Memory & Law - Judgement and Decision Making

Judgement and Decision Making:
Assessment Guidance for Students

How is this module assessed?

This module is assessed with a single 2,500-word piece of written coursework, which is designed to allow you to demonstrate the learning outcomes described in the module specification. You will need to get a mark of at least 40% when marked against the assessment criteria to pass the module.

What do I have to do?

You will submit one 2,500-word academic report, addressing any one of the three scenarios below. In all these scenarios you take the role of an expert in memory research.

Coursework option 1 –

The Ministry of Justice has invited you to be a part of a working group to make science-based recommendations regarding how to collect eyewitness identification evidence. You will provide a scientific review paper in which you will need to identify how current practices maybe heightening wrongful identifications and then make your recommendation to change practice. You must provide scientific evidence to support these recommendations.

How is the assessment marked, and what feedback will I receive?

The assessment will be marked anonymously, using the standard Psychology BSc marking rubric, which can be found in the assessment overview on Moodle. You will receive feedback on your performance in each of the four categories of: Knowledge & Understanding; Analysis/Synthesis; Evidence, Structure, Logic, Clarity & Argument; Appropriate referencing, indicating the degree class at which performance on each of these criteria is demonstrated. You will receive an overall mark based on a holistic evaluation of the submission, which considers performance on these four criteria.

You will receive summary feedback on the submission in the form of a paragraph or two of written feedback on the assignment as a whole highlighting strengths and areas for improvement. You may also receive comments within the text about specific points you make.

What do I need to do in order to do well?

Knowledge and understanding: You will do well if you can demonstrate your learning by describing and discussing an appropriately broad range of research and theory to address the scenario, selecting material based on its relevance to the scenario you choose.

Analysis/Synthesis, Evidence: Your will do well if you demonstrate that you can appraise and critically evaluate the theories and research you discuss, rather than presenting findings as immutable facts. You can do this either by discussing the key research you present from a critical perspective (what are the relative strengths and weaknesses regarding evidence) where appropriate; or by showing thoughtfulness when applying them to the scenario (how applicable is the research to the current situation).

Structure, Logic, Clarity & Argument: You will do well by structuring your report so that its arguments and conclusions follow logically, and by giving enough detail on the research you cover that the methodology and results are clear, along with the logic on how they lead to the conclusions drawn.

Appropriate referencing: You will do will well by following a consistent referencing style that uniquely identifies the references in question, and is presented in a sensible and organised manner.

If you do well across these categories you will get a high mark overall.

What practical things do I need to know?

1. These questions each focus on one or two key area that we covered in the lectures. Some of the first lectures we had regarding how many works can be useful for all questions. We discuss how each topic relates to each lecture in our Assessment Guide session (see recording under ASSESSMENT DETAILS SECTION)
2. You should reference all of the research you cover, using your preferred format – APA is probably easiest, but so long as it is consistent and uniquely identifies the cited research, you can use other formats if preferred.
3. The word limit is 2,500 words, not including references, but including headings and in-text citations. You have +10% leeway, so you can submit anything up to 2850.
4. This is a scientific report, so you must present supporting evidence to back up any argument or statement you make and explain findings to support/validate what you are saying. PLEASE DO NOT USE case examples to support your arguments. You are addressing people who are in the forensic arena so they know about court cases. They have come to you because they want to know about scientific evidence.
5. For this assignment you required to use the usual double-spaced 11pt font.
6. INCLUDE the report brief on the front page of your assignment so I know which one you are answering.