The marking matrix contains the assessment criteria that will be used to evaluate your assignment. You must refer to the matrix rubric when preparing your assessment.

Your assignment will be evaluated on the following criteria:

- Writing quality (10%) - Quality is evaluated on spelling, grammar and paragraph structure.

- Approach and argument (75%) - Content is evaluated based on the use of independent readings and research, the relevancy of arguments, use of supporting examples, the inclusion of relevant views and concepts, and evidence of originality.

- Referencing (15%) - Referencing quality is based on the appropriate use of references in your writing and the adherence to the required referencing style guidelines both in the body of the assignment and the reference list.

Assessment 1 Marking Rubric T1 2021

In this assessment you need to apply your sociological understanding by answering three portfolio questions. In your answers, you need to demonstrate understanding of the sociological imagination template, the social determinants of health and the cause of social inequalities and health disparities in rural communities. The three portfolio questions are focused on understanding why rural communities experience greater health inequalities relative to urban populations and how some socio-cultural groups' health and wellbeing are shaped by social, economic and political forces in rural Australia.

Instructions

You are required to submit a portfolio containing three 660 word answers. Each question will be marked out of 25%, with 15% for referencing and 10% for writing quality overall to reach a total of 100%. Please see the Assessment 2 marking rubric.

You need to answer all three questions:

1. Using a sociological perspective, argue how some social issues (e.g. poverty, suicide, unemployment) in rural communities occur at a higher rate and are experienced by different groups as a result of social inequality, marginalisation and oppression. Use relevant examples to support your argument.

2. Health disparities in rural communities are driven by multiple social determinants of health. Explain this statement and use at least two examples to show some of the contributing social factors that impact health, such as access to healthy food.

3. What are some of the issues and challenges for migrants and Indigenous Australians in accessing and receiving quality health care services in rural areas? Explain why.

Please do not use dot points or numbered lists in your answer. You are encouraged to discuss your ideas, case studies and resources with the unit coordinator and others in the Assessment Discussion Forum.

A brief, concisely written answer to the question is more effective than a long, winded general comment. Where appropriate, you should refer to the literature to support your discussion and provide an in-text citation for any sources that you use. If you do use a direct quote, it should only be included if you then comment on what the author has said. If you use a direct quote as part of your discussion it must be indicated as such and you will need to provide full reference details in APA referencing style.

Please follow the steps below to complete your assessment task:

1. Read the relevant set and supplementary readings for the unit, and view the weekly topic resources on the Moodle site and in the e-Reading list.

2. Familiarise yourself with the key concepts, perspectives and the sociological imagination covered in the unit.

3. Search the CQU library and databases for useful references for each of the three questions and undertake further reading.

4. Draft an outline for each of the three answers before writing your response. Use examples to illustrate your applied understanding.

5. Provide intext citations to support your discussion and add a single reference list at the end of your portfolio.

Literature and references

In this assessment use at least 6 contemporary references (<10 years) to support your discussion. You may also use seminal scholarly literature where relevant. Suitable references include peer-reviewed journal articles as well as textbooks and credible websites. When sourcing information, consider the 5 elements of a quality reference: currency, authority, relevance, objectivity, and coverage. Grey literature sourced from the internet must be from reputable websites such as from government, university, or peak national bodies.

Requirements

• Use a conventional and legible size 12 font, such as Times New Roman or Arial, with 1.5 line spacing and 2.54cm page margins (standard pre-set margin in Microsoft Word).

• Include page numbers on each page in a header.

• Write in the third-person perspective.

• Use formal academic language.

• Use the seventh edition American Psychological Association (APA) referencing style. The CQUniversity Academic Learning Centre has an online APA Referencing Style Guide.

• The word count is considered from the first word of the introduction to the last word of the conclusion. The word count excludes the reference list but includes in-text references and direct quotations.

Resources

• You can use unit provided materials and other credible sources (e.g. journal articles, books, grey literature ) to reference your argument. The quality and credibility of your sources are important.

• We recommend you use EndNote to manage your citations and reference list. More information on how to use EndNote is available at the CQUniversity Library website.

• For information on academic communication please go to the Academic Learning Centre Moodle site. The Academic Communication section has many helpful resources including information for students with English as a second language.

• Submit a draft before the due date to review your Turnitin Similarity Score before making a final submission. Instructions are available here.

The marking matrix contains the assessment criteria that will be used to evaluate your assignment. You must refer to the matrix rubric when preparing your assessment.

Your assignment will be evaluated on the following criteria:

- Writing quality (10%) - Quality is evaluated on spelling, grammar and paragraph structure.

- Approach and argument (75%) - Content is evaluated based on the use of independent readings and research, the relevancy of arguments, use of supporting examples, the inclusion of relevant views and concepts, and evidence of originality.

- Referencing (15%) - Referencing quality is based on the appropriate use of references in your writing and the adherence to the required referencing style guidelines both in the body of the assignment and the reference list.

Assessment 2 Marking Rubric T1  2021

This time online multiple choice quiz is set to test your understanding of fundamental concepts, methods, theoretical perspectives and facts covered by the textbook, recommended readings and lectures covered in the term.

Instructions

There will a total of 40 multiple choice questions and you must answer the questions in 40 minutes. Each correct answer is worth 0.5 marks.

This is a timed online quiz that must be completed by the due date and time. You will have a two day period to complete and submit your quiz. The quiz will open at 8 AM (AEST) on Tuesday, 1 June 2021 and close on Wednesday, 2 June at 11.45 PM AEST. If you have an Accessibility Plan that requires adjustment to your assessment, please contact me at the start of term.

There will be only one correct or best answer to each question, and you need to select the option corresponding to this answer. There are four answer options. There are no penalties for incorrect answers. While you will be able to refer to the textbook or other resources while you are taking the quiz, you cannot afford to do this for every question because of the time limit. You need to have a good understanding of the unit content before taking the quiz. Each student will receive a customised quiz, chosen at random from the test bank, so that collusion will not be possible.

Here is an example of how the quiz questions and answers will be presented -

Q. Which theorist developed ‘power elite’ theory?

a. Robert Merton

b. Emile Durkheim

c. Erving Goffman

d. C. Wright Mills *

The correct answer is (d) C. Wright Mills—this is the one you need to select.

A practice quiz will be made available during term for you to familiarise yourself with the format and process.

Please follow the steps below to complete your assessment task:

1. The quiz will be delivered through the ‘Assessment’ section of the Moodle site, and will only become visible and available on the due date.

2. You will need to have access to a stable Internet connection to complete the quiz. It is your responsibility to make time to sit the quiz.

3. Before you take the quiz, make sure that you are ready (i.e. a proper revision has been done) and choose a time and computer/place with minimum distraction to sit for the quiz (i.e. do not have external disturbances from people, pets, etc).

4. Be conscious of the time limit while taking the quiz—make sure you have a clock in front of you and note down your starting time. Do not wait until the last minute to complete the quiz as it will time out once the time limit is reached (i.e. at 11.45 PM the quiz will close regardless of your start time. To have the full time allocation you should start the quiz no later than 11 pm on the Wednesday the quiz closes.

5. The presentation of questions is one page at a time with 5 questions per page. You must complete each page before you go on to the next one. Attempts to backtrack to previous pages are not allowed.

6. If you experience a problem with your quiz or the Moodle site while completing the quiz, please contact the CQU Technology and Services Assistance Centre (TASAC) during their opening hours of 7.30 am – 6 pm on ph: 1300 666 620. It is recommended that you complete the quiz during office hours.

7. Your quiz score will be provided the next day after the quiz has closed.

8. Undertaking this quiz is a requirement of the unit to be eligible to pass. Please contact the Unit Coordinator immediately if you are unable to complete the quiz.

Requirements

You need a computer with a stable internet connection and 40 minutes of uninterrupted time.

Resources

• You can use unit provided materials and other credible sources during the quiz.

• We recommend that you adequately prepare before the quiz day and take the practice quiz.

Submission

Submit your completed quiz when you answer the 40 questions or the 40 minute time allowance lapses. The quiz will be set to submit your quiz at the end of the 40 minutes.

No Assessment Criteria