Assessment item 2

Policy essay

Value: 60%

Due date:

Return date:

Length: 2000

Submission method options

EASTS (online)

Task

Select a population group relevant to social policy. Critically consider the way social
policy debates and changes to the Australian welfare state have affected your selected
population group. Your discussion should focus on income security and one other
relevant social policy domain discussed in Chapters 7-12 of your text, Carson & Kerr
(2014).
Some suggested population categories:

Unemployed people
Single parents
Aged people
People's living with a disability
Indigenous Australians
Women
Children

(other relevant groups may be consider: check with the subject coordinator)

Briefly define the population group (Who they are and how perceptions of them have
changed over time)
Briefly outline the social policy domains, in relation to your chosen group (income
security and one other).

Discuss the ways in which your chosen social policy domains impact
(strengths/limitations) your selected population group. Be sure to draw on wider
reading to support arguments.
In light of reading/research, conclude by predicting potential future issues faced by
the group under current policies (you may suggest solutions, however they must be
realistic and informed by research in the area).
 Do not submit your paper in PDF format (for electronic submission via EASTS)
leave as a word document for marking.

Rationale

Here you have the opportunity to demonstrate your additional learning from studying
part 2 of this subject that relate to Australian society in a changing world. Here you
will demonstrate social policy as contested terrain through discussion, in relation to
Australia, of:

developments in social policy through time

contemporary differences in social experiences of particular population categories
winners and losers of social policies of reforms in various social policy domains
origins and nature of competing views that are evident in public discourse.

This assignment is designed to assess the following learning outcomes

- be able to demonstrate an understanding of the significant historical and ideological

shifts in Australian politics and policy
- be able to demonstrate an understanding of the impacts of social policy shifts on the
organisation of social service provisions
- be able to demonstrate an understanding of the impacts social policies can have on
diverse sectors of the population

Marking criteria

The assignment will be marked by the following criteria

o Clarity of structure, written expression, presentation and correct referencing

o All aspects of the task has been addressed
o Evidence of relevant reading within and beyond the material provided
o Evidence of understanding developments in social policy debates and changes
o Evidence of critically understanding impacts of such changes on the
population group
o Evidence of understanding potential future issues of the group under current
policies

All criteria are of equal weighting:

Criteria 0-49% 50-64% 65-74% 75-84% 85100%

Unsatisfactor An An above An excellent An exceptional
y adequate average answer answer
 performance answer answer DI Grade HD Grade
FL Grade PS Grade CR Grade
Clarity of Frequent Some Very little Writing Writing
structure, spelling, imprecise sign provides provides
written punctuation or statements of imprecise evidence of strong evidence
expression grammatical requiring statements knowledge of knowledge
and errors. elaboration Consistent and and
presentation Inadequate and/or approach to good excellent
and correct citation & clarity of citation & engaging engaging
citation and referencing. ideas referencing writing. writing.
referencing. Little expressed. with Consistent Sustained
apparent Few few errors approach to evidence of
structure spelling, Logical citation & correct citation
punctuation structure referencing and referencing
or Logical & Skilfully
grammatical consistent crafted,
errors. structure logical
Developmen structure
t of
citation &
referencing
approach
Evidence of
Structure
Grade Range L M H L M H L M H L M H L M H
All aspects of There is There is There is There is There is
the question limited evidence that evidence that evidence evidence
have been evidence that most aspects all that all that all aspects
addressed the essay of aspects of aspects of of
question has the question the the questionthe question
been have been question have have
addressed addressed have been been addressed
been addressed inin
addressed an engaging an engaging,
way critical and
creative way
Grade Range L M H L M H L M H L M H L M H
Evidence of There is Evidence of Evidence of Clear Evidence of
relevant limited use use evidence of independently
reading evidence of of the of the wide reading and
within reading subject subject beyond core comprehensivel
and beyond reading reading subject y
the material materials materials material sourced wide
provided appropriate and beyond reading beyond
to appropriate core subject
the topic to material
the topic
Grade Range L M H L M H L M H L M H L M H
Evidence of Little or no Evidence of Evidence of Evidence Comprehensive
understandin evidence of growing good of very good understanding
g understanding understandin understandin understandin developments
development developments g g g in social policy
s of social in social development development development debates and
policy policy debates s in social s in social s in social changes
debates and and changes policy policy policy
changes debates and debates and debates and
changes changes changes

Grade Range L M H L M H L M H L M H L M H
Evidence of Little or no Evidence of Evidence of Evidence Comprehensive
critical evidence of growing good critical of very good critical
understandin critical critical understandin critical of understanding
g of the understanding understandin g of the the impact of of the impact of
impact of of the impact g of the impact of such changes such changes
such changes of such impact of such changes on the on the
on the changes on such changes on the population population
population the population on the population group group
group group population group
group

Grade Range L M H L M H L M H L M H L M H
Evidence of Little or no Evidence of Evidence of Evidence Comprehensive
an evidence of growing good of very good understanding
understandin understanding understandin understandin of the impact of the impact
g of the of the impact g of the g of the social social policies
impact social social policies impact social impact social policies can can have on
policies can can have on policies can policies can have on diverse sectors
have on diverse have on have on diverse of the
diverse sectors of the diverse diverse sectors of population
sectors of the population sectors of sectors of the
population the the population
population population

Grade Range L M H L M H L M H L M H L M H

Presentation

You may use the assessment format template for formatting your paper (located in the
resources section of the SPE211 interact site)

You may use headings to structure your paper. Please refer to the assessment format
template for demonstration on how to use headings.

Please do not use bullet points in your paper.

Please only use credible academic references.

Support Services[Hide]