Manchester Metropolitan University

Department of Psychology and Speech Pathology

BSc Psychology and BSc Psychology and Speech Pathology: Year I

Societal Psychology

Assessment Portfolio

2002-2003

The assessment is designed to help you develop and extend your critical understanding of key concepts in societal psychology, drawing on relevant ideas and investigations, as well as your own understanding of the complexities of the social world. Throughout the portfolio you are given opportunities to draw on both personal experience and the academic literature.

The assessments build on material covered in the teaching sessions. However, you will have to read around the different topics as well - you cannot rely solely on notes from lectures. You are strongly advised to complete the portfolio as you go through the term: do not leave it all until near the hand-in date. Each section carries equal marks, so if you fail to complete any section, the total marks available to you will be reduced.

You will get a mark out of 100 for the portfolio. Marks will be divided equally between the sections. Any sections left blank without valid cause (see below) will get a mark of 0. The portfolio will constitute 30% of your overall assessment for Societal Psychology: 70% is allocated to the exam at the end of the year (details will be given nearer the time).

Instructions are given for each part of the portfolio. Please make sure you follow the instructions. If, for example, you are asked to list references, you will lose marks if you have not used references or they are not listed. You will see that the Portfolio starts off being structured: this is to help you develop the necessary academic skills of referencing and summarising material. As the Portfolio progresses, you are expected to use specific and then more general literature to help you construct short arguments and to begin to develop skills of critical analysis. These are skills you will need later in the course and in your studies.

If you have any concerns about completing any part of the assessment, please see your Societal tutor during one of the consultation sessions. Do not leave it until the last minute

You are strongly advised to read through the whole portfolio before you start so that you get an overview. Please complete all sections of the portfolio. Follow carefully any specific instructions, and always include full references to any sources you have consulted. You should refer to your reference list for readings.

Hand-in date: See Assessed Coursework Notice-board

 

PORTFOLIO ROUTE

If you have studied Sociology, Social History or Social Anthropology before, you may be eligible to request exemption from class attendance in Term 1. You should see your Societal or personal tutor about this. If you are exempt from attending the teaching sessions (or indeed if you have missed a teaching session) you should still complete all sections of the assessment portfolio.

Illness or absence due to other valid cause

If you are ill and thus unable to complete any part of the assessment portfolio, you must get a sick note from your doctor and hand it in to the Office. If you are delayed in completing the assessment, you must notify your personal tutor in good time who will then advise you about what you should do. If you are unable to complete any part of the assignment because of documented valid causes, please write "Evidence on file" in the relevant space. Only do this if you have handed in some evidence to the office – please note, it will be checked.

If you are in any difficulty, seek help from your personal tutor or from your Societal tutor in good time. Do not leave it to the last minute.

Please note: As all of your coursework for this course is completed in the first term you may find that you are spending more time, initially, on independent study for Societal Psychology than for some of your other courses. As a guide to how much time you should spend on the course, you should think about spending 150 hours in total: 48 of these will be class sessions; 54 hours for preparation for assessment and examinations and 48 hours independent study. You are advised to spend 42 hours, approximately, on your portfolio (3.5 hours a week in Term 1) and 60 hours for background reading and examination preparation in Term 2.

 

 

Layout

Please start each section (Culture, Community etc.) on a new page, and clearly number any subsections. Don’t forget, all the subsections must be completed.

  2. CULTURE

Assessment Criteria: completion; accuracy; correct style; relevance; clear link to class session with reference to literature if possible.

1. From the Elizabeth Gaskell Library catalogue, list FOUR book titles, held in Elizabeth Gaskell library, that contain the word CULTURE, but that have different classification numbers. Cite their full reference as follows:

Author(s), Initials (date) Title , Place of Publication: Publisher:

e.g. Donald, J. and Rattans, A. (ed.s) (1992) 'Race', Culture and Difference, London: Sage

(N.B. Please use this referencing format throughout the portfolio. Marks will be deducted for incorrect or incomplete referencing: if you are unsure, check referencing guidelines with your personal tutor)

2. Go to the shelves and find any one of your books listed above, or another with the same classification number. List FOUR books on the same shelf without the word CULTURE in the title. Cite their full reference.
  1. Look through any book in the library with the word CULTURE in the title. State the title and reference of the book. In no more that 100 words, overview the book (state the number of words used). Do not spend more than 15 minutes looking through the book. Use the table of contents, the index, publisher’s blurb on the cover, introduction and/or preface, subheadings in the text etc. to get an idea of what the book is about. There is no need to read the book.

4. Briefly comment on the extent to which your definition of CULTURE, arrived at in class, fits with the coverage of the book described above. (Cite any references to other literature, if relevant.)

 

2. COMMUNITY

Assessment Criteria: relevant précis; within word length; key concepts included; some analysis; reference to literature
  1. Read anything from the reference list about the nature of community. Cite the full reference and précis the extract in no more than 100 words (NB the Tönnies and Suttles extracts are good ones).
  2. Either by yourself, or with a partner, describe the neighbourhood in which you live, and assess the extent to which it is a community: (you must name your partner if relevant). (250 words. Please state the number of words used and cite references to the literature in full at the end.)
    3.

     

     

     

     

    3. SOCIAL STRATIFICATION

    Assessment Criteria: explicit discussion of the statement and reference to statistical data (this can be selective - there is no need to try to cover it all); conclusion; within word length; key concepts on social inequality included; reference to literature appropriately cited

    "My vision is of a nation where no-one is left out or left behind, and where power, wealth and opportunity is in the hands of the many, not the few" (Tony Blair, 2000. Foreword in National Strategy for Neighbourhood Renewal: a framework for consultation London, HMSO Social Exclusion Unit) With reference to statistical information from the mid-1990’s onwards, analyse the difficulties facing the Government in any one named aspect of society (health, wealth, education, race, disability etc.) (250 words. State the number of words used and cite all references in full at the end.)

     

  3. SOCIAL INSTITUTIONS

Assessment Criteria: introduction outlining approach to be taken; main points summarised (these can be selective - there is no need to try to cover the whole article); key issues linked to power discussed; avoidance of one-sided argument; conclusion; within word length; reference to literature appropriately cited
  1. In 100 words, summarise EITHER the article: Wardhaugh , J and Wilding, P. (1993) 'Towards an explanation of the corruption of care' Critical Social Policy Issue 37 Summer 1993 OR Kagan, C., Lewis, S., Cronshaw, M. and Heaton, P. (1999) Enabled or disabled? Working parents of disabled children Journal Community and Applied Social Psychology 9 369-381
  2. Discuss the role of power in care institutions. (250 words. Please state the number of words used and cite references in full at the end.)

5. SYMBOLIC INTERACTIONISM

Assessment Criteria: introduction; main issues raised in extract included, highlighting how Goffman’s work is appraised; explicit link to literature where possible; inclusion of personal opinion if relevant; ability to apply concepts to own experience with link to literature if possible; conclusion; within word length; reference to literature appropriately cited

  1. Read EITHER Marsh et al. (2000) pp 84-89 OR the review of Forms of Talk by Alan Bennett (1995). In no more than 100 words summarise either Marsh et al. Or Bennett's appraisal of the work of Goffman. (N.B. you may use any other published discussion of these concepts as long as you state the reference in full.)
    2.
  2. With reference to the concept of EITHER ‘stigma’ (Marsh et al., 2000, p. 444) OR ‘impression management’ (Bennett, 1995, p. 303) describe how you might apply the concept to some aspect of your own experience (N.B. you may use any other published discussion of these concepts as long as you state the reference in full.)

 

6. ROLES and RITUALS

Assessment Criteria: introduction; explicit link of extract to roles, rules and interaction rituals; links to academic literature and/or concepts from the academic literature included; inclusion of personal opinion about the role of autobiography in informing academic work if relevant; ability to apply concepts to own experience with link to literature if relevant; conclusion; within word length; reference to literature appropriately cited
  1. With reference to any named and referenced autobiographical account of living in a prison or psychiatric hospital, identify two formal and two informal roles that have been defined. For each role, outline the rules and interaction rituals associated with it. (N.B. the extracts from Millett and Davis would be good sources of information, but you are not confined to these).
  2. To what extent are EITHER psychiatric hospitals OR prisons ‘total institutions’? Please state the number of words used and cite all references in full at the end. (N.B. you will have to read something about total institutions to answer this, such as Goffman (1968)!)

 

 

 

 

 

DON’T FORGET TO USE YOUR REFERENCE LIST

 

 

SOCIETAL PSYCHOLOGY

EVALUATION

We would appreciate your comments on the first term of Societal Psychology and on the portfolio assessment. Please detach this sheet from your portfolio and leave in your Societal Tutor's pigeon hole. There is no need to put your name on it. Thank you very much.