This task involves identifying a significant social issue, and integrating existing knowledge from various disciplines in psychology to understand the issue.

In this assessment task you have just 700 words to write an integrated and critical analysis that will showcase your research, integration, critical analysis and writing skills.

In this brief literature review you are required to:

a) Identify an important social issue that is yet to be adequately addressed in Australian society, and that you would ideally like to learn about during your placement (for example, domestic violence, burn out in the work place, services for those with psychotic illness, to name just a few of many possible topics);

Please note: it may not always be possible to obtain a placement directly relevant to your nominated area of interest. Nevertheless, this literature review should be in this area of interest to you.

b) Locate and critically evaluate a body of literature related to this social issue and communicate this clearly, coherently and concisely in your review. These are core skills specified by the Australian Psychological Society for graduate psychologists.

c) In the review, you must integrate literature from at least four of the following psychology sub-disciplines:

i. Animal behaviour

ii. Clinical psychology

iii. Cognition

iv. Developmental psychology

v. Emotion

vi. Evolutionary psychology

vii. Health psychology

viii. Learning and behaviour

ix. Neuro/biopsychology

x. Organisational psychology

xi. Perception

xii. Personality psychology

xiii. Psychology of relationships

xiv. Social psychology

d) You have just 700 words – that is around 150 words for each sub discipline and 50 words to introduce the issue and 50 words to make a conclusion. You may choose to write about each discipline separately or to integrate knowledge across disciplines as they relate to each point you make. Either way, there must be a critical evaluation of what you present and evidence that you have integrated the knowledge from the 4 disciplines into a more holistic understanding of the issue. Usually this would be easier to demonstrate by illustrating essay points with examples from a range of psychology sub-disciplines than by dealing with each sub-discipline separately.

Critical criteria in the assessment of your Literature Review and Proposal include the integration of knowledge from various psychology disciplines, synthesis of this knowledge, critical analysis of what you have read, and the clarity of the arguments put forward. These are all highly important graduate skills. The table below is a guide as to how this task will be assessed.

How your Literature Review will be assessed

The table below outlines the skills and standards which will be used to assess your work

Skills

Superior Standard

Satisfactory Standard

Below Expected Standard

Research Skills

Locating relevant, peer-reviewed literature from reputable academic journals and relevant books, and then selecting the most pertinent material in order to address the essay question

Evidence of adequate reading from high quality sources. Provides a balanced report of research from relevant studies. Key theories and study findings directly relevant to the topic are clearly identified. Recent research is included.

Adequate source material - finds several relevant studies. Adequate reporting of recent research and research that has adequate relevance.

Limited research and reading around the topic. May use  inappropriate source material e.g., opinions, non-peer reviewed material, material sourced from internet etc.

Identifying relevant theoretical issues

Are pertinent theoretical/ conceptual issues in the question clearly defined and addressed?

Discusses relevant theories/proposed explanations related to the social issue of interest. These should come from a range of psychology disciplines, Where there are differing views on a particular topic these are clearly articulated.

Refers to theories/proposed explanations, and demonstrates an adequate understanding of the issues. Some attempt to integrate theories from different disciplines. Adequately coherent.

.

Theories/explanatory processes are not adequately discussed.

Failure to address topic across disciplines.

Critical Evaluation of Empirical Research

The extent to which theories/explanations are supported by empirical research, and methodological strengths and limitations of the studies are discussed.

Does the student approach the topic in a fresh and interesting way?

Brief but adequate discussion of the strengths and limitations of some studies; identification of unanswered questions which still need to be resolved. Critical engagement is analytical and incisive. May identify ways studies could be improved and argue for a possible alternate outcome if new methodology used.

Evaluates studies using basic criteria. Identifies strengths and limitations, and adequately applies these in interpreting study results and supporting the arguments being put forward.

Does not show critical discrimination in evaluating research evidence. May make sweeping criticisms that are not supported or explained adequately, may overvalue the importance of findings, or describe research in superlative terms that are undeserved.

Level of Integration, Synthesis, Analysis, 

Integration of  research findings

a) across disciplines;

b) across studies;

c) with relevant  theories; and

d) with the social issue the Literature Review focuses on

Comprehensive integration/synthesis of different theories and different research studies from several psychology disciplines with respect to how they relate to each other and to the topic.

Some attempt to synthesise/integrate information from different sources and disciplines to address the social issue of interest.

Does not integrate information from different disciplines or studies. Does not make clear the relevance of the source material reported to the social issue addressed.

Writing Style and Structuring

Are  issues to be addressed in the essay clearly stated?

Are points/arguments a) clearly stated and b) supported by examples?

Are arguments logically structured and developed?

Is grammar, punctuation and paragraph structure correct?

Is language appropriate to academic work?

Writing style is economical and clear; usually chooses words aptly; observes conventions of written English and academic writing in Psychology; Essay is well structured.  Paragraphs logically support the developing argument with specific details and examples provided; there are smooth transitions between paragraphs, with linking sentences.

Paragraphs consist of distinct units of thought which develop the argument. Adequate clarity, grammar and succinctness, with little repetition.

Major issues with clarity of writing, spelling, grammar and academic conventions of presentation. Simplistic structure, wanders from one topic to the next. Ideas not arranged logically. Use of colloquial language, slang or jargon.

References

Are references complete and correct?

Are they correctly formatted?

Are in text references appropriately formatted?

Does reference list match in text references?

Are references appropriate?

Are sources of high quality?

Primary citations wherever possible (rather than secondary ‘as cited in’ citations).

Judicious choice of references and accurate and complete citations in text and reference list according to APA guidelines.

.Generally conforms to APA guidelines.

Major inaccuracies, omissions with referencing, failure to conform to APA guidelines. In text references do not align with reference list.

The Project Report is 1500 words in length in total. IT IS SUBMITTED IN TWO PARTS. Part 1, worth 8 marks, is submitted in Week 4. The balance (Parts 2-5), worth 32 marks, are submitted in Week 10  (Exact dates in due date column; must be submitted by close of business on that day).

The Project Report is 1500 words in length. You have a choice of two report formats:

1. a standard project report in 5 parts:

   1. planning for the placement;

   2. development of professional skills during placement;

   3. using academic skills during placement;

   4. reflecting on undergraduate experience and the placement; and

   5. devising practical solutions to the relevant social issue.

      OR

2. a critical experience analysis of in 5 parts

   1. planning for the placement;

   2. the critical experience: context, events, thoughts, feelings and actions;

   3. what did you learn from the critical experience?;

   4. reflecting on undergraduate experience and the critical experience at placement; and

   5. devising practical solutions to the relevant social issue.

It is understood by the unit staff that both of these report styles are different to any sort of assignment you may have done previously in your undergraduate degree. However, as already noted, this is a unit that requires a different type of learning due to its focus on professional practice and practical learning. These projects are designed to stretch your learning in ways that will assist you to be prepared for professional practice and for future endeavours with your psychology degree. Remember, these projects are equally new to ALL students in the unit, and that your undergraduate degree is designed to facilitate learning in ways that will sometimes take students out of their ‘comfort zone’.

In this Project Report the student is expected to provide information on ways that they have engaged in practical learning (learning by experience) during this unit, and should indicate reflective practice, planning for a practical placement in a way that would maximise its benefit, a mental shift from insular understandings of psychological theory to understanding psychological theories as they relate to the whole person and ‘real world’ practice, as well as practical learning through the placement itself.

Although sections should be reasonably evenly spread (ie. around 300 words per section) there may be reports where one section needs to be larger or smaller than the others. This is OK, but as a rule, no section should be less than 175 words or more than 500 words.

It is understood by unit staff that a small number of students may not have completed their placement by the due date for this assignment. This assignment has been designed so that it can be completed while the placement is still underway – you would simply write about your experiences up to the time of writing.

A. Standard Project Report Format

Write 1500 words under the subheadings below.

i. Planning for the placement (about 300 words)

Describe clearly the learning outcomes you planned to achieve during your 32 hour volunteer placement and your strategic plan for maximising the likelihood of meeting those goals during placement (i.e., what did you want to achieve and how did you plan to achieve it?)

ii. Development of professional skills during placement (about 300 words)

A key part of the practical placement component of the unit is the development of professional skills – knowing how to behave in a professional setting, and using that knowledge in the placement setting to underpin appropriate professional behaviours. Describe clearly your understanding of the key components of good professional practice and briefly describe 2 incidents that occurred during your placement, during which the importance of good professional behaviour in the workplace was made clear to you (for example, during the working through of an ethical dilemma). Note any additional learning about good professional practice that was acquired during the placement.

iii. Using academic skills during placement (about 300 words)

Describe clearly and briefly the key academic skills you have developed over the course of your undergraduate degree. Describe ways in which 3 of these skills were important to your professional practice during placement.

iv. Reflecting on undergraduate experience and the placement (about 300 words)

Briefly and clearly describe the ways in which you reflected on your undergraduate degree and on your placement experience during this semester. For example, you may have set aside half an hour per week or you may have spent a half day thinking about your degree and making plans for the future. What did you reflect on? What decisions were made, and/or what did you learn as a result of your reflections?

v. Devising practical solutions (about 300 words)

With regard to (1) the integration of knowledge from at least 4 psychology sub-disciplines as they apply to a social issue dealt with in a practical way at your placement (and the learning from your earlier literature review, if this aligns with your placement), (2) your reflections on the same social issue, and (3) what you have learned during your placement, briefly and clearly describe one original idea of your own about how this issue could be addressed on a practical level. Include the theoretical and practical reasons it might work.

B. Critical Experience Format

This format includes two of the above sections – planning for the placement and devising a practical solution. The rest of the report will focus on a defining experience – a key aspect of your placement (something you saw or experienced or a relationship you developed) that changed your thinking and has been (or will be) crucial in defining your life direction. This report is NOT about describing a minor or major crisis on placement or some other negative event. Rather, it is about describing a part of your placement that helped define your thinking about an issue or about your future life direction. In the past, some students have interpreted this question to be simply about how they dealt with a crisis. This is a simplistic interpretation of the question. Although a crisis may or may not be part of your critical experience, the key to answering this question is to describe events or people that led to you having an ‘Aha’ moment that changed your life direction.

For the critical experience analysis, write 1500 words using these headings:

i. Planning for the placement (about 300 words)

Describe clearly the learning outcomes you planned to achieve during your 32 hour volunteer placement and your strategic plan for maximising the likelihood of meeting those goals during placement (i.e., what did you want to achieve and how did you plan to achieve it?). This section is particularly crucial in your critical experience analysis, as the defining incident you write about may have resulted in an outcome that was either congruent or incongruent with your expectations.

ii. The critical experience: context, chain of events, your thoughts, feelings and actions (about 300 words)

This section relates to a critical experience (or relationship) that occurred during placement and was ‘defining’ for your life direction (NOTE: From here on, the term ‘critical experience’ will be taken to mean either events, experiences OR relationships with a person or persons that had a profound influence on your thinking and/or your future life direction). Begin by putting the critical experience into context. What was the placement about? What situation did the critical experience occur in? What were you thinking and feeling prior to the experience? Then describe the critical experience itself. How did it unfold? What you were thinking or feeling? If a relationship, what was it about the other person that inspired you and changed your thinking? Describe any concerns you had at the time, and any noteworthy demands on you during the experience (if any). Describe your own actions (if relevant).

iii. What did you learn from the critical experience? (about 300 words)

In this section, describe clearly and succinctly what you learned from the critical experience. The lessons from such experiences will be very different for each person, and so prescribing parameters for such a description is not appropriate. What is important in this section is to be clear, and to link what you learned to specific aspects of the critical experience. You may need to reflect at length on what you actually did learn from the critical experience in order to answer this question.

iv. Reflecting on undergraduate experience and the critical experience (about 300 words)

Very briefly describe the ways in which you reflected on your undergraduate degree and on this critical experience during this semester. For example, you may have set aside half an hour per week for thinking about your degree and your future, or you may have spent a half day reflecting on the critical experience. What did you reflect on? What decisions were made, and/or what did you learn, as a result of your reflections (you can refer to the previous section here if necessary)? A significant portion of this section should clearly explain why, on reflection, the critical experience was so defining for you. What decisions did you reflect on? What decisions did you make? How will the things that you have learned, and the decisions you have made, impact upon your future role as a psychology professional? There may be some aspects of your response to the critical experience or your subsequent decision-making that you feel uncomfortable about sharing. If this is the case, write that you will not be specifying these things for personal reasons, but provide enough information so that your marker can assess your reflective practice and its impact as regards the critical experience you are writing about. If you are unsure about what to write, look at the rubric on the following page to make sure you are clear about what is expected in this report, and what is expected as regards reflective practice.

v. Devising practical solutions to a social issue (about 300 words)

With regard to (1) the integration of knowledge from at least 4 psychology sub-disciplines as they apply to a social issue dealt with in a practical way at your placement (and the learning from your earlier literature review, if this aligns with your placement), (2) your reflections on the same social issue, and (3) what you have learned during your placement, briefly and clearly describe one original idea of your own about how this issue could be addressed on a practical level. Include the theoretical and practical reasons it might work.

Title

Superior Standard

Satisfactory Standard

Below Expected Standard

Demonstrates integrated and holistic understanding of human psychology;

Applies this knowledge to ‘real world’ practice

Is human psychology presented in an holistic way?

Is integrated knowledge applied appropriately to examples from placements and to ‘real world’ social issues?

Clear integration of sub-disciplines of psychology into a holistic understanding of human psychology. Clear application of this knowledge to real world examples from the placement and to the social issue of interest to that student.

Attempts to integrate theories from sub-disciplines in psychology but may fall back to looking at one aspect of psychological functioning at the expense of others in places. Limited or some inappropriate application of this integrated knowledge to placement examples and/or ‘real world’ issues

Tendency to use sub-theories of psychology to explain phenomena with little attempt to integrate them into a more holistic explanation or approach. Little or no application of integrated or multiple psychological approaches to the placement examples and/or ‘real world’ issues. Inappropriate application of psychological theories to practical examples.

Demonstrates reflective practice

Is it clear that the student reflected on the unit, the placement, and the issues related to their social issue of interest?

Did this reflection result in any changed understandings or course of behaviour?

Describes explicitly Ideas and/or actions that stemmed directly from reflective practice. Ideas presented are clearly well thought-through and fully developed, and suggest a more holistic understanding of human psychology

Some ideas and/or actions seem to have stemmed from reflective practice. Most ideas presented are thought-through, but may not be fully developed. Some suggestion of a holistic understanding of human psychology

Ideas presented are haphazard and may not be consistent with each other. Ideas do not seem to have been well thought-through. Descriptions of psychological processes do not seem to be suggestive of a holistic approach

Demonstrates learning by experience and acquired skills through the volunteer placement process

Is it clear that the student learnt by experience during placement?

What skills were acquired?

Each section clearly showcases what the student has learnt in the section topic area. Acquired skills are clearly evident in what the student has written.

Student demonstrates some learning in each facet written about, but these may be less clear or not fully articulated. Acquired skills are evident in what the student has written but not clearly articulated.

Student learning not evident from what was written, or is somewhat evident in some sections but not others. Acquired skills are not evident in what the student has written

Brevity and staying on topic

Is each section concisely written?

Does each section relate only to the topic area?

Are there irrelevant or unnecessary facts included?

Conveys a number of ideas in each section clearly, with a minimum of words. No redundancy (repetition) of ideas or facts. Each part of the report stays ‘on topic’ dealing directly and clearly  with the section topic and instructions

Conveys information fairly economically but some redundancy of ideas or facts and/or too many words used to explain some concepts. Generally ‘on topic’ but may stray once or twice into unrelated areas

Only able to deal with a small number of ideas/facts within the word count and/or multiple redundancy of ideas or facts. Long, ‘rambling’ sentences. Does not clearly answer question or follow section instructions. Wanders ‘off topic’ more than once in a section.

Writing Style and Structuring

Are issues to be addressed in the essay clearly stated?

Are points/arguments a) clearly stated and b) supported by examples?

Are arguments logically structured and developed?

Is grammar, punctuation and paragraph structure correct?

Is language appropriate to academic work?

Writing style is economical and clear; usually chooses words aptly; observes conventions of written English and academic writing in Psychology; Essay is well structured.  Paragraphs logically support the developing argument with specific details and examples provided; there are smooth transitions between paragraphs, with linking sentences.

Paragraphs consist of distinct units of thought which develop the argument. Adequate clarity, grammar and succinctness,  with little repetition

Major issues with clarity of writing, spelling, grammar and academic conventions of presentation. Simplistic structure, wanders from one topic to the next. Ideas not arranged logically. Use of colloquial language, slang or jargon

References

Are references complete and correct?

Are they correctly formatted?

Are in text references appropriately formatted?

Does reference list match in text references?

Are references appropriate?

Are sources of high quality?

Primary citations wherever possible (rather than secondary ‘as cited in’ citations).

Judicious choice of references and accurate and complete citations in text and reference list according to APA guidelines

Generally conforms to APA guidelines, but some inaccuracies. Lower quality of source references.

Major inaccuracies, omissions with referencing, failure to conform to APA guidelines. In text references do not align with reference list. Some sources for references are dubious (e.g., websites inappropriate texts), or important sources are missing.

A key outcome for this unit is for students to learn and understand the various codes of ethical conduct for psychologists and allied professions, and the professional standards enshrined in the governing legislation that affects psychologists. It is also important for students to demonstrate that they have reflected on and developed their capacity to integrate information from various disciplines in psychology in the pursuit of a more holistic understanding of psychology. A significant part of this learning is done through lectures and readings, and will be tested through a final examination in the University Examination period. This examination will consist of 80 multiple choice questions.

This task involves engaging as a volunteer with an organisation in the wider community to find out, first hand, about a significant social issue. This task receives a grade of Complete or Incomplete but is not given a mark. Students must be marked as satisfactory to pass the unit, irrespective of other results.

All students are expected to undertake the Ethics Module and all four parts of the Workplace Health and Safety Module. These two modules are fully examinable but the tasks themselves do not count towards the final grade and will give students a sense of the types of ethics and safety issues that may be encountered in professional practice, and the sorts of ethics scenarios that might be examined later in the unit. Students should note that even when WHS modules are completed they do not show up on iLearn as complete. This is because these modules will be assessed in the final exam.

Students will be expected to spend at least 30 minutes per week (or equivalent) reflecting on their undergraduate coursework, on how the different subdisciplines in psychology link within the whole person and apply to wider social contexts, and on ways that they will use their psychology major in their future endeavours. Some guidance on setting up a personal reflection time will be provided in tutorial 1. please note that the project report has an assessed section in which students describe their personal reflection practices during the semester

Self-Reflection on Critical Analysis and Writing Skills: Essay marking grids are provided to students in this unit guide, outlining the standards against which their Literature Review and Project Report will be assessed. Students are encouraged to examine carefully these criteria and bring any questions to tutorials, where further guidance will be given. Students will also engage with the tutors fortnightly to discuss their progress with their placement and major projects, and to receive feedback about how they are progressing, along with practical advice