outcomes. Consider options available for Harry to access health services and to gain the necessary support he requires to manage the challenges confronting him.
To gain more insight into these two scenarios reflect on the broader social structures (social class, age, gender, ethnicity), cultural norms and expectations, and past history of rural communities and Australian society.
Instructions to Students
You are expected to utilise the electronic databases available through the library website to access peer-reviewed sociology journal articles and newspaper articles. Other sources of use include government reports, government and professional protocols/ guidelines and good (reputable) internet sites. Use reputable and quality sources and references to complete your assignment. Look to use references that are: current (less than five years old), objective/unbiased, relevant and from authority sources (e.g. academic journals, Queensland Health, Queensland Health Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultural Capability Framework 2010-2033).
Failure to use any references in each of your answers will result in zero marks. Correct referencing using one of the two listed referencing styles must be used to acknowledge information sources and any direct quotes. Do not quote or use the lecture notes and study guide. This is a sociology assessment and you are required to source sociological references (not psychology or medical references).
Marks will be deducted for exceeding the set word limit, using bullet points or numbered lists, not using and citing references, not using correctly either the APA or Harvard (author-date) referencing style.
The word count is measured from the first word of the answer to the last word of the answer and includes in-text referencing. The reference list is not included in the word count. A 10% leeway is permitted on either side of the word count. When answering the question you do not need to restate it at the beginning of your answer.
Include a Title page at the front with:
- student name
- student number
- unit code
- unit name
- term date and year
- names of unit coordinator
- name of assignment
- due date for submission (if an approved extension has been given, include the new submission date)
- your final word count.
Within the essay you are required to:
- Write in the third person (e.g. do not use ‘I’, ‘me’)
- Use double-line spacing and Arial 11-point font
- Include a reference list correctly formatted to APA 6th Edition (2010) or Harvard (author-date) (Term 1 2017 Edition) referencing style
Submit your assignment by the due date and allow several minutes for submission to be completed. Contact your unit coordinator if you are in doubt about your submission upload and include a copy of your assignment in the email as proof of completion. Upload with the file named in the following format: Surname_ First name_ Student number_ A2.
Week 11 Friday (29 May 2020) 6:00 pm AEST
Friday 29 May, 2020
Review/Exam Week Friday (12 June 2020)
All marked assignments have a 14 day turnaround time.
| HD 85-100% | D 75-84% | C 65-74% | P 50-64% | F Below 50% |
| Structure and Design (20%) | ||||
| Excellent presentation of assignment, double-spaced with Arial 11-point font. Title page included and all information included. Consistently accurate with spelling, grammar and paragraph structure. Organisation and structure are clear and easy to follow.(10%) | Well-presented assignment, double spaced with Arial 11-point font. Title page included with most information included. Minimal (2-3) critical errors in spelling, grammar or paragraph structure. Organisation and structure are clear and relatively easy to follow. | Well-presented assignment, double spaced with Arial 11-point font. Title page included with a few errors or omissions. Few (3 - 4) critical errors with spelling, grammar or paragraph structure. Organisation and structure are appropriate and can be followed. | Well-presented assignment, double spaced with Arial 11-point font. Title page included with several errors or omissions. Several (4-5) critical errors with spelling, grammar or paragraph structure. Organisation and structure are apparent although not easy to follow. | Poorly presented. Double spacing not used. Arial 11-point font not used. Title page not included. Many (>6) errors with spelling, grammar or paragraph structure. Organisation and structure lack clarity and difficult to follow. |
| Clear and succinct writing that is well organised and introduces the topics for discussion and outlines the direction of the discussion. Clear and succinct outlining of the main points and brings the argument to a logical close.Adheres to prescribed word count. (10%) | Mostly clear and succinct writing that introduces the topics for discussion and outlines the direction of the discussion. Generally, clear and succinct outlining of the main points and brings the argument to a logical close. Adheres to prescribed word count. | Sufficiently clear and succinct writing that gives an appropriate introduction to the topics for discussion and outlines the direction of the writing. The structure outlines most of the main points and endeavours to bring the argument to a close. Adheres to prescribed word count. | Some clear sections of writing that introduce some of the topics for discussion and shows some directed discussion. Some effort to outline the main points and bring the argument to a logical close. Topics may not be clearly introduced and only some main points are covered. Adheres to prescribed word count. | No recognisable logical structure or presentation of topics for discussion in a clear and easy to understand manner. There is no logical close to the argument or summary points. Deviates significantly from prescribed word count (>+10% or <-10%). |
| Approach and Argument (60%) | ||||
| Content provides comprehensive and critical discussion and includes:- Independent reading and research- Relevant arguments- Supporting examples- Relevant theories and concepts- Evidence of originality | Content provides strong and appropriate discussion and includes:- Independent reading and research- Relevant arguments- Supporting examples- Relevant theories and concepts- Evidence of originality | Content provides adequate discussion and includes:- Independent reading and research- Relevant arguments- Supporting examples- Relevant theories and concepts- Evidence of originality | Content provides some relevant discussion and includes:- Independent reading and research- Relevant arguments- Supporting examples- Relevant theories and concepts- Evidence of originality | Content provides no or inadequate discussion and lacks:- Independent reading and research- Relevant arguments- Supporting examples- Relevant theories and concepts- Evidence of originality |
| Referencing (20%) | ||||
| Consistently integrates references to support and reflect all ideas, factual information and quotations. (5%) | Generally integrates references to support and reflect ideas, factual information and quotations with 1 or 2 exceptions. | Frequently integrates references to support and reflect ideas, factual information and quotations, with 3 or 4 exceptions. | Occasionally integrates references to support and reflect ideas, factual information and quotations, with 5 or 6 exceptions. | Fails to or infrequent attempts (6 or more errors) to integrate references to support and reflect ideas, factual information and quotations. |
| Consistently accurate with in-text referencing.(5%) | 1-2 consistent in-text referencing errors identified. | 3-4 consistent in-text referencing errors identified. | 5-6 inconsistent in-text referencing errors identified. | Referencing is inconsistent with APA style. >6 inaccuracies with in-text referencing. |
| A minimum of 12 up-to-date references used including 6 journal articles as well as relevant books and websites. (5%) | A minimum of 10 up-to-date references used including 5 journal articles as well as relevant books and websites. | A minimum of 8 up-to-date references used including 4 journal articles as well as relevant books and websites. | A minimum of 7 up-to-date references used including 3 journal articles as well as relevant books and websites. | The required number of 7 references not used, or none are up-to-date. Journal articles not sourced or not peer-reviewed. Chosen websites not recognised. |
| Reference list appears in alphabetical order and fully adheres to reference list presentation guidelines. (5%) | Reference list appears in alphabetical order and consistently adheres to reference list presentation guidelines. | Reference list appears in alphabetical order and frequently adheres to reference list presentation guidelines. | Reference list appears in alphabetical order and occasionally adheres to reference list presentation guidelines. | Reference list does not appear in alphabetical order and does not adhere to reference list presentation guidelines. |
- Use a sociological perspective to discuss the impacts of global forces, historical changes and rural culture on the social organisation of Australian rural communities
- Identify the social-structural characteristics of rural areas and the factors (social, economic, cultural) that influence the health of rural Australians, and delivery of health care to rural and remote areas
- Describe the health issues experienced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and other social groups (e.g. new migrants, people living with disability) living in rural and remote communities
- Explain the role of the health professional working and living in rural and remote Australia, and the rewards and challenges this provides
- Compare and contrast the various health service delivery models used in rural and remote communities.
- Communication
- Problem Solving
- Critical Thinking
- Information Literacy
- Information Technology Competence
- Cross Cultural Competence
- Ethical practice
As a CQUniversity student you are expected to act honestly in all aspects of your academic work.
Any assessable work undertaken or submitted for review or assessment must be your own work. Assessable work is any type of work you do to meet the assessment requirements in the unit, including draft work submitted for review and feedback and final work to be assessed.
When you use the ideas, words or data of others in your assessment, you must thoroughly and clearly acknowledge the source of this information by using the correct referencing style for your unit. Using others’ work without proper acknowledgement may be considered a form of intellectual dishonesty.
Participating honestly, respectfully, responsibly, and fairly in your university study ensures the CQUniversity qualification you earn will be valued as a true indication of your individual academic achievement and will continue to receive the respect and recognition it deserves.
As a student, you are responsible for reading and following CQUniversity’s policies, including the Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure. This policy sets out CQUniversity’s expectations of you to act with integrity, examples of academic integrity breaches to avoid, the processes used to address alleged breaches of academic integrity, and potential penalties.
What is a breach of academic integrity?
A breach of academic integrity includes but is not limited to plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion, cheating, contract cheating, and academic misconduct. The Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure defines what these terms mean and gives examples.
Why is academic integrity important?
A breach of academic integrity may result in one or more penalties, including suspension or even expulsion from the University. It can also have negative implications for student visas and future enrolment at CQUniversity or elsewhere. Students who engage in contract cheating also risk being blackmailed by contract cheating services.
Where can I get assistance?
For academic advice and guidance, the Academic Learning Centre (ALC) can support you in becoming confident in completing assessments with integrity and of high standard.
What can you do to act with integrity?
