Assignment Instructions

Writing Your Assignment:

• The assignment must be completed individually
• You must use the Harvard Referencing system
• Ensure you use Arial font size 12 and use double-spaced text. Do not use Single space.
• Your work must mention indicate the number of words you have used.
• Assignment submissions are to be made anonymously. Do not write your name anywhere on your work.
• Write your student ID number on top of every page.
• When the assignment comprises more than one task, all tasks must be submitted in a single document.
• You must number all the pages.

Submitting your Assignment:

It is important that you submit your assessment ON TIME. If you think you will have difficulty submitting your assessment on time you must speak to your module tutor as a matter of urgency. If you fail to submit your assignment on time, you should consider submitting an ‘Extenuating Circumstances’ claim.

If you submit after the submission date/time and do not have any extenuating circumstances for this, it will be marked as LATE and will not be marked (0% awarded).

If you feel you cannot make the hand-in date or that there are reasons for you underperforming in the assessment, you need to discuss it with your tutor as soon as possible and also complete an online Extenuating Circumstances form (available via a link on My Portal- Staffordshire University) within 5 working days of the submission date to explain the reason for this; you will need to provide some evidence to support such a claim (e.g. a medical certificate for illness).

Case Study

Cora is 25 and a single mum to Harry who is 10 years old. She does not know where his father is as he moved away when she was pregnant and is not interested in his son, and she has not been able to trace him for any financial support. Cora and Harry live in a one- bedroom flat on a deprived inner city housing estate with high crime rates and struggling schools. Cora works part time in a local shop so that she can work during school hours, she is paid the minimum wage but does receive some benefits. Cora struggles to pay the bills and provide healthy and substantial meals, and in the winter can often not afford to turn the heating on.

Cora is white British and her son is mixed race-his dad was originally from the Caribbean. Cora suffers with depression at times and takes medication. She smokes and there is a history of breast cancer in her family. She is determined that Harry does well at school and that he has a better future than her, as she did not complete her G.C.S.E’s.

Harry is often in trouble at school, he is frequently truant even though his mum takes him to school each morning.   He has made friends with other children on the estate who are older and often in trouble with the police.

Guidelines for preparing assignments

Students who achieve well with the summative assessments:

• Always attend to the assignment brief, ensuring that they are clear about the focus and parameters of the brief.
• Seek tutorial advice to discuss ideas and areas of uncertainty.
• Refer to the marking criteria to ensure they are meeting the academic demands for level 3 (refer Module Handbook).
• Write in an academic style.
• Utilise relevant research/authoritative literature to support discussions.
• Proofread work prior to submission.
• Utilise the Harvard referencing system as outlined in Refzone on the Library pages of the Staffordshire University website.
• Allow sufficient time to prepare and develop the portfolio.

ESSAY Guidance:

1. Apply the case study to sociology and psychology where relevant, and discuss in detail how your chosen elements have had an impact upon the family introduced in the scenario and how the theories that have been explored impact on health in a negative and/or positive way.

1. You can explore normal physical, psychological and sociological development across the lifespan, consider the future too.

1. For example, you could identify which social class Cora and Harry are in and discuss in detail how this element has had an impact upon the family and how it has had an impact on health and wellbeing in a negative and/or positive way.
2. Plan your essay, you can use the format above.
3. All discussion and exploration must be supported by current literature, otherwise it will be descriptive and lower your grade, you must also use Harvard referencing and avoid plagiarism. There is further guidance in the handbook for this module and All about referencing - RefZone 2021 - Library at Staffordshire University (staffs.ac.uk)
4. Include references from the core textbooks:

Gross, R. (2010) Psychology: The Science of Mind and Behaviour. 6th Ed. Abingdon: Hodder.

Giddens, A. (2009) Sociology. 6th Ed. Cambridge: Pollity press.

1. You must include evidence of wider reading and research which is well referenced for the higher grades, use the lesson resources and carry out independent research. You may be able to access books from the online university library, and you can use the core textbooks. You cannot pass without any evidence of reading.
2. Include statistics to back up your findings where relevant.
3. You must include application of theory, discussion and analysis including strengths and weaknesses of the theories from your research for the higher grades. Refer to the grading sheet.
4. You will apply 2 theories to the case study, one from psychology, and one from sociology.

NOTE: You need to complete an essay plan and draft before the deadline so your teacher can give you feedback and support and discuss it with you.

Essay Layout including subsections (Refer to guidance on VLE for more detail):

• Cover page: ID Number, Module Title Topic and Word Count
• Contents Page
• Introduction
• Task 1
• Conclusion
• Reference List
• Use of subheadings is acceptable.
• Use of  appendix to present some information

In support of your discussion, you should use examples and relevant academic literature, appropriately referenced in Harvard format.

Introduction

You should introduce your essay giving the reader a brief outline of the issues that the essay will address.

Points to consider

• Inclusion of in-text citation using the Harvard Reference Style
• Spelling, punctuation and grammar.

Task 1:

Use the case study notes to

• Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of psychology and psychological theories. Reflect upon and evaluate own skills in relation to all formative work done in class and plan changes for improvement.
• Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of sociology and sociological theories.

(You will apply 2 theories to the case study, one from psychology, and one from sociology).

Criteria:

• Care Certificate Standards
• Definition and discussion of the topic.
• Life Span
• Explore normal physical, psychological and sociological development across the lifespan
• Equality and Diversity
• Working in a person-centred way
• Awareness of mental health, dementia and learning disability
• Infection Prevention and Control
• An introduction to psychology and psychological theories, including cognitive, social, humanistic, development and behaviourist theories
• An introduction to sociology exploring definitions of sociology, social perspectives, values and social norms, diversity and inclusion exploring culture and society, families, race, religion and ethnicity, disability, social class, stratification and inequality, poverty, welfare and social exclusion.

Conclusion

Conclude your essay with the inferences you have drawn or points you have discussed in the essay.