ASSESSMENT TASK 2: Report Critique (2000 words) Aligned subject learning outcomes Learning outcomes 1-5 Group or individual Individual *Results are returned electronically Weighting 30% Due date Thursday 30 August (End Week 8) DESCRIPTION Report Critique: Developmental science in the media (Fake news?). We are continuously bombarded with media information concerning topics related to human development. In some cases this information is accurate and in others the information is ‘sketchy’ at best. The aim of this assessment is to assist you to develop effective evaluation skills and to be able to distinguish between scientific truths and media sensationalism in the field of human development. In no more than 2,000 words (not including references) your task is to critique the media report that is provided in this Assessment Guide. You will need to thoroughly examine the topic background a) to determine how correct or false the report may be; b) to identify where fact and fiction diverge; and c) to discuss the possible impacts on readers of the media report. The following questions will assist you to critically examine the media report: I. Based on the headline and introductory paragraph, what do you believe the study discovered or “proved”? II. What are the goals of the study? III. What do you read about the sample and data gathering strategy of the study? IV. What were the main concepts the study focused on? How were the concepts defined and measured? V. Summarise the main findings in your own words. VI. Did the media article critique the methods used in this research? VII. What was NOT mentioned in the media report (think about strengths and limitations) that you think would be important to know about the research so that the reader could draw appropriate conclusions about the study’s findings and implications? VIII. Did you detect any potential bias in how the author of the report presented the study (value-laden statements, and so on)?Your critique must follow the referencing conventions of APA style. Note also the information provided on submission and return of assessments in this Assessment Guide. ( Semester 2, 2018 ) ( 10 ) The details of the assessment and its requirements are available in this Assessment Guide and will be discussed in the first tutorial of the semester. References: References mustbe included for all work cited and APA format MUST be followed. ( Guidelines ) 1. The Report Critique should be 2000 words in length (+/- 10%) 2. Essays are due by 5:00pm on the Thursday of week 8 – late penalties will be applied after this time/date. 3. Your submission MUST follow APA format and MUST include references and citations. 4. We expect that you will include at least five scholarly publications other than your textbook.5. All work must be submitted to drop box on or prior to the date of submission – this must be your final draft. You DO NOT need to submit a hard copy a. We will mark these assignments electronica.

1. ASSESSMENT TASK 2: Report Critique (2000 words)
Aligned subject learning outcomes
Learning outcomes 1-5
Group or individual
Individual
*Results are returned electronically
Weighting
30%
Due date
Thursday 30 August (End Week 8)
DESCRIPTION
Report Critique: Developmental science in the media (Fake
news?). We are continuously bombarded with media information
concerning topics related to human development. In some cases
this information is accurate and in others the information is
‘sketchy’ at best. The aim of this assessment is to assist you to
develop effective evaluation skills and to be able to distinguish
between scientific truths and media sensationalism in the field
of human development.
In no more than 2,000 words (not including references) your
task is to critique the media report that is provided in this
Assessment Guide. You will need to thoroughly examine the
topic background a) to determine how correct or false the report
may be; b) to identify where fact and fiction diverge; and c) to
discuss the possible impacts on readers of the media report.

2. The following questions will assist you to critically examine the
media report:
I. Based on the headline and introductory paragraph, what do
you believe the study discovered or “proved”?
II. What are the goals of the study?
III. What do you read about the sample and data gathering
strategy of the study?
IV. What were the main concepts the study focused on? How
were the concepts defined and measured?
V. Summarise the main findings in your own words.
VI. Did the media article critique the methods used in this
research?
VII. What was NOT mentioned in the media report (think about
strengths and limitations) that you think would be important to
know about the research so that the reader could draw
appropriate conclusions about the study’s findings and
implications?
VIII. Did you detect any potential bias in how the author of the
report presented the study (value-laden statements, and so
on)?Your critique must follow the referencing conventions of
APA style. Note also the information provided on submission
and return of assessments in this Assessment Guide.
(
Semester
2,
2018
)
(
10
)
The details of the assessment and its requirements are available

3. in this Assessment Guide and will be discussed in the first
tutorial of the semester.
References: References mustbe included for all work cited and
APA format MUST be followed.
(
Guidelines
)
1. The Report Critique should be 2000 words in length (+/-
10%)
2. Essays are due by 5:00pm on the Thursday of week 8 – late
penalties will be applied after this time/date.
3. Your submission MUST follow APA format and MUST
include references and citations.
4. We expect that you will include at least five scholarly
publications other than your textbook.5. All work must be
submitted to drop box on or prior to the date of submission –
this must be your final draft. You DO NOT need to submit a
hard copy
a. We will mark these assignments electronically and may use
the Track Changes option so only Word Documents will be
accepted for marking
b. The title page of your submission must contain your final
word count.
(
Generally, we expect to see an introduction, body, conclusion
and references. So, let’s
take a look
at the sections which are commonly found in this sort of
submission:
)

4. Remember the hourglass when you construct your work.
1) Introduction: Define or identify the general topic, issue, or
area of concern, to provide an appropriate context for analysing
the media report and to tell your reader what they can expect to
see in the work that follows. You may briefly point out overall
trends in what has been published about the topic; or conflicts
in theory, methodology, evidence, and conclusions; or gaps in
research and scholarship. Establish your reason (point of view)
for analysing the media report. Aim: What is the objective of
your work; a short explanation of the critique being undertaken.
This should be clear, concise and
instructive to your reader - What can they expect to find in the
work that follows?
1) Body: Contains a critical review of the context of the report
topic; an evaluation and analysis of existing knowledge; the
outline of a theoretical framework, if relevant; any areas of
controversy that have appeared in the literature. This section is
pivotal to the success of your work – it is here that your
argument really unfolds so use this space wisely and write as
concisely as you can.
Where relevant, try to group research studies and other types of
literature (media reports, reviews, theoretical articles, case
studies, etc.) according to their importance and connection with
your topic. Remember you must be mindful of your word count
and the value of being concise with your writing. Provide your
reader with strong umbrella sentences at beginnings of
paragraphs, "signposts" throughout the document to orient your
reader, and brief "so what" summary sentences throughout the
report. We expect that all of the work that you cite in your
assignment will be in your own words – direct quotations should

5. be kept to an “absolute bare minimum” and used in cases where
you simply could not say it better yourself. We expect that at
least 99% of the work will be using your own words,
paraphrasing what you have understood from the work of others
who you have read. Above all
– be sure that you make strong links between psychological
theory and the research in terms of your evaluation of the
prescribed media report.
2) Conclusion: A short paragraph to conclude, some key points
and arguments.
3) References: References mustbe included for all work cited
and APA format MUST be followed.
(
THE MEDIA REPORT
Working mothers risk damaging their child's prospects
by STEVE DOUGHTY, Daily Mail
)
Mothers who return to work after their baby is born risk causing
serious damage to the child's prospects in later life, researchers
revealed yesterday.
Such children are more likely to do worse at school, become
unemployed and to suffer mental stress than youngsters whose
mothers stay at home to bring them up.
The findings from the Institute for Social and Economic
Research are a severe blow to the Government, which has used
the tax and benefit system to encourage mothers to work while
stripping away tax breaks such as the Married Couple's

6. Allowance.
They are an endorsement of the instincts of thousands of women
who either give up work or drastically cut down their job
commitments to devote most of their time to raising a young
child.
According to the study, the impact of having a full-time
working mother on a child's education is similar to growing up
in a single-parent family. If a mother returns to work, say the
researchers, the child is 20 per-cent less likely to get an A-
level.
They also reject the idea that a child is helped if the father stays
at home, showing that his absence has little effect on the child's
educational success.
The research, published yesterday by the Joseph Rowntree
Foundation, followed the lives of 1,263 young people across all
social groups who were born in the 1970s.
Researchers attempted to allow for other factors such as
income, the parents' education and family break-up, and made
comparisons of the performance of brothers and sisters.
It found that the children between one and five whose mothers
worked for the longest periods tended to have lower educational
attainment, greater risk of unemployment as a young adult, and
a greater risk of psychological distress.
In only one field were the children better off than most others:
Daughters of working mothers were less likely to become
teenage mothers themselves.

7. The findings showed that the average mother during the 1970s
and early 1980s worked for 18 months full-time before her child
was five.
Nearly two thirds of their children, 64 per cent, achieved at
least one A-level or equivalent qualification.
However, among mothers who worked for a longer period - 30
months and over before their child was five - only 52 per cent
of the children achieved one A-level pass.
The likelihood of unemployment rose from seven to nine per
cent for those whose mothers had worked full-time, and the
chance of psychological stress went up from 23 per cent to 28
per cent.
Part-time work had much less damaging effects on children. The
child's chance of passing an A- level fell by six per cent, but
there was no evidence of other harm.
Fathers who worked full-time had a similar impact on their
children's development to mothers who worked part-time. But
their children were less likely than others to be unemployed
later in life and less likely to show signs of mental distress.
Study author Professor John Ermisch said increases in family
income were positive for children and could offset the damage
of a full-time working mother.
But he added: 'Unless it can be shown to produce substantial
long-term gains, it might be better for policy makers to
encourage part-time employment by one parent during a child's
pre-school years’.

8. 'The large proportion of employed mothers with young children
who are in part-time jobs is evidence that many mothers already
prefer this option.'
Conservative social security spokesman David Willetts said:
'This shows how wrong the Government is to bias the tax and
benefits system in favour of two-earner couples and
institutionalised child care’.
'We believe that parents with young children should be free to
choose whether and when they return to work.'
Robert Whelan, of the Civitas think-tank, said: 'This calls into
question the whole policy of encouraging women to go out to
work and disadvantaging those who stay at home’.
'If you stay at home, everything in the tax and benefit system is
ranged against you. The whole system should be reversed.'
But the Department for Education and Employment dismissed
the findings, claiming that the development of childcare
improves the educational chances of children of working
mothers.
It said a study of more than 2,000 children had 'shown that
quality pre-school and child-care has a positive impact on
children's education'.
'This report is based on children born 30 years ago when there
was little quality child-care and nursery education’.
'This Government has changed that by creating the largest ever
expansion of childcare,' a spokesman said.
Meanwhile, a U.S. study has found that growing up in a clean
home can boost youngsters' exam grades and even the salaries

9. they earn as adults.
The study of 3,400 volunteers over 25 years found that the
length of time a child stayed in education and their future
earnings was directly linked to the hygiene in their homes.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-
30342/Working-mothers-risk-damaging-childs-
prospects.html#ixzz51h8WcRVf
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook
Report Critique Rubric
Excellent
Very Good
Good
Fair
Poor
MARKS
The report critique is on
The report critique is on topic but relevant aspects are not well
articulated or prioritised. The material which has been included
is not entirely faithful to the literature. There is adequate
reference to relevant psychological theories. The submission
demonstrates adequate understanding of the importance of
psychology in terms of evaluation of the prescribed media
report although some inferences need to be made.

10. Neither implicit nor explicit reference is made to the topic or
purpose of the work or how the work will be structured.
topic and has been well
contextualised and
evaluated in terms of
the relevant research.

11. Psychological theories
and research have been
well documented. The
Content
critique clearly
/70
demonstrates an

12. understanding of the
relevance of
psychological theory
and research in terms
of evaluation of the

13. prescribed media
report.
Organisation and
Overall Presentation
Makes frequent use of headings, fonts, bullet points, colour,
line separators and white space, etc., to enhance visual appeal
and readability.
Makes occasional use of headings, fonts, bullet points, colour,
line separators and white space, etc., to enhance visual appeal
and readability.
Presentation is illogical or disordered. It is not engaging or
effective.

14. /10
Communication
Paragraph structure
Typological errors
Demonstrates excellent control of grammar, mechanics,
spelling, usage, and sentence formation by making no errors.
Demonstrates clear control of grammar, mechanics, spelling,
usage, and sentence formation by
Demonstrates minimal control of grammar, mechanics, spelling,
usage, and sentence formation, which interferes with
/10
Grammatical errors
committing few errors
understanding the information.
Clarity of expression

15. APA style Sources
Sources are well chosen and provide direct evidence of the
depth of research used to inform the critique.
Sources are appropriate, although not ideally matched to the
content of the paper.
Minimal or Inappropriate sources listed or a heavy reliance on
web sources.
/10
Reference List
Formatting requirements have been met.
Some errors in the formatting of the reference list.
Formatting errors apparent in the reference list.
Comments:
Total
/100