Assignment 1: Individual Essay
Title: Reflective essay analysing health inequalities and salient social factors
Format: 2,500-word essay.
Weighting: 100%.
Learning Outcomes Assessed: 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5.
Task Overview:
Write a 2,500-word academic reflective essay analyzing health inequalities and the salient social factors that influence health outcomes. Your essay should incorporate an examination of the role medical institutions and healthcare professionals play in constructing narratives around health and illness.
Suggested Structure & Breakdown:
- Introduction (250 words): Outline the focus of the essay, state key themes, and define core sociological terminology.
- Sociological Perspectives on Health & Illness (LO1) (500 words): Apply core sociological theoretical frameworks (e.g., Social Constructionism, Marxism, or Functionalism) to explain concepts of health and care.
- Salient Social Factors & Inequalities (LO2 & LO3) (1,000 words): Critically describe and evaluate how social determinants such as race, ethnicity, gender, socio-economic status, and geography shape health experiences, create disparities, and impact access to care.
- Role of Medical Institutions & Professions (LO4) (500 words): Analyze medicalisation and the ways professional power/institutions shape societal understandings of health and illness.
- Conclusion & Reflection (LO5) (250 words): Synthesize your main findings and reflect critically on the broader implications for health and social care practice.
2,500 words
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FORMATTING |
Please note the following when completing your written assignment:
- Writing: Written in English in an appropriate business/academic style
- Focus: Focus only on the tasks set in the assignment.
- Ensure a clear title, course, and name or ID number is on a cover sheet and a bibliography using Harvard referencing throughout is also provided.
- Research: Research should use reliable and relevant sources of information e.g. academic books and journals that have been peer reviewed. The research should be extensive.
- All referencing should be in Harvard style.
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GENERIC ASSESSMENT CRITERIA |
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Level 3 |
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In accordance with the |
Marking Rubric – Essay
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Learning Outcome / Assessment Criteria |
Fail 0-39
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Pass 40-49 |
Merit 50-59
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Distinction 60-69
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Distinction* 70-100
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LO1. Explain core sociological perspectives on health,
20 marks.
Knowledge and understanding.
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The work examined provides insufficient evidence of the knowledge and |
The work examined is sufficient to display basic knowledge and |
The work examined is good and demonstrates sound understanding of |
Very good, the work examined is coherently structured, demonstrates a |
The work examined is excellent and demonstrates comprehensive |
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LO2. 15 marks
Knowledge and understanding. |
The work examined provides Insufficient evidence demonstrated. Limited 0-5.9
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Basic descriptive identification of relevant social factors (e.g., 6-7.4 |
Sound understanding of social factors influencing health outcomes. 7.5-8.9 |
Substantial analysis of how factors like race, gender, and class 9.0-10.4 |
Comprehensive, highly coherent critique of social determinants. 10.5-15 |
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LO3: Recognise health inequalities and disparities in
15 marks
Knowledge |
The work examined provides insufficient evidence |
The work examined is relevant but largely 6-7.4
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The work examined is good, demonstrating evidence |
Very good, the work examined demonstrates a substantial
|
The work examined is excellent and demonstrates 10.5-15 marks |
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LO4: Explain the role of medical institutions and
15 marks
Knowledge |
The work examined provides insufficient evidence |
The work examined is relevant but largely
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The work examined is good, demonstrating evidence |
Very good, the work examined demonstrates a substantial
|
The work examined is excellent and demonstrates |
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