Overview
This unit provides you with an understanding of Australian society in an increasingly diverse and globalising world and how it has developed over time. It will examine how Australian history has helped to define Australian national identities. You will explore issues of power and social change and consider a range of social issues using sociological concepts. This will give you an understanding of the politico economic distribution of resources that shape social inequalities around culture, ethnicity, "race", gender and sexuality. You will develop an understanding of Australian Indigenous issues, processes of settlement and colonisation and multiculturalism and the implications of the globalisation of society. In this way the unit will be the basis for a professional career in human service and other workplaces.
Details
Pre-requisites or Co-requisites
There are no requisites for this unit.
Important note: Students enrolled in a subsequent unit who failed their pre-requisite unit, should drop the subsequent unit before the census date or within 10 working days of Fail grade notification. Students who do not drop the unit in this timeframe cannot later drop the unit without academic and financial liability. See details in the Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework).
Offerings For Term 1 - 2025
Attendance Requirements
All on-campus students are expected to attend scheduled classes - in some units, these classes are identified as a mandatory (pass/fail) component and attendance is compulsory. International students, on a student visa, must maintain a full time study load and meet both attendance and academic progress requirements in each study period (satisfactory attendance for International students is defined as maintaining at least an 80% attendance record).
Recommended Student Time Commitment
Each 6-credit Undergraduate unit at CQUniversity requires an overall time commitment of an average of 12.5 hours of study per week, making a total of 150 hours for the unit.
Class Timetable
Assessment Overview
Assessment Grading
This is a graded unit: your overall grade will be calculated from the marks or grades for each assessment task, based on the relative weightings shown in the table above. You must obtain an overall mark for the unit of at least 50%, or an overall grade of 'pass' in order to pass the unit. If any 'pass/fail' tasks are shown in the table above they must also be completed successfully ('pass' grade). You must also meet any minimum mark requirements specified for a particular assessment task, as detailed in the 'assessment task' section (note that in some instances, the minimum mark for a task may be greater than 50%). Consult the University's Grades and Results Policy for more details of interim results and final grades.
All University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
You may wish to view these policies:
- Grades and Results Policy
- Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework)
- Review of Grade Procedure
- Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure - Domestic Students
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure - International Students
- Student Refund and Credit Balance Policy and Procedure
- Student Feedback - Compliments and Complaints Policy and Procedure
- Information and Communications Technology Acceptable Use Policy and Procedure
This list is not an exhaustive list of all University policies. The full list of University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
Feedback, Recommendations and Responses
Every unit is reviewed for enhancement each year. At the most recent review, the following staff and student feedback items were identified and recommendations were made.
Feedback from Student feedback SUTE
The Zoom tutorial sessions were interactive and helped in understanding the content.
The unit coordinator will endeavour to continue to deliver the tutorials and unit material in an engaging and informative way to support students' learning.
Feedback from Student feedback SUTE
The assessment help sessions on Zoom were invaluable and provided useful additional knowledge.
The unit coordinator will continue to provide additional assessment help sessions to advise students on their assignment preparation.
Feedback from Student feedback SUTE
The assignment feedback needs to be clear and usable.
The unit coordinator will work closely with markers and provide further direction providing students with clearer and more constructive feedback. While only a small number of students identified this as an issue, further instruction and clearer feedback content will be provided to markers.
Feedback from Student feedback SUTE
Use more examples or elaboration and link content to real-world applications.
The unit coordinator will update the learning materials, including readings, with more examples and explanations to support students' understanding of the topics, key concepts, theories and processes. More real-world examples and evidence of application will be provided around social work topics and societal issues for social work students.
- Understand contemporary Australian society in a global context
- Identify the relevance of sociological concepts in everyday life
- Outline the role of cultural diversity in Australian history and identity
- Examine the role of colonialism and resistance in the lives of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People - both past and present.
Nil
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Learning Outcomes
| Assessment Tasks | Learning Outcomes | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |
| 1 - Online Quiz(zes) - 20% | ||||
| 2 - Written Assessment - 40% | ||||
| 3 - Portfolio - 40% | ||||
Alignment of Graduate Attributes to Learning Outcomes
| Graduate Attributes | Learning Outcomes | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |
| 1 - Communication | ||||
| 2 - Problem Solving | ||||
| 3 - Critical Thinking | ||||
| 4 - Information Literacy | ||||
| 5 - Team Work | ||||
| 6 - Information Technology Competence | ||||
| 7 - Cross Cultural Competence | ||||
| 8 - Ethical practice | ||||
| 9 - Social Innovation | ||||
| 10 - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultures | ||||
Textbooks
Sociology
Edition: 7 (2021)
Authors: Van Krieken, R., Habibis, D., Smith, P., Maton, K., Martin, G., Churchill, B., West, B. & Hansen, E.
Pearson/Australia
Melbourne Melbourne , Vic , Australia
ISBN: 9781488624605
Binding: Paperback
IT Resources
- CQUniversity Student Email
- Internet
- Unit Website (Moodle)
All submissions for this unit must use the referencing style: American Psychological Association 7th Edition (APA 7th edition)
For further information, see the Assessment Tasks.
s.rockloff@cqu.edu.au
Module/Topic
Sociology, the sociological imagination and our social selves
Chapter
* Check the e-Reading list on the Moodle site for further required weekly readings & videos.
Textbook: Van Krieken et al. (2021) Ch.1
Events and Submissions/Topic
Complete ichange module
Module/Topic
Sociological investigations
Chapter
Textbook: Van Krieken et al. (2021) Ch.16
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Social (individual) selves & sociological theories
Chapter
Textbook: Van Krieken et al. (2021) Ch. 4 & 17
Events and Submissions/Topic
Complete Practice Quiz
Module/Topic
Class and inequality in Australian society
Chapter
Textbook: Van Krieken et al. (2021) Ch.9
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Identities - Indigenous, national, ethnic and racial
Chapter
Textbook: Van Krieken et al. (2021) Ch.10
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Identities - Gender and sexuality
Chapter
Textbook: Van Krieken et al. (2021) Ch.11
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Intersectionality
Chapter
see the eReading list on Moodle
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Globalisation of society
Chapter
Textbook: Van Krieken et al. (2021) Ch.2
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Australian families and diversity
Chapter
Textbook: Van Krieken et al. (2021) Ch.5
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Health and inequalities
Chapter
Textbook: Van Krieken et al. (2021) Ch.12
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Power and the state
Chapter
Textbook: Van Krieken et al. (2021) Ch.14
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Crime and deviance in Australian society
Chapter
Textbook: Van Krieken et al. (2021) Ch.15
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
1 Online Quiz(zes)
Quiz opens: 00:01 hour (AEST) Friday 4 April 2025 (Week 4)
Quiz closes: 23:59 hour (AEST) Friday 4 April 2025 (Week 4)
Aim
The aim of this assessment is for you to demonstrate your knowledge and understanding of fundamental concepts, methods, theoretical perspectives, and
information covered by the set textbook, required readings, lectures, and tutorials covered in weeks 1 to 4 of the term.
Instructions
• You will be completing a timed online quiz.
• Access the quiz via the Assessment tile portal on the Unit Moodle site. The quiz consists of 40 multiple-choice questions. Each correct answer is worth 1/2 mark.
• This is an open-book quiz. You can refer to your learning materials at any time during your attempt. However, students should be familiar with the content as time limits apply.
• You have a maximum of 40 minutes to complete the quiz. You must complete the quiz in one attempt. The quiz will automatically close at the end of the allocated time and will submit your result even if you have not finished
• You have a maximum of one (1) attempt for the quiz.
• Once you have commenced your quiz, you cannot log out.
• Please do not refresh or reload your screen as this may close your quiz and record your result.
• You cannot backtrack in the quiz. This means you cannot return to an earlier question.
• If you have any technical issues let the unit coordinator know immediately. You are required to take a screenshot or photo of the issue and email it to the unit coordinator as soon as possible. We will assist you with resolving the issue or refer you to TaSAC for further assistance (toll-free phone number 1300 666 620.
• Some practice quizzes are available to familiarise yourself with the format, content type, and process.
If you have an Accessibility Plan that requires adjustment to your assessment, please contact the Unit Coordinator at the start of the term. Adjustments cannot be made after the quiz opens.
Extensions: Not available as per policy
Requirements
You will need:
• Computer access with a reliable internet connection.
• Relevant unit learning materials available to access during the quiz.
• Commence the quiz no later than 23:19 hour on Friday, 4 April 2025. The quiz will close at 23:59 hour (AEST) and all open quiz attempts will be submitted.
Academic Integrity
• Quiz questions are drawn from a bank and will be randomised.
• You must abide by the principles of academic integrity (see Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure). Completion of this assessment with another party or sharing of questions and responses is not permitted at any time.
• The use of any generative artificial intelligence is not permitted within this assessment.
Submission
• You will complete this quiz online.
• Click submit at the end of the quiz and your answers will be automatically submitted.
Marking Criteria
• Results will be available on the first working day after the quiz closes.
• Assessment re-attempt is not available for this Assessment task.
Minimum Pass Criteria
• You must achieve a cumulative grade of at least 49.5% across all assessments to pass this unit.
• In the event you are eligible for a supplementary assessment, all assessment tasks must be reasonably attempted in this unit.
1
Other
Week 4 Friday (4 Apr 2025) 11:59 pm AEST
Completion of the quiz is required by 11.59 pm (AEST). An open quiz will be automatically submitted at 11.59 pm (AEST).
Week 5 Monday (7 Apr 2025)
The quiz questions are randomly drawn from a test bank of multiple choice questions.
Your answer will be assessed against the correct answer in the text bank.
- Identify the relevance of sociological concepts in everyday life
2 Written Assessment
Aim
The aim of this assessment is to develop your sociological understanding of identity by exploring your biography. With the use of a Gen AI tool, you will evaluate the accuracy of your generated biography, reflect on the role of social structures in shaping your life experiences, and examine the impact of global forces, social movements and social change on contemporary Australian society and your life. You will develop skill in engaging with sociological literature, applying critical thinking, and improve your understanding of social inequalities.
Instructions
Please follow the steps below to complete your assessment task:
Step 1. Personal reflection on your social identity - Complete the Social Identity Wheel provided to students in the Assessment block on Moodle.
Step 2. Generate your biography - Input the information you provided in the Social Identity Wheel into a Gen AI tool and ask it to produce a biography based on your personal information. Save the social identity wheel information and Gen AI tool result and include it in your assignment after the reference list (these are not included in the word count).
Step 3. Examine the biography generated by the Gen AI tool for accuracy, identifying any inaccuracies or omissions, and provide a summary your findings. (400 words)
Step 4. Reflect on how social structures (such as gender, social class, ethnicity) have shaped your life and contributed to any social inequalities. Use real-life examples and relevant literature to support your reflection. (400 words)
Step 5. Examine the influence of global forces, social movements and social changes by critically reflecting on one global force (e.g., changing work structures - globalisation), one social movement (e.g., Feminist movements) and one social change (e.g., legislative change - Family Law Act 1975) that has helped shape contemporary Australian society and impacted your life, as highlighted in your biography. (400 words)
Literature and references
In this assessment use at least ten contemporary references (10 years or less) to support your discussion. You are encouraged to conduct database searches in the CQU library to find peer-reviewed journal articles. You may also use seminal scholarly literature where relevant. Suitable references include peer-reviewed journal articles as well as textbooks and credible websites. When sourcing information, consider the 5 elements of a quality reference: currency, authority, relevance, objectivity, and coverage. Grey literature sourced from the internet must be from reputable websites such as from government, university, or peak national bodies: for example, the Australian Association of Social Workers, Australian Bureau of Statistics, Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. Note, that websites such as StatPearls, Life in the Fastlane, and Wikipedia are not suitable for this assessment task. Lecture notes are not primary sources of evidence and should not be used in this assessment. All resources, other than web pages and grey literature, must be sourced from the CQUniversity library.
Requirements
Use a cover page for your assignment that includes in the following order:
• Student name
• Student number
• Unit code and name
• Assessment type
• Due date
• In-text word count
• Use of Gen AI: Gen AI agent.……..has been used for editing and proofreading this assessment (insert or delete as applicable).
• Use a conventional and legible size 12 font, such as Times New Roman, with 2.0 line spacing and 2.54cm page margins (standard pre-set margin in Microsoft Word).
• Include page numbers on the top right side of each page in a header.
• Indent the first line of each paragraph 1.27cm (standard pre-set indent in Microsoft Word).
• An introduction and conclusion are required for this assessment.
• All questions in the Instructions of this assessment must be attempted and clearly answered to pass this assessment task.
• Write in the first-person perspective for your reflection, however, write in the third-person perspective when referring to the literature.
• Use formal academic, discipline specific, professional and inclusive language.
• Use Microsoft Word English (Australia) spelling and grammar checker.
• Paraphrase, summarise or quote information acknowledging the original source (referencing) to avoid plagiarism.
• Use essay structure.
• Headings, bullet points, tables and appendices are not to be used in this assessment.
• Follow academic writing conventions: spell out contractions in full; introduce abbreviations and acronyms; spell out numbers for zero through nine and use numerals for numbers 10 and above.
• All work submitted must be your own work.
• Start your reference list on a separate page to the body of your assessment.
• Use the seventh edition American Psychological Association (APA) referencing style. The CQUniversity Academic Learning Centre has an online APA Referencing Style Guide.
• The word count is considered from the first word of the introduction to the last word of the conclusion. The word count excludes the reference list but includes in-text references and direct quotations.
Resources
• You can use unit provided materials and other credible sources (e.g., journal articles, books) to reference your argument. The quality and credibility of your sources are important. Please note, lecture notes are not peer reviewed primary sources of evidence.
• We recommend that you access your discipline specific Social Work and Human Services Guide.
• You may like to manage your citations and reference list. Information on how to use academic referencing software (EndNote) is available at the CQUniversity Library website should you wish to learn how to use it.
• For information on academic writing and referencing please go to the Academic Learning Centre Moodle site. The Academic Communication section has many helpful resources, including information for students with English as a second language.
• You may wish to submit a draft to Studiosity.
• Submit at least one draft before the due date to review your Turnitin Similarity Score before making a final submission. Instructions are available here. Please remember, the similarity score is only a matching tool, and the score alone does not necessarily indicate or eliminate the presence of plagiarism.
Academic Integrity
1. You must abide by the principles of academic integrity (see Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure). Completion of this assessment with another party or sharing of responses is not permitted at any time.
2. The use of any generative artificial intelligence is permitted for the following purposes:
a. Gen AI content is used to generate ideas and general structures.
b. Gen AI content editing.
c. Checking spelling and grammar (for example, Grammarly).
If you use Gen AI to generate ideas, you are required to reference the Gen AI agent as per APA 7th guidelines. If you are using a Gen AI agent for content editing, please complete the declaration on the title page of your assessment. If Gen AI is not used, please delete this declaration.
Submission
Submit your assessment via the unit Moodle site in Microsoft Word format only.
Late penalties of 5% per day of the available mark may be applied as per the Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework).
Contact TASAC if you experience technical issues submitting your assessment:
• Phone toll-free 1300 666 620
• Email tasac@cqu.edu.au
Marking Criteria
Refer to the marking rubric on the Moodle site for more details on how marks will be assigned. Assessment re-attempt is not available for this Assessment task.
Minimum Pass Criteria
• You must achieve a cumulative grade of at least 49.5% across all assessments to pass this unit.
• In order for a supplementary assessment to be considered, all assessment tasks must be reasonably attempted in this unit.
Week 7 Wednesday (30 Apr 2025) 4:00 pm AEST
Week 10 Monday (19 May 2025)
|
Criteria |
High Distinction (84.5-100%) |
Distinction (74.5-84.49%) |
Credit (64.5-74.49%) |
Pass (49.5-64.49%) |
Fail (<49.49%) |
|
Examination of AI-Generated Biography (20%) |
Provides a thorough and insightful analysis of the AI-generated biography, clearly identifying inaccuracies, omissions, and biases. Offers a well-structured and critical summary with strong supporting evidence. The references are genuine and align with the written content.
|
Provides a clear and detailed evaluation, identifying most inaccuracies and omissions. Summary is well-structured and supported by relevant examples. The references are genuine and align with the written content.
|
Provides a reasonable evaluation, identifying some inaccuracies and omissions but lacking depth in critique. Summary is structured but could be more detailed. The references are genuine and align with the written content.
|
Identifies some inaccuracies but with limited critical analysis. Summary is present but lacks depth and clarity. The references are genuine and align with the written content.
|
Minimal or inaccurate evaluation of AI-generated biography. Little to no identification of errors or omissions, and summary is unclear or missing. The references are not genuine or they do not align with the written content.
|
|
Reflection on Social Structures & Inequalities (20%) |
Deep reflection on the impact of gender, social class, and ethnicity, demonstrating a strong engagement with sociological concepts and literature. Uses specific real-life examples to illustrate key points. The references are genuine and align with the written content.
|
Well-developed reflection on social structures and inequalities with clear engagement with sociological literature. Uses relevant real-life examples, though some areas could be more critically examined. The references are genuine and align with the written content.
|
Reflection covers key social structures but lacks some depth in analysis. Engagement with literature is present but could be stronger. Real-life examples are relevant but may lack critical insight. The references are genuine and align with the written content.
|
Provides a basic reflection on social structures and inequalities but lacks depth or critical analysis. Limited engagement with literature, and real-life examples are present but not well integrated. The references are genuine and align with the written content.
|
Superficial or inaccurate reflection on social structures. Little or no engagement with sociological literature, and real life examples are vague or absent. The references are not genuine or they do not align with the written content.
|
|
Examination of Global Forces, Social Movements, and Social Change (20%) |
Insightfully examines a global force, social movement, and social change, demonstrating a strong understanding of their impact on Australian society and personal experience. Uses relevant literature and real-life examples effectively. The references are genuine and align with the written content.
|
Provides a clear and well-supported discussion of one global force, social movements, and social change. Shows a good understanding of their influence but could explore personal impact more critically. The references are genuine and align with the written content.
|
Covers the required areas but lacks some depth or integration of personal impact. Engagement with literature is present but could be stronger. The references are genuine and align with the written content.
|
Basic discussion of a global force, social movement, and social change but with limited critical engagement. Some evidence from literature, but real life examples may be weak or underdeveloped. The references are genuine and align with the written content.
|
Discussion is superficial or missing. Lacks connection to sociological concepts, contemporary society, or personal experiences. The references are not genuine or they do not align with the written content.
|
|
Engagement with Sociological Literature & Concepts (20%) |
Excellent integration of sociological theories, literature, and concepts to support arguments. Sources are well-chosen and effectively used. Referencing is accurate and consistent. The references are genuine and align with the written content.
|
Good engagement with sociological literature and theories, though some arguments could be more developed. Referencing is mostly accurate and consistent. The references are genuine and align with the written content.
|
Uses some sociological literature but lacks depth in theoretical application. Referencing is present but may have minor errors. The references are genuine and align with the written content.
|
Limited engagement with sociological literature. Some references are used but lack strong integration with the discussion. Referencing may be inconsistent or contain errors. The references are genuine and align with the written content.
|
Minimal or no engagement with sociological literature. Arguments are underdeveloped, and referencing is missing or incorrect. The references are not genuine or they do not align with the written content.
|
|
Originality and quality of the argument (10%)
|
The assignment demonstrates excellent personalised and original writing that reflects the student’s voice and understanding. |
The assignment demonstrates very good personalised and original writing that mostly reflects the student’s voice and understanding. |
The assignment demonstrates good personalised and original writing that often reflects the student’s voice with some anomalies in writing. |
The student’s writing demonstrates some evidence of their personal writing style and voice, but shows a lack of originality in parts, generic writing or formal writing. |
The writing shows a lack of originality, is generic or overly formal, and may lack context and relevance to the content. |
|
In-text referencing (5%)
|
Consistently integrates references to support and reflect all ideas, information, and quotations. Consistently accurate with in-text referencing.
|
Generally, integrates references to support and reflect ideas, information, and quotations with a few exceptions. Mostly consistent in-text referencing errors. |
Frequently integrates references to support and reflect ideas, information, and quotations, with some exceptions. Several consistent in-text referencing errors. |
Occasionally integrates references to support and reflect ideas, information, and quotations, with numerous exceptions. Frequent in-text referencing errors. |
Fails to or infrequent attempts (>6 errors) to integrate references to support & reflect ideas, information & quotations. In-text referencing fails to demonstrate understanding of APA referencing style. |
|
Use of references, reference list & APA style (5%)
|
A minimum of 10 up-to-date references were used including 5 journal articles as well as relevant books & websites. The reference list appears in alphabetical order. It fully adheres to APA style & reference list presentation guidelines. |
A minimum of 10 up-to-date references were used including 4 journal articles as well as relevant books and websites. The reference list appears in alphabetical order. Generally, adheres to APA style & reference list presentation guidelines with only a few consistent reference list errors. |
A minimum of 10 up-to-date references were used including 3 journal articles as well as relevant books and websites. The reference list appears in alphabetical order. Frequently adheres to APA style & reference list presentation guidelines but with several consistent reference list errors. |
A minimum of 10 up-to-date references were used including 2 journal articles as well as relevant books and websites. The reference list appears in alphabetical order. Occasionally adheres to APA style & reference list presentation guidelines but with numerous consistent reference list errors. |
The required number of 10 references is not used. Journal articles are not sourced. Most references are not up to date. Chosen websites are not credible. The reference list does not appear in alphabetical order and/or it does not adhere to APA style & reference list presentation guidelines due to multiple errors. |
- Understand contemporary Australian society in a global context
- Identify the relevance of sociological concepts in everyday life
3 Portfolio
Aim
The aim of this assessment is to provide you with an opportunity to discuss Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island people’s historical and continual challenges from Western Colonialism and examples of resistance by Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. In producing the infographic, you will learn to locate, assess and use data and information in a compact and an easy to understand way. The other two parts of the portfolio focus on your understanding of discourse and the use of discourses in media, and critically examining your role and responsibility in acknowledging and actively engaging with decolonisation actions.
There are two parts to the portfolio requiring completion.
Instructions
Please follow the steps below to complete your assessment task:
Part 1. Infographic of cultural identity and strengths
1. Infographic of Western colonisation and resistance by Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples – Create an A3 sized infographic that examines the impact of colonisation on Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, while reflecting on the ongoing legacy of colonialism. This task encourages you to analyse your understanding and positionality to these issues. The infographic must be evidence-based, drawing on credible academic sources and Indigenous perspectives. It is important to respectfully engage with and represent Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander voices and experiences.
Design your infographic to show:
• The ongoing legacy of colonialism on Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island peoples and how it persists today.
• Understanding your positionality (social identity, lived experiences, historical privilege).
• Examples of resistance by Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in response to colonialism.
The infographic requires an informative title/header, clear text and images that effectively communicate the information, with correct spelling and grammar. The infographic is to be visually engaging, use appropriate images and colour scheme, and contain concise text. Include the information sources used to inform your infographic in the reference list at the end of your assignment. Include a list of your image sources after the reference list. An example of an infographic will be available in the Assessment block on Moodle. Students may use software tools, such as Canva and PowerPoint, to help combine images, text and graphics to enhance the visual content of the infographic.
On a separate page include the information sources used to inform your infographic in a reference list with your image source list. An example of an infographic is available in the Assessment 3 folder on the Moodle site. Students may use software tools, such as Canva, to help combine images, text and graphics to enhance the visual content of the infographic.
Part 2. Discussions (1000 words)
1. Discourses of ‘normalcy’ and ‘deviance’ shape social identities in Australia – Discuss how media discourses construct and reinforce identity and ideas of ‘normalcy’ and ‘deviance’ about Australian Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people. In your answer demonstrate understanding of the key concepts of normalcy, deviance and social identity. Use real-life examples from the media and literature to support your discussion. (500 words).
2. Personal reflection – Reflect on your own social identities (your socio-economic status, education, cultural background) and how this influences your understanding of decolonisation in Australia. (500 words).
Support your infographic and two discussions with contemporary sociological literature and real-world examples.
Literature and references
In this assessment use at least 10 contemporary references (10 years or less) to support your discussion. You are encouraged to conduct database searches in the CQU library to find peer-reviewed journal articles. You may also use seminal scholarly literature where relevant. Suitable references include peer-reviewed journal articles as well as textbooks and credible websites. When sourcing information, consider the five elements of a quality reference: currency, authority, relevance, objectivity, and coverage. Grey literature sourced from the internet must be from reputable websites such as from government, university, or peak national bodies: for example, the Australian Association of Social Workers, Australian Bureau of Statistics, Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. Note, that websites such as StatPearls, Life in the Fastlane, and Wikipedia are not suitable for this assessment task. Lecture notes are not primary sources of evidence and should not be used in this assessment. All resources aside from web pages and grey literature, must be sourced from the CQUniversity library.
Requirements
Use a cover page for your assignment that includes in the following order:
• Student name
• Student number
• Unit code and name
• Assessment type
• Due date
• In-text word count
• Use of Gen AI: Gen AI agent.……..has been used for editing and proofreading this assessment (insert or delete as applicable).
• Use a conventional and legible size 12 font, such as Times New Roman, with 2.0 line spacing and 2.54cm page margins (standard pre-set margin in Microsoft Word).
• Include page numbers on the top right side of each page in a header.
• Indent the first line of each paragraph 1.27cm (standard pre-set indent in Microsoft Word).
• An introduction and conclusion are not required for this assessment.
• All questions and tasks in the Instructions of this assessment must be attempted and clearly answered to pass this assessment task.
• Write in the first-person perspective for your reflection, however, write in the third-person perspective when referring to the literature.
• Use formal academic, discipline specific, professional and inclusive language.
• Use Microsoft Word English (Australia) spelling and grammar checker.
• Paraphrase, summarise or quote information acknowledging the original source (referencing) to avoid plagiarism.
• Headings can be used in the written part of this assessment.
• Follow academic writing conventions: spell out contractions in full; introduce abbreviations and acronyms; spell out numbers for zero through nine and use numerals for numbers 10 and above.
• All work submitted must be your work.
• Start your reference list on a separate page to the body of your assessment.
• Use the seventh edition American Psychological Association (APA) referencing style. The CQUniversity Academic Learning Centre has an online APA Referencing Style Guide.
• The word count is considered from the first word of the discussion to the last word of the discussion. The word count excludes the reference list but includes in-text references and direct quotations.
Resources
• You can use unit provided materials and other credible sources (e.g., journal articles, books) to reference your argument. The quality and credibility of your sources are important. Please note, lecture notes are not peer reviewed primary sources of evidence.
• We recommend you access your discipline specific Social Work and Human Services Guide.
• You may like to manage your citations and reference list. Information on how to use academic referencing software (EndNote) is available at the CQUniversity Library website should you wish to learn how to use it.
• For information on academic writing and referencing please go to the Academic Learning Centre Moodle site. The Academic Communication section has many helpful resources, including information for students with English as a second language.
• You may wish to submit a draft to Studiosity.
• Submit at least one draft before the due date to review your Turnitin Similarity Score before making a final submission. Instructions are available here. Please remember, the similarity score is only a matching tool, and the score alone does not necessarily indicate or eliminate the presence of plagiarism.
Academic integrity
1. You must abide by the principles of academic integrity (see Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure). Completion of this assessment with another party or sharing of responses is not permitted at any time.
2. The use of any generative artificial intelligence is permitted for the following purposes:
a) Gen AI content is used to generate ideas and general structures.
b) Gen AI content editing.
c) Checking spelling and grammar (for example, Grammarly).
If you use Gen AI to generate ideas, you are required to reference the Gen AI agent as per APA 7th guidelines. If you are using a Gen AI agent for content editing, please complete the declaration on the title page of your assessment. If Gen AI is not used, please delete this declaration.
Submission
Submit your assessment via the unit Moodle site in PowerPoint and Microsoft Word format only.
Late penalties of 5% per day of the available mark may be applied as per the Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework).
Contact TASAC if you experience technical issues submitting your assessment:
• Phone toll-free 1300 666 620
• Email tasac@cqu.edu.au
Marking Criteria
Refer to the marking rubric on the Moodle site for more details on how marks will be assigned. Assessment re-attempt is not available for this Assessment task.
Minimum Pass Criteria
• You must achieve a cumulative grade of at least 49.5% across all assessments to pass this unit.
• For a supplementary assessment to be considered, all assessment tasks must be reasonably attempted in this unit.
Week 12 Friday (6 June 2025) 4:00 pm AEST
27 June 2025
|
Criteria |
High Distinction (84.5-100%) |
Distinction (74.5-84.49%) |
Credit (64.5-74.49%) |
Pass (49.5-64.49%) |
Fail (<49.49%) |
|
INFOGRAPHIC Visual Communication and Design (10%) |
Infographic is highly engaging, visually appealing, and well-structured. Graphics, colour, and text are used strategically to enhance meaning and accessibility. |
Infographic is well-designed, using effective colour, text, and imagery to convey meaning. Some minor areas could be refined. |
Infographic is clear and structured, but some design elements may be inconsistent or detract from the meaning. |
Infographic presents basic visual communication but may lack clarity or consistency in design. |
Infographic is poorly structured with minimal effort in visual communication. Information is unclear. |
|
Understanding of Colonisation and its Impacts (10%) |
Comprehensively explains how colonisation has impacted Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, using relevant and well-integrated examples and an Indigenous perspective. The references are genuine and align with the written content. |
Provides a strong discussion of colonisation’s impact, using appropriate examples with good depth and an Indigenous perspective. The references are genuine and align with the written content. |
Discusses the impact of colonisation, but examples may be underdeveloped and with limited Indigenous perspective. The references are genuine and align with the written content. |
Provides some discussion of colonisation’s impact but lacks depth or clear examples and no Indigenous perspective. The references are genuine and align with the written content. |
Fails to address or misrepresents the impact of colonisation. Examples are absent. The references are not genuine or they do not align with the written content. |
|
Examines one’s own positionality (10%) |
Deeply reflective and self-aware, demonstrating a sophisticated understanding of personal positionality and its relation to colonial history. The references are genuine and align with the written content. |
Strong reflection on positionality, showing clear self-awareness and understanding of historical privilege. The references are genuine and align with the written content. |
Demonstrates some reflection on positionality but lacks depth. The references are genuine and align with the written content. |
Basic reflection on positionality, with limited depth or connection to historical privilege. The references are genuine and align with the written content. |
Minimal or no reflection on positionality. Lacks self-awareness or engagement with historical privilege. The references are not genuine or they do not align with the written content. |
|
Examples of resistance and activism (5%) |
Provides well researched and strong examples of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people’s resistance and activism across different periods (historical and contemporary). The references are genuine and align with the written content. |
Identifies clear and relevant examples of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people’s resistance and activism efforts across different periods (historical and contemporary). Some areas could be expanded. The references are genuine and align with the written content. |
Covers some examples of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people’s resistance and activism efforts across different periods (historical and contemporary) but lacks depth. The references are genuine and align with the written content. |
Identifies at least one example of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people’s resistance and activism efforts across different periods (historical and contemporary) but lacks supporting examples. The references are genuine and align with the written content.
|
Fails to address Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people’s resistance or activism efforts. The references are not genuine or they do not align with the written content. |
|
DISCUSSIONS Understanding of Normalcy, Deviance, and Social Identity(5%) |
Demonstrates deep understanding of these concepts and critically applies them to the media discourse analysis. The references are genuine and align with the written content. |
Shows a strong understanding of key concepts, with well-developed discussion. The references are genuine and align with the written content. |
Shows a general understanding, but some key concepts are underdeveloped. The references are genuine and align with the written content. |
Shows a basic understanding of concepts, but lacks depth or clarity. The references are genuine and align with the written content. |
Misunderstands or fails to apply key concepts. The references are not genuine or they do not align with the written content. |
|
Critical Analysis of Media Discourses (10%) |
Provides a comprehensive analysis of media language, framing, and representation. Critically evaluates bias, stereotypes, and dominant narratives. The references are genuine and align with the written content. |
Strongly analyses media representation, with some critical engagement with framing and stereotypes. The references are genuine and align with the written content. |
Engages with some critical discussion, but media framing is not fully explored. The references are genuine and align with the written content. |
Describes media representations without critical depth. The references are genuine and align with the written content. |
Minimal or no media analysis; discussion lacks critical engagement. The references are not genuine or they do not align with the written content. |
|
Use of Real-Life Examples and Literature (10%) |
Integrates diverse and highly relevant real-life examples and academic sources to support the discussion. The references are genuine and align with the written content. |
Uses strong real-life examples and academic literature, but some areas could be further developed. The references are genuine and align with the written content. |
Includes some real-life examples, but they may be superficial or underdeveloped. The references are genuine and align with the written content. |
Includes few real-world examples or uses sources with limited relevance. The references are genuine and align with the written content. |
Lacks relevant real-life examples or literature to support arguments. The references are not genuine or they do not align with the written content. |
|
Depth of Personal Reflection (10%) |
Demonstrates deep, insightful reflection on personal identity and its impact on understanding decolonisation. Engages critically with personal biases and privilege. The references are genuine and align with the written content. |
Provides thoughtful reflection, acknowledging personal identity and biases with some critical engagement. The references are genuine and align with the written content. |
Provides some level of reflection, but lacks depth in examining personal identity. The references are genuine and align with the written content. |
Limited reflection, with some description but lacks critical insight. The references are genuine and align with the written content. |
Minimal or no personal reflection; lacks engagement with identity or decolonisation. The references are not genuine or they do not align with the written content. |
|
Understanding of Decolonisation (10%) |
Shows a comprehensive grasp of decolonisation and its connections to personal identity and broader structures. The references are genuine and align with the written content. |
Discusses decolonisation with good depth, linking it to personal experience. The references are genuine and align with the written content. |
Shows a basic understanding of decolonisation but lacks strong connections to personal identity. The references are genuine and align with the written content. |
Mentions decolonisation but fails to connect it meaningfully to personal reflection. The references are genuine and align with the written content. |
Misunderstands or does not engage with decolonisation. The references are not genuine or they do not align with the written content. |
|
Originality and quality of the argument (10%)
|
The assignment demonstrates excellent personalised and original writing that reflects the student’s voice and understanding. |
The assignment demonstrates very good personalised and original writing that mostly reflects the student’s voice and understanding. |
The assignment demonstrates good personalised and original writing that often reflects the student’s voice with some anomalies in writing. |
The student’s writing demonstrates some evidence of their personal writing style and voice but lacks originality in parts, and shows generic writing or formal writing. |
The writing lacks originality, is generic or overly formal, and may lack context and relevance to the content. |
|
In-text referencing (5%)
|
Consistently integrates references to support and reflect all ideas, information, and quotations. Consistently accurate with in-text referencing.
|
Generally, integrates references to support and reflect ideas, information, and quotations with a few exceptions. Mostly consistent in-text referencing errors. |
Frequently integrates references to support and reflect ideas, information, and quotations, with some exceptions. Several consistent in-text referencing errors. |
Occasionally integrates references to support and reflect ideas, information, and quotations, with numerous exceptions. Frequent in-text referencing errors. |
Fails to or infrequent attempts (>6 errors) to integrate references to support & reflect ideas, information & quotations. In-text referencing fails to demonstrate understanding of APA referencing style. |
|
Use of references, reference list & APA style (5%)
|
A minimum of 10 up-to-date references were used including 5 journal articles as well as relevant books & websites. The reference list appears in alphabetical order. It fully adheres to APA style & reference list presentation guidelines. |
A minimum of 10 up-to-date references were used including 4 journal articles as well as relevant books and websites. The reference list appears in alphabetical order. Generally, adheres to APA style & reference list presentation guidelines with only a few consistent reference list errors. |
A minimum of 10 up-to-date references were used including 3 journal articles as well as relevant books and websites. The reference list appears in alphabetical order. Frequently adheres to APA style & reference list presentation guidelines but with several consistent reference list errors. |
A minimum of 10 up-to-date references were used including 2 journal articles as well as relevant books and websites. The reference list appears in alphabetical order. Occasionally adheres to APA style & reference list presentation guidelines but with numerous consistent reference list errors. |
The required number of 10 references is not used. Journal articles are not sourced. Most references are not up to date. Chosen websites are not credible. The reference list does not appear in alphabetical order and/or it does not adhere to APA style & reference list presentation guidelines due to multiple errors. |
- Understand contemporary Australian society in a global context
- Identify the relevance of sociological concepts in everyday life
- Outline the role of cultural diversity in Australian history and identity
- Examine the role of colonialism and resistance in the lives of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People - both past and present.
As a CQUniversity student you are expected to act honestly in all aspects of your academic work.
Any assessable work undertaken or submitted for review or assessment must be your own work. Assessable work is any type of work you do to meet the assessment requirements in the unit, including draft work submitted for review and feedback and final work to be assessed.
When you use the ideas, words or data of others in your assessment, you must thoroughly and clearly acknowledge the source of this information by using the correct referencing style for your unit. Using others’ work without proper acknowledgement may be considered a form of intellectual dishonesty.
Participating honestly, respectfully, responsibly, and fairly in your university study ensures the CQUniversity qualification you earn will be valued as a true indication of your individual academic achievement and will continue to receive the respect and recognition it deserves.
As a student, you are responsible for reading and following CQUniversity’s policies, including the Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure. This policy sets out CQUniversity’s expectations of you to act with integrity, examples of academic integrity breaches to avoid, the processes used to address alleged breaches of academic integrity, and potential penalties.
What is a breach of academic integrity?
A breach of academic integrity includes but is not limited to plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion, cheating, contract cheating, and academic misconduct. The Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure defines what these terms mean and gives examples.
Why is academic integrity important?
A breach of academic integrity may result in one or more penalties, including suspension or even expulsion from the University. It can also have negative implications for student visas and future enrolment at CQUniversity or elsewhere. Students who engage in contract cheating also risk being blackmailed by contract cheating services.
Where can I get assistance?
For academic advice and guidance, the Academic Learning Centre (ALC) can support you in becoming confident in completing assessments with integrity and of high standard.
What can you do to act with integrity?
