Assessment Information/Brief 2020-21
How to submit
You should submit an electronic version of your assessment to the Turnitin folder on the module Blackboard site.
Assessment task details and instructions
The portfolio is made up of two parts:
- Task 1 (1,000 words) is a critical review of a journal article (see details below)
- Task 2 (1,000 words) is an essay question. You must choose one of the questions listed below.
You should submit your portfolio as a single Microsoft Word document (.doc or .docx) through Turnitin on the module blackboard site. Although a single document, your portfolio should consist of two clearly indicated tasks each with its own reference list. Your portfolio should be referenced using the APA (6th) Harvard Style Referencing system.
For further details see below.
Task 1: Critical Review of a Journal Article (1,000 words)
Drawing on material from the course to support your answer, critically review the following article:
Caveney, N., Scott, P., Williams, S., & Howe-Walsh, L. (2020). Police reform, austerity and ‘cop culture’: time to change the record? Policing and Society, 30(10), 1210-1225. Doi: https://doi-org.salford.idm.oclc.org/10.1080/10439463.2019.1691549
You should refer to academic sources to support your critical review, these should be referenced using theAPA (6th) Harvard Style Referencing system. Guidance on how to reference appropriately and accurately is available at: http://www.salford.ac.uk/skills-for-learning/home/using-and-referencing-information/referencing
Click on the link above to access the article, you may need to sign in using your university login details. Please contact Sara Grace (s.k.grace@salford.ac.uk) if you have any issues accessing the article:
This journal article was reviewed in your week 2 seminar and relates to the knowledge and learning outcomes listed below and discussed in weeks 2-4. Information on how to do a critical review can be found in the assessment folder and during seminars.
Task 2: Essay (1,000 words)
Answer one of the following questions:
- To what extent should delivering justice to victims be the aim of the youth justice system?
- Discuss the relative benefits of sentencing adult offenders to a community sentence or prison.
You should refer to academic sources to support your essay, these should be referenced using the APA (6th) Harvard Style Referencing system. Guidance on how to reference appropriately and accurately is available at: http://www.salford.ac.uk/skills-for-learning/home/using-and-referencing-information/referencing
Intended learning outcomes
On successful completion of this module, you will be able to:
Knowledge and Understanding
- Describe the role of the police, courts and prisons in the criminal justice process.
- Explain the impact of criminal justice policies and practice on offenders, victims and wider society.
- Analyse the criminal system in terms of its effectiveness and compatibility with human rights.
Transferable/Key Skills and other attributes
On completion the student will have had the opportunity to:
- Demonstrate effective written communication skills.
- Undertake independent study, including: reading, researching, understanding and applying material from a range of sources.
Module Aims
- Introduction to the form, key features and purpose of the institutions of the contemporary criminal justice system in England and Wales.
- To provide an informative foundation for the detailed analysis of the criminal justice process and human rights at level 2.
- To begin an insight into the issues which are comprised in the question of justice and civil liberties.
Word count/ duration (if applicable)
Your assessment should be 2,000 words in total (two 1,000 word tasks). The word count does not include reference lists.
Students must adhere to the word count. If a student does not adhere to the word count, assessors may determine that the task has not been completed in accordance with instructions, and reflect this in the mark awarded. Markers will cease considering content for the purpose of grading and feedback once the stated maximum length has been exceeded. Content beyond this point will not contribute to the determination of the awarded mark and will not be commented upon in feedback.
Students must include the word count at the end of their work.
Feedback arrangements
You can expect to receive feedback:
- Unmoderated/unratified grades will be released on Blackboard 15 working days after the deadline.
Unmoderated/unratified marks are provisional subject to moderation and/or ratification by a Module Board of Examiners. You will receive the ratified marks in late June/early July after the Exam board.
Support arrangements
You can obtain support for this assessment by:
- Tutors will be available via email or by appointment to answer questions about the assignments. Staff contact details are available on Blackboard.
- Using the discussion board on Blackboard under assessments which contains answers to a number or frequently asked questions and where you can post your own questions.
- Further information and assessment support is available under Assessment on Blackboard.
- For general assessment advice and support please see:
askUS
The University offers a range of support services for students through askUS.
Good Academic Conduct and Academic Misconduct
Students are expected to learn and demonstrate skills associated with good academic conduct (academic integrity). Good academic conduct includes the use of clear and correct referencing of source materials. Here is a link to where you can find out more about the skills which students require http://www.salford.ac.uk/skills-for-learning.
Academic Misconduct is an action which may give you an unfair advantage in your academic work. This includes plagiarism, asking someone else to write your assessment for you or taking notes into an exam. The University takes all forms of academic misconduct seriously. You can find out how to avoid academic misconduct here https://www.salford.ac.uk/skills-for-learning.
Assessment Information
If you have any questions about assessment rules, you can find out more here.
Personal Mitigating Circumstances
If personal mitigating circumstances may have affected your ability to complete this assessment, you can find more information about personal mitigating circumstances procedure here.
Academic Progress Tutor/Student Progression Administrator
If you have any concerns about your studies, contact your Personal Tutor (see your programme blackboard site for details) Programme Blackboard Site for details or your Student Progression Administrator (Neil Williams: n.r.williams@salford.ac.uk).
Assessment Criteria
The assessment will be marked against the learning outcomes for the module and the undergraduate marking criteria:
100-90: Outstanding
89-80: Excellent
79-70: Very good
69-60: Good
59-50: Fair
49-40: Adequate
39-30: Unsatisfactory
29-20: Poor
19-10: Very poor
9-0: Wholly insufficient
Marks for your assessment will be allocated based on the following criteria and weighted as follows:
- Research investigation
- Context and relevance
- Analysis
- Argument construction
- Presentation
You should consult the Blackboard module site for detailed programme grade descriptors.
Students must answer two questions in the exam. The pass mark is 40. Your exam grade is calculated as an average of the two questions; each question is worth 50% of your overall mark.
Your module grade is calculated as an average of the two portfolio tasks:
- Task 1: Critical Review of a Journal Article, 50%
Task 2: Essay Question, 50%
Reassessment
If you fail your assessment, and are eligible for reassessment, you will need to resubmit on or before 05 August 2021. For students with accepted personal mitigating circumstances, this will be your replacement assessment attempt.
The reassessment task will be the same as the first-sit assignment.