Crime/Prevention and Community Spring 2015
Crime/Prevention and Community Spring 2015
School of Social Sciences and Psychology
Please read this document and the accompanying SSAPguide very carefully for everything you need to know about the unit.
If you need help, check both (and your unit vUWS site) first. If you still need help, please contact us as per Section 2.1 of the SSAPguide.
Unit Weekly Schedule Follows on next page for your convenience
Section 1: Unit Information
• Unit code and name
• Unit coordinator
• Credit points
• Teaching session
• Welcome and key contacts
• Consultation arrangements
• Requirements other than those listed below
• Improvements made recently to unit
• Delivery: How unit is delivered
• Attendance requirements
• Textbook
• Essential readings
• Other resources
• Referencing requirements
Section 2: Assessment Information
• Course learning outcomes
• Unit learning outcomes
• How unit outcomes relate to course outcomes
• Assessment summary
• Assessment details: Full details for each assessment item
Section 3: Learning and Teaching Activities See Page 2
Section 4: Learning Resources See Section 1 for Texbook, Readings etc.
• Literacy and/or numeracy resources
Section 5: Expectations Of and By You See SSAPguide
UNIT REQUIREMENTS
Internet Access: You must have internet access for this unit, preferably high speed broadband (or use University facilities)
vUWS: You must access the unit vUWS site at least twice a week to check for any new content or announcements
iPad: Owning an iPad is strongly recommended, as some units are optimised for iPad
FREE ADOBE READER: This Learning Guide is an Adobe PDF document with internal attachments. To access attachments you may need
to download and open it in latest FREE Adobe Reader, available at http://get.adobe.com/reader/
You MUST use free Adobe reader app to access attachments on iPad.
School of Social Sciences and Psychology Learning Guide Page 1 of 15
Unit Weekly Schedule
(Link to Handbook and timetable for unit: http://handbook.uws.edu.au/hbook/unit.aspx?unit=102038.2)
Week Starts Lecture Tutorial Reading Assessment
1
20/7/2015
Introduction to Crime
Prevention and Community No Tutorial
Sutton, Cherney
and White (2014)
Chapter 1
2
27/7/2015
Theories and Foundations
of Crime Prevention
Discuss the origins and theoretical
foundations of crime prevention
Sutton, Cherney
and White (2014)
Chapter 2
3
3/8/2015
Fear of Crime, Politics and
Crime Policy
Discuss the relationships between
fear of crime, law and order politics
and crime prevention
Lee (2007)
4
10/8/2015
Social and Community
Crime Prevention
Discuss social and community crime
prevention
Sutton, Cherney
and White (2014)
Chapter 3
5
17/8/2015
Situational Crime
Prevention Discuss situational crime prevention Clarke (1997)
6
24/8/2015
Crime Prevention Through
Environmental Design
(CPTED)
Discuss CPTED Crowe (2013)
7
31/8/2015
Preventive and Community
Policing
Discuss different policing strategies
and their impact on police/
community relations
Cameron (1990)
and Buerger and
Mazzerole (1998)
8
7/9/2015
Planning and Crime
Prevention Partnerships
Discuss the development of crime
prevention networks and the
increasing role of crime prevention in
local governance
Lee and Herborn
(2003) and
Cherney (2004)
Assessment 1:
Research Exercise, due BEFORE
5pm Friday September 11,
2015 (online submission via
Turnitin).
9
14/9/2015 SESSION BREAKNO
LECTURES OR TUTORIALS
10
21/9/2015
The Crime Prevention
Industry
Discuss the growth of the industry of
crime control Christie (2000)
11
28/9/2015
Alternative Modes of Crime
Prevention: Restorative
Justice and Reintegrative
Shaming
DIscuss restorative justice and
reintegrative shaming in relation to
crime prevention
Shapland and
Robinson (2008)
and
Harris (2006)
12
5/10/2015
Evaluating Crime
Prevention
Discuss the range of different forms,
and the and importance of
evaluation to crime prevention.
Sutton, Cherney
and White (2014)
Chapter 5
Assessment 2a, due BEFORE 5pm
Tuesday 6 October, 2015 (online
submission via Turnitin).
13
12/10/2015
The Future of Crime
Prevention
Discuss current trends in crime
prevention and the future trajectory
of crime prevention strategies
Zedner (2007)
14
19/10/2015
No Lecture (prepare for
your final assessment) Discuss final assessment No Reading Assessment 2b, due BEFORE
5pm Friday October 23,
2015 (online submission via
Turnitin).
15
26/10/2015 STUVAC Student exam study vacation
1618
2/11/2015 FORMAL EXAMINATION PERIOD
School of Social Sciences and Psychology Learning Guide Page 2 of 15
SECTION ONE: Unit Information
Unit Number 102038
Unit Name 102038Crime
Prevention and Community
Unit Coordinator Phillip Wadds
Credit Points 10
Session Spring 2015
Introduction
Introduction:
This unit will examine the theory, politics and practice of crime prevention. It will
address current approaches to crime prevention, evaluate their effectiveness and
examine emerging strategies in the field. The unit will consider the role that
community plays in the management and prevention of crime, while also discussing
the challenges posed by unreported crime, fear of crime and the relation between
patterens of victimisation and social disadvantage. The unit will draw on empirical
literature linking individual, social and contextual factors to the production and
prevention of deviant behaviours and explore different crime prevention strategies
for alleviating the social ills associated with crime and delinquency.
Key contacts for this unit:
Lecturer/ Unit Coordinator:
Dr Phillip Wadds
Location: Bankstown Campus, room 1.G.35
Email: p.wadds@uws.edu.au
Phone: (02) 9772 6299
Tutors:
Sarah EastlakeSmiths.
eastlakesmith@
uws.edu.au
Chris Joycecjoyce@
anglicare.org.au
Christine Leechristine.
lee@uws.edu.au
Kristin Moorek.
moore@uws.edu.au
Bridget Mottramb.
mottram@uws.edu.au
Amrita Mukhopadhyaya.
mukhopadhyay@uws.edu.au
Helen Ryanh.
ryan@uws.edu.au
Gina Vizzag.
vizza@uws.edu.au
Attachments in this document are:
• SSAPguide
This is a VERY important attachment that forms part of the Learning Guide.
Please read it VERY carefully as it has lots of important information, including
how to contact the School, and all the requirements regarding assessments
(requesting an extension, Special Consideration, late penalties, etc.)
School of Social Sciences and Psychology Learning Guide Page 3 of 15
Consultation
C onsultation for this unit is by appointment via email with Dr Phillip Wadds. Please
email Dr Wadds at p.wadds@uws.edu.au if you would like to arrange a constulation
time throughout the semester. This semester, Dr Wadds will be offering both facetoface
and online consultation via Zoom. If you would like to arrange a Zoom
consultation (software similar to Skype), please download here http://uws.zoom.us/
A discussion board will also be made available on vUWS to discuss any issues that
arise during the semester. The unit coordinator and teaching staff will be regularly
monitoring these boards to make sure any concerns are addressed quickly and
accurately.
Improvements
This semester, as a result of student feedback, I have added a third assessable item
(attached to Assignment 2) in the form of an essay plan. This assignment is designed
to lessen the pressure of the previous 40%/60% split for the two assignments.
I have also added greater flexibility for consulation. The addition of an online
consultation option will allow students to have (digital) facetoface
interaction with
the Unit Coordinator without needing to travel.
As always, student feedback on this unit is welcome. I have established a forum in the
discussion board to allow for ongoing student feedback throughout the semester. A
lot of time has been put into the development of this unit, so please ensure that your
feedback is constructive.
Requirements
None
Delivery
The unit is delivered by means of:
Online Lecture: 1 hour per week online (no facetoface
lectures)
Tutorial: 1 hour per week facetoface
Online Activity: 1 hour per week
Attendance
Students are expected to watch all online lectures and attend all tutorials, to have
completed all readings and required activities prior to class, and to participate actively
in all tutorial activities. Failure to do so may seriously undermine a student’s ability to
complete the unit satisfactorily. Attendance records may be consulted in the assessment
of any requests for extensions or Special Consideration. You should advise the Unit
Coordinator or your tutor if you are unable to attend a tutorial due to illness or
misadventure.
A professional standard of behaviour is required at all times in tutorials.
This unit is worth 10 credit points, indicating that success in the unit requires at least 10
hours work per week. Three hours will be lecture/tutorial time and the weekly online
activity, while the remaining 7 hours should be devoted to reading and study,
assessment preparation, and revision.
School of Social Sciences and Psychology Learning Guide Page 4 of 15
Textbook
Given the breadth of content covered in this unit, there is no texbook. All essential
reading materials and resources are provided in the 'Readings and Resources' tab in
vUWS. Copies of key texts from the reading list will be made available in the reserve
section of the UWS libray on both Bankstown and Penrith Campuses.
Readings
A full reading list can be found in the 'Readings' tab on the vUWS site.
Other Resources
Additional Readings:
Devery, C. (1991) Disadvantage and Crime in New South Wales. Bureau of Crime
Statistics and Research, Sydney.
Indemaur, D. (2000) `Violent Crime in Australia: Patterns and Politics’. Australian and
New Zealand Journal of Criminology, Vol.33, No.3 pp: 287299.
Mouzos, J & Makkai, T. (2004.) Women’s experiences of male violence in
Australia. Australian Institute of Criminology, Canberra.
Van Kesteren, J., Mayhew, P. & Nieuwbeerta, P. (2000) Criminal Victimisation in
Seventeen Industrialised Countries. Ministry of Justice, Hague
Lee, M. (2005) Inventing the Fear of Crime. Devon: Willan.
Hope, T. & Sparks, R. eds. (2000) Crime, Risk and Insecurity. London: Routledge.
Young, J. (1999) The Exclusive Society. London: Sage.
Garland, D. (2001) Culture of Control. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Clarke, R. (1997) Situational Crime Prevention.Albany, New York: Harrow & Heston.
Hughes, G., McLaughlin, E., & Muncie, J. (2002) (eds.) Crime Prevention and Community
Safety. London: Sage.
Weblinks:
Attorney General's Department http://
www.crimeprevention.gov.au/Pages/default.aspx
Australian Institute of Criminologyhttp://
www.aic.gov.au/crime_types/in_focus/crimeprevention.html
Australian Federal Policehttp://
www.afp.gov.au/policing/cybercrime/
crimeprevention.
aspx
Crime Prevention NSWhttp://
www.crimeprevention.nsw.gov.au/cpd/index.html
NSW Policehttp://
www.police.nsw.gov.au/community_issues/crime_prevention
Referencing
The referencing requirement for units in Social Science is the Harvard style. Full details
on the Harvard style of referencing can be found
at: http://library.uws.edu.au/FILES/cite_Harvard.pdf
School of Social Sciences and Psychology Learning Guide Page 5 of 15
SECTION TWO: Assessment Information
Course Outcomes Click on this link to see the courselevel
learning outcomes (or graduate attributes)
you need to have attained when you graduate: http://tinyurl.com/ssapclo
Unit Outcomes After successful completion of this Unit, students will be able to:
1. Critically analyse policies and practices regarding crime prevention.
2. Evaluate the links between victimisation from crime, fear of crime and
social disadvantage;
3. Articulate the links between victimisation and different crime prevention
measures and evaluate the possible strengths and weaknesses of these
measures.
Unit to Course This unit and its unit outcomes relate to the learning outcomes of the course as
shown in the relevant Table of the Course Outcomes link above.
Assessment Assessment Overview:
Assessment Worth Length Outcomes Threshold
1 Case Study 30% 1,000 words 1 No
2a Essay Plan 15% 500 words 2,3 No
2b Essay 55% 1,500 words 2, 3 No
School of Social Sciences and Psychology Learning Guide Page 6 of 15
ASSESSMENT ONE
A1 Assessment Assessment 1: Research Exercise (1,000 words /+10%
) Worth: 30%
A1 Due BEFORE Friday 11 September, 2015, 5:00 PM
A1 Submission
Submission:
This assignment is to be submitted and will be returned via the Turnitin link on vUWS. There is no hardcopy
submission.
Late Penalty:
If the assignment is submitted (without an approved extension) after the due date and time, it will attract a
late penalty of 10% per day (including weekends) up to a maximum of 10 days, at which time the penalty will
be 100% of what the assignment is worth. Assessments will not be accepted after the marked assessment
task has been returned to students who submitted the task on time.
Also see section on Extension, Special Consideration, and late assignment penalties in attached Social Science
Student Resources document for policy surrounding extension and special consideration requests.
Is assessment compulsory?
Yes, you must complete this assessment in order to be eligible to pass the unit (as explained in Section 5)
regardless of the aggregate mark you achieve across assessments.
A1 Description
CASE STUDY: Kings Cross Shooting
At 4am on Saturday 21st April 2012, police patrolling the main drag of the Kings Cross nightclub precinct
recognised the 14 year old driver of a stolen car, who had been known to the police since he was eight.
The car contained the driver and five passengers ranging in age from 13 to 24, all Indigenous and living in
Redfern. To avoid the police, the 14 year old driver mounted the footpath and drove along it for 100m
with police chasing on foot. Two pedestrians were struck, one of whom was dragged under the car for 10
metres. The car then returned to the road and collided with a taxi. It is unclear whether the car was
moving at this point but the police fired a number of shots into the vehicle in ‘an attempt to protect’ the
trapped pedestrian. The 14 year old driver was shot in the chest and arm and a 17 year old passenger was
shot in the neck. Footage has emerged apparently showing an officer dragging the passenger from the car
and punching him in the face (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fUoy4LT0U0M). It was afterwards
reported that Kings Cross police were ‘hyped’ and on high alert on Friday night, with 20 extra police
officers rostered, in preparation of an anticipated outbreak of bikiegang
violence (SMH 2012).
Write a critical account, in essay format, of how this incident may have been prevented through ONE of
the following crime prevention strategies:
• Social prevention methods (eg community crime prevention, developmental crime prevention etc.)
• Preventive policing (eg. community policing, problemoriented
policing, hotspot
policing etc.)
• Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) – you will need to look at environmental
design features of the Kings Cross nightclub precinct through Google Earth for example, or via a field trip
to Kings Cross)
Your essay should demonstrate why the crime prevention strategy chosen for this particular situation is
the best one, as well as acknowledging any limitations of that particular approach. You are encouraged to
take stock of the publicity around this case and consider the different issues raised by the media, police
and other actors (eg political figures) that might be relevant to your chosen crime prevention strategy.
School of Social Sciences and Psychology Learning Guide Page 7 of 15
• You are encouraged to do some media research on the case study but this is NOT a substitute for
academic sources
• You are encouraged to use government policy documents, statistics etc.
A1 Criteria
Marking rubric, standards & criteria
Your work will be marked according to the following criteria:
• Your ability to address the essay question;
• The clarity and sophistication of argument;
• Evidence of having read and understood relevant literature;
• Evidence of critical thinking and engagement with theory;
• Ability to write clearly and reference appropriately to university standards.
Style & Presentation – Some Dos and Don’ts
1. ESSAY PREPARATIONS AND RESEARCH:
• You need to relate your essay to the specific topic provided in thisGuide. You cannot create your
own topic. Itis essentialthat you read the instructionsfor your assignment.
• You are expected to have basic knowledge about how to do academic research (both online and in
the Library). If you would like help, or are unsure about how to research academic material, please
ask either your unit coordinator or tutor for help. If you do require help, please ensure that you
that approach your teaching staff well before the assignment due date.
• Wikipedia is not an academic source!
• Make sure you follow the Harvard referencing style guide from the UWS Library website.
• Preparation is key to good writing. The more time you spend mapping out your assignment, the more
likely it is that you will produce a coherent and convincing argument.
2. ESSAY STRUCTURE, CONTENT AND PRESENTATION:
• Your essay should be 1.5 or double spaced.
• Your assignment should be sufficiently titled so as to indicate the question you have selected.
• Your reference list must be included at the end of your essay. Failure to include a reference list can
result in an automatic failure and can constitute serious academic misconduct.
• Avoid overly long sentences and . Simple is better.
3. BEFORE SUBMISSION:
• You need to read your essay prior to submission. If it doesn’t make sense to you, it won’t make sense
to your marker either.
• RUN A SPELLING AND GRAMMAR CHECK.
• Make sure all your references are fully and properly acknowledged (including page numbers for
direct quotations).
For more guidance, please see the Assignment Writing Guide in the Assessments tab on vUWS
Instructions:
• Must use at least 8 academic sources
School of Social Sciences and Psychology Learning Guide Page 8 of 15
HD D C P F
Question50%
Accurate,
comprehensive
and articulate
critical
engagement with
the assigned
questions.
Analysis shows
originality of
thought.
Accurate and
wellarticulated
responses to the
assigned
questions which
provide original
insights.
Evidence of
critical
engagement.
Mostly adequate
responses to the
assigned
questions. Some
evidence of
critical
engagement.
Some adequate
responses, but
with errors and
little to no
critical
engagement.
Answers
mostly wrong
and fail to
engage with
the assigned
questions.
Research20%
Outstanding
research and a
sound grasp of
the key
theoretical and
conceptual
content to
emerge from the
literature.
Relevant and
thoughtful
integration of
research. Exceeds
minimum
reference count.
Considerable
research and
effort. Displays
an
understanding of
the key material.
Relevant
integration of
research.
Exceeds
minimum
reference count
Good attempt to
research, but
some
inconsistencies in
application.
Meets the
minimum
reference count.
Adequate effort
and research.
Meets the
minimum
reference
count.
Little or no
research and
effort. Does
not reach the
minimum
reference
count.
Structure10%
Exceptional
structure. Each
point clearly links
to the next and
has a strong
narrative flow.
Clear structure
and strong
narrative flow.
Logical structure. Uneven
structure with
little thought to
narrative flow.
Little/no
structure.
Expression10%
Professional
standard of
writing.
Exceptional
grammar and
written
expression. Very
few to no errors.
Any errors are
very minor in
nature.
Excellent
standard of
writing. Very few
to few errors
with expression
and grammar.
Any errors are
minor in nature.
Good standard of
writing.
Argument is
clear, but some
minor errors with
expression and
grammar.
Adequate
standard of
writing but
some problems
with expression
and grammar.
Some argument
unclear and
poorly
expressed.
Writing is
difficult to read
with major
flaws with
expression and
grammar.
Referencing
10%
Professional
standard of intext
citations and
bibliography is
flawless.
Excellent
standard of intext
citations and
bibliography.
Very few errors
Good standard of
referencing, but
some formatting
errors.
A number of
formatting
errors both intext
and in the
bibliography.
Poor/no
references.
Does not
follow Harvard
and any errors
are very minor in
nature.
Not all
referencing
consistent with
Harvard format.
referencing
format.
School of Social Sciences and Psychology Learning Guide Page 9 of 15
ASSESSMENT TWO
A2 Assessment Assessment 2a: Essay PlanAnnotated
Bibliography (500 words /+10%)
Worth: 15%
A2 Due BEFORE Tuesday 06 October, 2015, 5:00 PM
A2 Submission
Submission:
This assignment is to be submitted via the Turnitin link on vUWS. There is no hardcopy submission.
Late Penalty:
If the assignment is submitted (without an approved extension) after the due date and time, it will attract
a late penalty of 10% per day (including weekends) up to a maximum of 10 days, at which time the
penalty will be 100% of what the assignment is worth. Assessments will not be accepted after the marked
assessment task has been returned to students who submitted the task on time.
Also see section on Extension, Special Consideration, and late assignment penalties in attached Social
Science Student Resources document for policy surrounding extension and special consideration requests.
Is assessment compulsory?
Yes, you must complete this assessment in order to be eligible to pass the unit (as explained in Section 5)
regardless of the aggregate mark you achieve across assessments.
A2 Description
The Essay Plan (Assessment 2a) is based on the essay questions for Assessment 2b (see below). Students
are to provide an annotated bibliography for one of the four set essay questions. This will require students
to undertake an independent literature review to supplement the key readings from the unit that are
relevant to the assigned questions. Students will be assessed on their understanding of the key
themes/concepts raised in the selected readings and their expression of how each selected article is
relevant to the selected question. Students must produce an annotated bibliographic entry for 5
references. Of these 5 references a maximum of 2 references can be drawn from the weekly reading list.
The remaining articles must be drawn from an independent literature search. Students are encouraged to
use the library catalogues to assist with this task. More guidance on how to conduct an annotated
bibliography and the best places to look for relevant academic literature will be available for student in
the Assessment tab on vUWS.
The following content must be provided for each reference:
Full reference in Harvard Style:
Summary of key points:
Relevance of reference to selected question:
Remember, the word count for this assignment is only 500 words (excluding the full references and
headings). This will require students to write in a clear and concise manner, and to carefully select what
information they include in each entry.
School of Social Sciences and Psychology Learning Guide Page 10 of 15
A2 Criteria
Marking rubric, standards & criteria
Your work will be marked according to the following criteria:
HD D C P F
Critical
Assessment/
Understanding
of References
50%
Accurate,
comprehensive
and critical
engagement with
the selected
references.
Accurate and
wellarticulated
summaries of
the selected
references.
Evidence of
critical
engagement
with the
selected
material.
Mostly
adequate
summaries of
the selected
references.
Some evidence
of critical
engagement
with the
selected
material.
Some adequate
summaries, but
with errors and
little to no
critical
engagement.
Answers
mostly wrong
and fail to
engage with
the assigned
questions.
Research and
Relevance30%
Reference
selection clearly
demonstrates a
strong
understanding of
the key concepts
related to the
selected
question.
Reference
selection
demonstrates a
goodstrong
understanding
of the key
concepts related
to the selected
question.
Reference
selection shows
a gooddeveloping
understanding
of the key
concepts related
to the selected
question.
Reference
selection
mostly relevant
to the selected
question.
Reference
selection is
poor and
seems rushed
and/or poorly
thought out.
Expression10%
Professional
standard of
writing.
Exceptional
grammar and
written
expression. Very
few to no errors.
Any errors are
very minor in
nature.
Excellent
standard of
writing. Very
few to few
errors with
expression and
grammar. Any
errors are minor
in nature.
Good standard
of writing.
Argument is
clear, but some
minor errors
with expression
and grammar.
Adequate
standard of
writing but
some problems
with expression
and grammar.
Some argument
unclear and
poorly
expressed.
Writing is
difficult to
read with
major flaws
with
expression and
grammar.
Referencing10%
Professional
standard of
citations.
Excellent
standard of
citations. Very
few errors and
any errors are
very minor in
nature.
Good standard
of referencing,
but some
formatting
errors.
A number of
formatting
errors. Not all
referencing
consistent with
Harvard
format.
Poor
referencing.
Does not
follow Harvard
referencing
format.
School of Social Sciences and Psychology Learning Guide Page 11 of 15
ASSESSMENT THREE
A3 Assessment Assessment 2b: Essay (1500 words /+10%)
Worth: 55%
A3 Due BEFORE Friday 23 October, 2015, 5:00 PM
A3 Submission
Submission:
This assignment is to be submitted via the Turnitin link on vUWS. There is no hardcopy submission.
Late Penalty:
If the assignment is submitted (without an approved extension) after the due date and time, it will attract
a late penalty of 10% per day (including weekends) up to a maximum of 10 days, at which time the
penalty will be 100% of what the assignment is worth. Assessments will not be accepted after the marked
assessment task has been returned to students who submitted the task on time.
Also see section on Extension, Special Consideration, and late assignment penalties in attached Social
Science Student Resources document for policy surrounding extension and special consideration requests.
Is assessment compulsory?
Yes, you must complete this assessment in order to be eligible to pass the unit (as explained in Section 5)
regardless of the aggregate mark you achieve across assessments.
A3 Description
Choose and answer ONE of the following questions :
Option 1. Recent crime prevention policy and initiatives can be seen as highly politicised. Discuss the link
between law and order politics, fear of crime and crime prevention strategy using local examples.
Option 2. Citing examples, provide a critical analysis of preventive policing strategies (ie. Hotspot, zerotolerance,
problemoriented
policing etc.) and discuss their impact on the community. In your answer,
discuss why these strategies are popular and if there are any sideeffects
on police/community relations?
Option 3. The crime prevention industry is growing at a rapid pace in Australia and around the world.
Critically discuss this trend and outline some of the key dangers that may emerge from the
commercialisation of crime control.
Option 4. Discuss the importance of evaluation to crime prevention strategy. Why is it so important in
producing effective crime policy and prevention strategies?
Your essay should critically examine the key subject matter and clearly display your understanding of the
relevant material covered throughout the semester.
Instructions:
• Must use at least 10 academic sources.
• You must engage with the key texts used throughout this unit.
• You are encouraged to do some media research to support your argument when it is relevant, but
this is NOT a substitute for academic sources.
• You are encouraged to use government policy documents, statistics etc.
School of Social Sciences and Psychology Learning Guide Page 12 of 15
• Your ability to address the essay question;
• The clarity and sophistication of argument;
• Evidence of having read and understood relevant literature;
• Evidence of critical thinking and engagement with theory;
• Ability to write clearly and reference appropriately to university standards.
Style & Presentation – Some Dos and Don’ts
1. ESSAY PREPARATIONS AND RESEARCH:
• You need to relate your essay to the specific topic provided in thisGuide. You cannot create your
own topic. Itis essentialthat you read the instructionsfor your assignment.
• You are expected to have basic knowledge about how to do academic research (both online and in
the Library). If you would like help, or are unsure about how to research academic material, please
ask either your unit coordinator or tutor for help. If you do require help, please ensure that you
that approach your teaching staff well before the assignment due date.
• Wikipedia is not an academic source!
• Make sure you follow the Harvard referencing style guide from the UWS Library website.
• Preparation is key to good writing. The more time you spend mapping out your assignment, the more
likely it is that you will produce a coherent and convincing argument.
2. ESSAY STRUCTURE, CONTENT AND PRESENTATION:
• Your essay should be 1.5 or double spaced.
• Your assignment should be sufficiently titled so as to indicate the question you have selected.
• Your reference list must be included at the end of your essay. Failure to include a reference list can
result in an automatic failure and can constitute serious academic misconduct.
• Avoid overly long sentences and . Simple is better.
3. BEFORE SUBMISSION:
• You need to read your essay prior to submission. If it doesn’t make sense to you, it won’t make sense
to your marker either.
• RUN A SPELLING AND GRAMMAR CHECK.
• Make sure all your references are fully and properly acknowledged (including page numbers for
direct quotations).
A3 Criteria
Marking rubric, standards & criteria
Your work will be marked according to the following criteria:
For more guidance, please see the Assignment Writing Guide in the Assessments tab on vUWS
School of Social Sciences and Psychology Learning Guide Page 13 of 15
HD D C P F
Question60%
Accurate,
comprehensive
and articulate
critical
engagement with
the assigned
questions.
Analysis shows
originality of
thought.
Accurate and
wellarticulated
responses to the
assigned
questions which
provide original
insights.
Evidence of
critical
engagement.
Mostly adequate
responses to the
assigned
questions. Some
evidence of
critical
engagement.
Some adequate
responses, but
with errors and
little to no
critical
engagement.
Answers
mostly wrong
and fail to
engage with
the assigned
questions.
Research10%
Outstanding
research and a
sound grasp of
the key
theoretical and
conceptual
content to
emerge from the
literature.
Relevant and
thoughtful
integration of
research. Exceeds
minimum
reference count.
Considerable
research and
effort. Displays
an
understanding of
the key material.
Relevant
integration of
research.
Exceeds
minimum
reference count
Good attempt to
research, but
some
inconsistencies in
application.
Meets the
minimum
reference count.
Adequate effort
and research.
Meets the
minimum
reference
count.
Little or no
research and
effort. Does
not reach the
minimum
reference
count.
Structure10%
Exceptional
structure. Each
point clearly links
to the next and
has a strong
narrative flow.
Clear structure
and strong
narrative flow.
Logical structure. Uneven
structure with
little thought to
narrative flow.
Little/no
structure.
Expression10%
Professional
standard of
writing.
Exceptional
grammar and
written
expression. Very
few to no errors.
Any errors are
very minor in
nature.
Excellent
standard of
writing. Very few
to few errors
with expression
and grammar.
Any errors are
minor in nature.
Good standard of
writing.
Argument is
clear, but some
minor errors with
expression and
grammar.
Adequate
standard of
writing but
some problems
with expression
and grammar.
Some argument
unclear and
poorly
expressed.
Writing is
difficult to read
with major
flaws with
expression and
grammar.
Referencing
10%
Professional
standard of intext
citations and
bibliography is
flawless.
Excellent
standard of intext
citations and
bibliography.
Very few errors
and any errors
Good standard of
referencing, but
some formatting
errors.
A number of
formatting
errors both intext
and in the
bibliography.
Not all
referencing
Poor/no
references.
Does not
follow Harvard
referencing
format.
are very minor in
nature.
consistent with
Harvard format.
School of Social Sciences and Psychology Learning Guide Page 14 of 15
SECTION THREE: Teaching and Learning Activities
For your convenience the Learning and Teaching Schedule is on the second page of the Learning Guide.
Section 4 SECTION FOUR: Learning Resources
For your convenience the following are listed in Section 1 with other Unit Information:
• Textbook
• Readings
• Any additional resources
• Referencing requirements.
Literacy
None other than those in the SSAPguide
Section 5 SECTION FIVE: Expectations of You, and By You
See SSAPguide for:
• Expectations of students
• Expectations of UWS staff
• Raising concerns
• Links to key policies.
School of Social Sciences and Psychology Learning Guide Page 15 of 15