Internal students are required to actively participate in tutorials. Active participation means more than just attendance. To actively participate, students need also to prepare for tutorials by completing required readings and attending/listening to lectures, and then engage in tutorial activities and discussions. Lecturers/tutors are looking for informed contributions, that is, posing or addressing questions and making contributions that reflect an understanding of course content.

Tutorial participation marks are therefore determined by your lecturer/tutor over the semester according to the following 3 criteria: (1) attendance; (2) active participation in tutorial activities and class discussion; and (3) evidence of engagement with readings and course content. To qualify for this assessment, students must attend at least 80% of the tutorials throughout the session. Students who miss a tutorial must provide relevant documentation (e.g. a medical certificate) if they wish to avoid being marked as absent.

External students are required to provide at least one response per week to a question posed by the online coordinator. As is the case with internal students, online contributions must reflect understanding of the course content. Weekly online contributions need to be at least 100 words in total (referencing not required).

This Assessment Task relates to the following Learning Outcomes:

• Engage in informed, scholarly debate about cybercrime and their potential impact on globalized society with fellow students and staff.

Research findings suggest that criminality results from a variety of different causes occurring at various levels (from societal levels, through community and social influence theories, to specific individual theories).   Many of these criminological theories can be applied to cybercriminal acts.  Select one of the types of cybercrime covered in the unit (i.e. cyber-piracy, cyber-vigilantism, online drug distribution etc.) and look at it through the lens of one or more of the criminological theories which, in your view, best explains why a person might engage in that type of cybercrime.    You can choose from general strain theory, routine activity theory, deterrence theory, social learning and self-control theory, deviant subculture theory, addiction theory, arousal theory, rational choice theory.  If you feel that there is another theory, which is not covered in the unit, which better explains your selected cybercrime, please feel free to use it.   

In your presentation you should state why you have selected the theory or theories that you have and provide examples of why your selected theory(ies) explains why an individual may engage in that specific cybercriminal behaviour.

Students are required to complete a PowerPoint Presentation with presenters’ notes that, if presented orally, would extend to around 8 to 10 minutes (approximately 10 slides).  PLEASE NOTE: No oral presentation is required for this assessment task.  Each slide should contain logical, clear and easily understood points that demonstrate understanding of the topic.  The notes section of the presentation should discuss or argue the relevance of each of the bullet points in the body of the slide.  This enables the lecturer/tutor to assess your understanding of the topic.  You should also place in the notes section the details of the references that you have used in each slide.

Use of SAGE Harvard referencing style is mandatory. You can find guidelines on SAGE Harvard referencing style on the unit iLearn page.  All presentations will be checked through plagiarism software.

If no extension is sought and the assessment is submitted late, 5% of the available mark will be deducted for the first day the submission is late and 2% each subsequent day after that.

The criteria used to assess the PowerPoint presentation  (marking template) will be posted to iLearn.

Marks should be available to students within three weeks of submission. 

This Assessment Task relates to the following Learning Outcomes:

• Describe and discuss criminological theories and how they relate to cybercrime.

This is the first assessed online quiz and will cover lecture and reading material from modules 4-7.

This Assessment Task relates to the following Learning Outcomes:

• Explain the importance of cyberspace in changing the nature of offending, policing and victimisation.

The research essay is the major piece of work for the semester. Students are required to select one of four research questions, conduct in-depth research and construct a well framed, critical argument. Essays should be well supported by scholarly research and interact with relevant cyber-policing theories/policy issues.

Use of SAGE Harvard referencing style is mandatory. You can find guidelines on SAGE Harvard referencing style on the unit iLearn page.

All essays will be checked through plagiarism software.

If no extension is sought and the assessment is submitted late, 5% of the available mark will be deducted for the first day the submission is late and 2% each subsequent day after that.

The criteria used to assess the research essay (marking template) will be posted to iLearn.

Marks should be available to students within three weeks of submission. 

This Assessment Task relates to the following Learning Outcomes:

• Describe and discuss criminological theories and how they relate to cybercrime.
• Engage in informed, scholarly debate about cybercrime and their potential impact on globalized society with fellow students and staff.
• Explain the importance of cyberspace in changing the nature of offending, policing and victimization.
• Identify, research, evaluate and synthesise relevant policy issues.

This is the final assessed online quiz and will cover lecture and reading material from modules 8-13.

This Assessment Task relates to the following Learning Outcomes:

• Explain the importance of cyberspace in changing the nature of offending, policing and victimisation.