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Assessment
Information about Assessment
Self assessment is built into the module in the form of Tasks, allowing you to check your progress and to study actively. You should try to do the tasks, as this is the best way to learn.
Two compulsory assignments are required to complete the module. It is important for you to take note that:
- The first assignment contributes 40% towards your final mark; and
- The second assignment contributes 60% towards your final mark for the module.
You will be allowed to rewrite your first assignment if you get less than 50%, because it is regarded as formative assessment. However, for the summative assessment (Assignment 2), you must pass with 50% or more, with no possibility of a rewrite. If you fail this assignment, you will have to repeat the module next year.
ASSIGNMENT 1: WRITE A LITERATURE REVIEW ON A SPECIFIC HEALTH PROBLEM IDENTIFIED IN THE DATASET
This section should be approx 800 words long excl Reference List. 40% of module result.
Note: One page in 1,5 spacing using Times Roman 12pt contains approximately 400 words.
For Assignment 1, you are required to write a critical review of the literature relevant to the Public Health problem identified in the dataset. Unit 1 Sessions 4 and 5 provide specific guidance on writing a critical literature review.
Assignment Instructions
Here is the process you could follow:
1)Study the dataset provided and take note of the key health problem covered by the data, e.g. it deals with HIV infection in teenagers in District A.
2)Spend several hours in an academic library or on the Internet and conduct a literature search on the health problem identified in the dataset. Gather at least ten journal articles, research reports, statistical reports or chapters in books which are relevant to the key areas of this health problem. You are welcome to use any relevant sources of information, e.g. local health reports or data sets. The literature may, for example, help you to define the health condition, to explore its natural history in detail, to understand the risk factors for it and to study previous interventions in comparable contexts.
3)Define any new terms or concepts you encounter.
4)Use this process to become familiar with the dataset and to clarify the main health problem that it addresses.
5)Read and critically review this literature using the guidance in Unit 1 Sessions 4 and 5. You could also refer to the section on literature reviews in the Health Systems Research I module (Unit 2 Session 1).
6)During this reading process, identify a set of sub-topics or themes to structure your literature review, which will throw light on this health problem, e.g. Risk factors for this health condition.
7)Write down all your references in full and prepare your reference list according to the Harvard Referencing Method. See the SOPH Academic Handbook, 2005, section 5.3 for guidance on how to do this. You should include between 8 -15 references.
Use these criteria to guide your assignment.
| Assessment Criteria for Assignment 1 | Marks |
| a) The student provides a critical review of literature relevant to the dataset. | 25 |
| b) The literature review is well structured, clearly expressed and typographically sound, i.e. free of errors. | 5 |
| c) Correct use of referencing. | 10 |
| Total | 40 |
ASSIGNMENT 2: A REPORT ON THE HEALTH PROBLEM IDENTIFIED BY THE DATASET
A typed report of 6-8 pages, but definitely not more than 10.
60% of module result.
For Assignment 2, you are required to improve your literature review using the feedback you received, and undertake an analysis of the data. You will present your findings (results) in graphical form (as graphs or tables) to show evidence of your analysis. You will describe and interpret your findings, and provide some recommendations for intervention, based on the literature and your own understanding of the problem. The report should be a reader-friendly and convincing response to the health problem revealed by the dataset and should provide the basis for a health authority to intervene to address the specific Public Health issue reflected by the data.
Session 5 of Units 2 and 3 will guide you through this assignment. You will have to manage your time well, as you are required to send in a draft up to two weeks before, but preferably well before the assignment deadline.
Analysing the Dataset
Take another look at the dataset in section 3.6 and identify some of the more prominent features of this Public Health problem, e.g. are more women affected than men? You will be guided through the process of analysing such data in the course of the module. You will, for example, calculate infection rates, compare percentages of the population affected, calculate medians in the infected population and frequency distributions of particular variables. These findings (results) can be used to guide Public Health interventions to improve the health of the affected community.
Please note:
1)In real life, data is not always perfect. The quality of the data may influence your ability to carry out this task. Comment on the data quality in your report.
2)To clarify issues, prepare a few graphs or summary tables to illustrate your analysis.
The structure of your report should be as follows:
Introduction to the health problem identified in the dataset and the purpose (aims and objectives) of the report (100 words)
1)A revised Literature Review using your lecturer’s feedback (approx 800 words)
2)Findings or Results of your analysis of the data containing graphs and tables to illustrate your results; discussion of the limitations of the dataset (approx 800 words)
3)Discussion of the Findings (approx 400 words plus diagrams and tables)
4)Conclusion and Recommendations (approx 800 words)
5)Revised Reference List
Assignment 2 is likely to be 6 - 8 pages in length and not more than 10.
| Assessment Criteria for Assignment 2 | Marks |
| a) Submission of a Draft (in time for feedback). | 5 |
| b) Revised literature review. | 5 |
| c) Systematic analysis of the dataset and information using description and graphical illustrations. | 20 |
| d) A clearly articulated, logical interpretation and discussion of the main findings. | 10 |
| e) Convincing argument for recommendations. | 10 |
| f) Clear, well-structured and typographically sound report, i.e. free of errors | 5 |
| g) Correct use of referencing | 5 |
| Total | 60 |
Assignment Dataset for 2007
A survey of HIV/AIDS has been carried out in a neighbouring African country. Data from two of several regions of this country (North and South) are presented here, together with the overall national figures.
A variety of different indicators are presented, and the data reveals several interesting differences and similarities between the two regions, as well as providing opportunities to compare these with the whole country data.
Your job is as the Regional Manager responsible for the area of Public Health described in the dataset below is to compile a meaningful epidemiological report for your manager on what this data seems to be telling us about the state of HIV/AIDS in Country X. Based on what this data shows, you may be able to recommend relevant health interventions on how to understand and address the HIV/AIDS problem more effectively in the country in the future. Here is the dataset.
The dataset can be found here
The authors can be found here
