ASSIGNMENT BRIEF 1
PROGRAMME TITLE
BSc (Hons) Business Management MODULE CREDIT VALU
20 MODULE TITLE
Critical Thinking Skills MODULE LEVEL
4 MODULE CODE
LSME410 ACADEMIC YEAR
2026-27 MODULE TEAM
Harsha Subhashana, Victoria Miroiu, Forbes Jecheche LEARNING OUTCOMES
On successful completion of this module students will be able to:

1. Demonstrate an understanding of critical thinking skills; what it is and why it is important.
2. Apply an understanding of logical reasoning to an analysis of an academic argument or proposition.
3. Be able to apply relevant critical thinking skills when evaluating sources of information and data.
4. Use critical thinking skills when writing an assignment or evaluating the writing of others. SUBMISSION DEADLINES
   Assignment 1: Case Study This Week
   Assignment 2: Case Study This Week ISSUE DATE
   On Time SIGNATURE OF ASSESSOR
   Harsha Subhashana
   MODULE DESCRIPTION
   Critical thinking is the ability to question what we read, hear and/or see. In all academic disciplines, there are differences of opinion, conflicting evidence and uncertainty and a key skill in higher education is the ability to assess the evidence and arguments presented by others. This involves researching the topic, analysing the arguments given by different researchers in the field, and weighing up the evidence so that you can form your own understanding and conclusions about whose point of view you agree with and why.
   ASSESSMENT TASKS
   There are TWO assignments for this module:
   Assignment 1 – (Case Study) 2000 words +/- 10%
   Total Weighting: 50%
   Intended Learning Outcomes: 1 and 4.
   2
   Assignment 2 – (Case Study) 2000 words +/- 10%
   Total Weighting: 50%
   Intended Learning Outcomes: 2 and 3.
   ASSIGNMENT 01 – CASE STUDY
   Read the article below and compile a Case Study Analysis Report addressing the assignment tasks that follow.
   Source: United Nations (2024) Global Issues: Food. Available at: https://www.un.org/en/global-issues/food#:~:text=Food%20security%20and%20nutrition%20situation%20remains%20dire%20in%202022&text=Over%203.1%20billion%20people%20could,under%20five%20suffer%20from%20malnutrition (Accessed: 27 August 2024).
   Global Issues: Food A wake-up call to fight hunger Even though today’s global food production is enough to feed everyone on the planet, hunger continues to increase in some parts of the world. Despite some recent progress in reducing hunger in Asia and Latin America, the world is still facing food crises in many regions, especially in Africa, where the situation is dire. The UN agencies that deal with food security use specific terms to describe the various levels of food scarcity using words such as hunger, food insecurity, and malnutrition. Let’s take a look at what they mean. Explaining hunger and food insecurity The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) describes hunger as an uncomfortable or painful physical sensation caused by insufficient consumption of dietary energy. This physical sensation may become chronic when the person does not consume a sufficient number of calories regularly to lead a normal, active and healthy life. On the other hand, a person can fall into the food insecure category when there is a lack of regular access to enough safe and nutritious food for normal growth and development and an active and healthy life. This condition may be due to unavailability of food and/or lack of resources to obtain food. Food insecurity can be experienced at different levels of severity: mild, moderate or severe. Malnutrition can be either undernutrition, or the other extreme – overweight and obesity. Both are worrying trends that coexist in the world today. In children undernutrition can cause stunting and wasting. Stunting is insufficient height for a child’s age, while wasting is insufficient weight for the child’s height. Stunting is a measure of chronic nutritional deficiency, while wasting is a measure of acute nutritional deficiency.
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   What is the link between hunger and food insecurity? When someone reaches a severely food insecure condition, it implies that has run out of food and gone a day or more without eating, explains the UN agency. Although severe food insecurity is at the end of the FAO scale, even moderate food insecurity is an alarming condition. For those who are moderately food insecure, acquiring food is unpredictable. They might have to sacrifice other basic needs, just to be able to eat. When they do eat, it might be whatever is most readily available or cheapest, which might not be the most nutritious food. The increase in obesity and other forms of malnutrition is partly due to this phenomenon, since highly processed foods are energy-dense, contain high saturated fats, sugars and salt, and are often cheaper and easier to get than fresh fruits and vegetables. Eating highly processed foods may provide enough calories to meet daily requirements, but it can lead to a deficiency of essential nutrients that are required for the healthy functioning of the body. In addition to the stress caused by uncertain access to food, going through periods without eating can also lead to significant physiological changes. FAO warns that children who experience hunger, food insecurity, and undernutrition are at a higher risk of developing chronic diseases such as obesity, diabetes, and other health problems later in life. Food security and nutrition situation remains dire in 2022 The COVID-19 pandemic, conflicts, and weather shocks have led to an increase in the number of people facing hunger. According to the 2023 edition of the State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World report, between 691 and 783 million people faced hunger in 2022, representing an increase of 122 million people compared to 2019. Apart from hunger, the report also highlights that 2.4 billion people experienced moderate or severe food insecurity and 900 million people faced severe food insecurity. Over 3.1 billion people could not afford a healthy diet. Many children under five suffer from malnutrition. Exclusive breastfeeding has improved, but more effort is needed to meet the malnutrition targets by 2030. The rural-urban divide needs to be better understood The assessment also emphasizes the impact of urbanization on agrifood systems, with almost seven in ten people projected to live in cities by 2050. Governments and policymakers must consider urbanization trends and their effects on food security, hunger, and malnutrition. Although food insecurity affects more people in rural areas, consumption of highly processed foods is increasing in peri-urban and rural areas. Children’s malnutrition also reveals urban and rural specificities: the prevalence of child stunting is higher in rural areas than in urban areas, as it is for wasting. At the same time, overweight is slightly more prevalent in urban areas compared to rural areas.
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   The Millennium Development Goals and food In 2000, world leaders gathered at the United Nations to shape a broad vision to fight poverty, which was translated into eight Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). This remained, until 2015, the overarching development framework for the world. The global mobilization behind the Millennium Development Goals has produced the most successful anti-poverty movement in history. The MDG target of reducing by half the proportion of people living in extreme poverty was achieved in 2010, well ahead of the 2015 deadline. The proportion of undernourished people in the developing regions fell by almost half. However, a lot more work needs to be done. That work is now the focus of the Sustainable Development Goals. The Sustainable Development Goals and food Food is at the core of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the UN’s development agenda for the 21st century. The second of the UN’s 17 SDGs is to “End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture.” Achieving this goal by the target date of 2030 will require a profound change of the global food and agriculture system. Some of the components of this goal are:  Ending hunger, and ensuring access by all people to safe, nutritious food;  Ending all forms of malnutrition;  Doubling the agricultural productivity and incomes of small-scale food producers;  Ensuring sustainable food production systems;  Increasing investment in agriculture;  Correcting and preventing trade restrictions and distortions in world agricultural markets;  Adopting measures to ensure the proper functioning of food commodity markets. Facts and figures on Hunger and nutrition  Global hunger remained relatively unchanged from 2021 to 2022, but is still far above pre-COVID-19-pandemic levels, affecting around 9.2 percent of the world population in 2022 compared with 7.9 percent in 2019.  Nearly 600 million people are projected to be chronically undernourished by 2030. The pandemic and the war in Ukraine led to 119 million more people being undernourished than if neither had occurred  A third of rural adults experienced moderate or severe food insecurity in 2022, compared to 28.8% in peri-urban and 26% in urban areas.  The global gender gap in food insecurity decreased from 3.8 to 2.4 percentage points between 2021 and 2022.  Urbanization challenges include the availability of unhealthy fast food, lack of fresh produce, exclusion of small farmers, and loss of natural capital due to urban expansion.  In the 11 African countries studied, processed food consumption is higher in urban areas, but still prevalent in peri-urban and rural areas.
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   Zero Hunger Challenge The United Nations Secretary-General launched the Zero Hunger Challenge in 2012 during the Rio+20 World Conference on Sustainable Development. The Zero Hunger Challenge was launched to inspire a global movement towards a world free from hunger within a generation. It calls for: Zero stunted children under the age of two 100% access to adequate food all year round All food systems are sustainable 100% increase in smallholder productivity and income Zero loss or waste of food. Food Systems Summit In 2021, UN Secretary-General António Guterres convened a Food Systems Summit as part of the Decade of Action to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030. The Summit launched bold new actions to deliver progress on all 17 SDGs, each of which relies to some degree on healthier, more sustainable and equitable food systems. Guided by five Action Tracks, the Summit brought together key players from the worlds of science, business, policy, healthcare and academia, as well as farmers, indigenous people, youth organizations, consumer groups, environmental activists, and other key stakeholders. UN agencies working for food security World Food Programme The World Food Programme (WFP), aims to bring food assistance to more than 80 million people in 80 countries and is continually responding to emergencies. But WFP also works to help prevent hunger in the future. They do this through programmes that use food to build assets, spread knowledge and nurture stronger, more dynamic communities. This helps communities become more food secure. World Bank Investment in agriculture and rural development to boost food production and nutrition is a priority for the World Bank Group. The World Bank Group works with partners to improve food security and build a food system that can feed everyone, everywhere, every day. Activities include encouraging climate-smart farming techniques and restoring degraded farmland, breeding more resilient and nutritious crops and improving storage and supply chains for reducing food losses. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations Achieving food security for all is at the heart of the efforts of the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). Its main purpose is to make sure people have regular access to enough high-quality food to lead active, healthy lives. Its three main goals: the eradication of hunger, food insecurity and malnutrition; the elimination of poverty and the driving forward of economic and social progress for all; and, the sustainable management and utilization of natural resources, including land, water, air, climate and genetic resources for the benefit of present and future generations. FAO also issues the food price index, which is a measure of the monthly change in international prices of a basket of food commodities.
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   International Fund for Agricultural Development The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) has focused exclusively on rural poverty reduction, working with poor rural populations in developing countries to eliminate poverty, hunger and malnutrition, raise their productivity and incomes, and improve the quality of their lives. All IFAD-funded programmes and projects address food and nutrition security in some way. IFAD has supported about 483 million poor rural people over the past four decades. Resources  UN Famine Prevention and Response Coordinator  The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World 2023  Putting a number on hunger – Interactive Story  Sustainable Development Goal 2: Zero Hunger  OECD-FAO Agricultural Outlook 2019-2028  The State of Food and Agriculture 2023  WFP Hungermap  High-Level Task Force on Global Food and Nutrition Security
   Assignment Task:
   Undertake and present a relevant Case Study Analysis Report covering the following tasks:
5. Demonstrate an understanding of Critical Thinking Skills by explaining what it is and the purpose of its application to the above case study and other academic literature. [20 Marks]
6. Use your understanding of Critical thinking skills to examine the claims made in the above case study backed by additional research and your understanding of the topic. [40 Marks]
7. Using your acquired Critical Thinking Skills and understanding of the topic backed by additional research, evaluate the ideas expressed in the case study. [40 Marks]
   ASSIGNMENT 01– INDICATIVE MARKING CRITERIA Grade Criteria
   A* 80%+
   High First
   An excellent answer will have the following attributes:
    An excellent explanation of the purpose of applying critical thinking
    An excellent examination of claims demonstrating a depth of engagement with the subject matter
    An excellent evaluation of ideas presenting coherent and persuasive arguments
    Excellent reading comprehension and academic writing
    Excellent reading of primary and secondary sources
    Excellent structure and presentation of the report
    Excellent use of the Harvard style of referencing
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   A 70 – 79%
   First Class
   All components will have been submitted, and the remaining criteria will be as per the 80%+ marking band. However, in one or two areas, the submission will be open to minor criticism.
   B 60 – 69 %
   Upper Second
   The answer in this band of marks will have the following attributes:
    A very good explanation of the purpose of applying critical thinking
    A very good examination of claims demonstrating a depth of engagement with the subject matter
    A very good evaluation of ideas presenting coherent and persuasive arguments
    Very good reading comprehension and academic writing
    Very good reading of primary and secondary sources
    Very good structure and presentation of the report
    Very good use of Harvard style of referencing
    Full references accurately in the Harvard style of referencing with some minor errors.
   C 50 – 59%
   Lower Second
   All components will have been submitted, and the remaining criteria will be as per the 60-69% marking band. However, there will be some gaps in knowledge and analysis.
   D 40 – 49%
   Third Class
   The answer in this band of marks will have the following attributes:
    A limited explanation of the purpose of applying critical thinking
    A limited examination of claims demonstrating some engagement with the subject matter
    A limited evaluation of ideas presenting coherent and persuasive arguments
    Limited reading comprehension and academic writing
    Limited reading of primary and secondary sources
    Limited structure and presentation of the report
    Limited use of the Harvard style of referencing
   F 30 – 39%
   Fail
   The answer in this band of marks will have the following attributes:

• A poor explanation of the purpose of applying critical thinking
• A poor examination of claims demonstrating poor engagement with the subject matter
• A poor evaluation of ideas presenting coherent and persuasive arguments
• Poor reading comprehension and academic writing
• Poor reading of primary and secondary sources
• Poor structure and presentation of the report
• Poor use of the Harvard style of referencing
  F 0 – 29%
  Poor Fail
• The answer in this band of marks will have the following attributes:
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• Largely inaccurate or irrelevant material. Little or no evidence of critical thinking. No or little evidence of correctly interpreting or evaluating the case
• Structure very weak or lacking
• Many mistakes in grammar or sentence construction
• Citations and bibliography are incorrect or missing
• The work may be incomplete or too brief
  ASSIGNMENT 02 – CASE STUDY
  Read the article below and compile a Case Study Analysis Report addressing the assignment tasks that follow.
  Source: UN Women (2021) Sixteen Defining Moments for Gender Equality in 2021. Available at: https://www.unwomen.org/en/news-stories/feature-story/2021/12/sixteen-defining-moments-for-gender-equality-in-2021 (Accessed: 28 August 2024).
  Sixteen defining moments for gender equality in 2021 As 2021 comes to a close, we’re taking a look back at some of the major moments for gender equality and women’s rights from the past 12 months. From women at the forefront of the ongoing fight against COVID-19, to new laws to support survivors of gender-based violence, from women in the highest political offices to eliminating gender stereotypes in advertising, join us in celebrating some of the small and big strides for gender equality in 2021. Power and politics 1. Women reach highest levels of decision-making In 2021, eight countries have elected or sworn in their first woman Head of State or Government, with Barbados, Estonia and Moldova having women as President and Prime Minister for at least part of the year. The year started off with Kaja Kallas taking office in January as Estonia’s first woman Prime Minister. Samia Suluhu Hassan became Tanzania’s first woman President in March. In May, Fiamē Naomi Mata’afa was elected Prime Minister of Samoa. June saw Robinah Nabbanja nominated to the role of Prime Minister of Uganda. Najla Bouden Ramadhane was named Tunisia’s Prime Minister in September, making her the first woman to lead a country in the Arab region. After a 2020 decision that Barbados would become a Republic, the first presidential election held in October 2021 saw Sandra Mason become the country’s first-ever female President.
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  Sweden’s parliament voted in Magdalena Andersson as Prime Minister in November. In December, Xiomara Castro was elected President of Honduras, and she will officially take office in 2022. Overall, 2021 was a good year for women in politics. Albania has a record-setting 70 per cent women cabinet, Germany got its first gender-equal cabinet, and Iraq and Kosovo exceeded their gender quotas for parliament. In January Kamala Harris took office as the first woman Vice President of the United States. Harris is notably also the first Black-American and Asian-American to fill the role. 2. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala becomes the first woman and first African to lead the World Trade Organization In March, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala took office as the Director-General of the World Trade Organization, making her both the first woman and the first African to hold this position in the organization’s 26-year history. Okonjo-Iweala is no stranger to shattering glass ceilings, having been the first woman to become Nigeria’s Finance Minister and Foreign Minister. Laws and policy 3. Spain strengthens rape laws Spain approved a bill defining all non-consensual sex as rape, in a move meant to centre survivors and toughen penalties for perpetrators. The new legislation comes in the wake of the 2016 “wolf pack” gang rape case, which sparked national outrage. Based on a “yes means yes” model, it will require explicit consent for sexual acts. Spain joins 11 other European countries who have expanded their legal definition of rape in this way. The bill also reclassifies street harassment and female genital mutilation as criminal offenses and introduces imprisonment for work-related sexual harassment. 4. Lebanon makes progress towards ending child marriage The Higher Islamic Council in Lebanon approved a Family Law amendment, including a new chapter on the marriage of minors. The new legislation bans the marriage of children under the age of 15 and stipulates that girls must give their consent to marry, or else the marriage can be annulled. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, more than 100 million girls were expected to marry before their 18th birthday in the next decade. Now, due to the economic shocks, insecurity and school closures, up to 10 million more girls are at risk of becoming child brides, unless countries around the world take urgent action to drive change. Ending child marriage — any formal marriage or informal union involving a child under the age of 18 — is part of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. 5. Marriage equality advances around the world Switzerland announced that same-sex couples would be able to marry or convert their registered partnerships into marriage in the country, following a popular vote on the subject in September when 64.1% supported same-sex marriage. In December, Chile’s Congress passed a law to legalize same-sex marriage, becoming the 31st country where same-sex marriage is legal.
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  While there are still 69 countries that have laws criminalising homosexuality and a long way to go until there is universal recognition that love is love, 2021 saw some promising moves to decriminalise same-sex partnerships. In February, Angola signed into law a revised penal code to allow same-sex relationships and ban discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. With a landmark decision in March, a Japanese court ruled that the government’s ban on gay marriage is unconstitutional, paving the way for marriage equality. 6. Chile sets new gender equality standard in constitutional drafting In May, Chile elected the world’s first gender-equal constitutional assembly, which activists say could help set a new global standard. Chile’s current constitution, drafted in 1980 during the Pinochet dictatorship, does guarantee non-discrimination based on sex, but does not ensure women’s rights within marriage and restricts their sexual and reproductive rights. It has also been criticized for failing to provide healthcare, education, and other social protections. Calls for a new constitution were amplified during a popular uprising in October 2019, and an overwhelming 79 per cent of Chileans voted in favor of a constitutional assembly with gender parity. Science and technology 7. Women continue leading COVID-19 research and response Nearly two years since COVID-19 was declared to be a pandemic, every corner of the world has felt the devastating impacts of the virus. As health and care workers, women and girls have been on the front lines of response, but they have also been leaders in research and innovation. Throughout 2021, vaccine rollouts increased around the world, thanks to many women scientists and experts. From teenager Amika Chebrolu’s research on the lead molecule to selectively bind to the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2 and inhibit the virus, to the critical research pioneered by women researchers like Kizzmekia Corbett, Katalin Karikó, Özlem Türeci and others, the distribution of vaccines around the world has been a critical tool in combatting the COVID-19 pandemic. 8. New Nasdaq policy requires diversity on company boards A new policy requires that the roughly 3.000 companies publicly traded through Nasdaq, the US-owned electronic stock exchange, have at least one woman on their board of directors. A recent review found that about 75 per cent of the Nasdaq listed companies, primarily tech-related and growth companies, did not meet the threshold. The new policy, a major step in assuring women’s leadership in private-sector leadership, also requires racial diversity, and the inclusion of at least one board member who self-identifies as LGBTIQ+. 9. Recognizing the contributions of Henrietta Lacks In October, the World Health Organization honoured and remembered the legacy of Henrietta Lacks, a Black American woman and mother. Lacks died of cervical cancer in 1951, but cells taken from her, without her knowledge or consent, were commercialized and distributed around the world.
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  The HeLa cells, have contributed to nearly 75,000 studies, paving the way in advancements across medicine including polio vaccines, HIV/AIDS medications and breakthroughs in in-vitro fertilization and vital COVID-18 research. By recognizing Henrietta Lacks’ life and legacy, WHO is calling attention to and looking forward to collective action to rectify and eliminate inequality and unjust disparities in global health. Sport 10. The most gender-equal Olympics With a year of delay because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Tokyo 2020 Olympics kicked off on 23 July 2021 with almost 49 per cent of participating athletes being women, making it the most gender-balanced Games in history. For the first time, there was at least one female and one male athlete in each of the teams participating in the Games, and a sporting schedule that gave equal visibility for men and women’s events during primetime hours. The first modern Olympic Games held in 1896 in Athens did not feature a single female competitor. Arts and entertainment 11. Women directors finally get more recognition Chloé Zhao made history this year at the Oscars, when she became the first woman of colour and the first woman of Asian descent to earn best director at the Academy Awards. The “Nomadland” director was only the second woman to win the award, following the footsteps of Kathryn Bigelow, who won for directing “Hurt Locker” in 2010. This was also the first year ever that two women were nominated for best director. In fact, during the 93-year history of the Oscars, only seven women have been nominated in the director category, including 2021 nominees, Zhao and Fennell. The Golden Globe awards also recognized women directors’ achievements with three women who have been nominated in the best director category. This was the first time more than one woman has been shortlisted in a single year. Previously, only five women were ever nominated in the 77-year awards history. 12. A Dutch museum permanently features women artists For the first time in its 200-year history, the Rijksmusem in Amsterdam announced that three 17th century paintings by women artists will be placed on permanent display. The three works, The Serenade by Judith Leyster, the Memorial Portrait of Moses ter Borch by Gesina ter Borch and Still Life with Flowers in a Glass Vase by Rachel Ruysch, are now on display in the Gallery of Honour, alongside the museum’s other most-prized Dutch masterpieces. 13. Lego announces the end of gender bias in their toys Following a global survey commissioned by Lego and conducted by the Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media, the Danish company announced they’ll take steps towards removing gender-bias in their toys and marketing, including stopping the use of labelling toys ‘for girls’ or ‘for boys’.
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  Lego will also work to expand the diversity of characters and roles represented in their products, in the hopes of every child being able to identify with the toys. Women leading action 14. Generation Equality Forum sets course to accelerate action Kicking off in March in Mexico, and concluding at the Paris Forum in July, the Generation Equality Forum brought together government, civil society, philanthropy, private sector and youth activists and launched a five-year action journey to drive progress towards gender equality. With nearly USD 40 billion in investments, as well as ambitious policy and programme commitments, the Forum convened by UN Women and co-hosted by the governments of France and Mexico, marks a critical moment in women’s rights and equality movements, especially as the world assesses the impact of COVID-19. 15. Maria Ressa wins Nobel Peace Prize Maria Ressa, alongside Dmitry Muratov, was awarded the 2021 Nobel Peace Prize for her work in safeguarding freedom of expression. Ressa, the co-founder of the digital media company dedicated to investigative journalism, has long used her work as a journalist and author to expose abuses of power in the Philippines. Ressa is the 18th woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize since its inception in 1901, and the first person from the Philippines. 16. Afghan women speak truth to power On 15 August 2021, Kabul fell to the Taliban, drastically impacting the lives of all Afghans, especially Afghan women and girls. Girls are banned from attending secondary school, women are unable to continue work, and violence against women is on the rise. Against all odds, many Afghan women took to the streets in protest. Others persisted to speak out in different ways, to safeguard their human rights. One delegation travelled to New York to participate in a series of events and high-level meetings at the United Nations Headquarters on the sidelines of the UN Security Council Open Debate on Women, Peace and Security. The group, including parliamentarians, women’s rights advocates, journalists, civil society leaders, and researchers, called for women’s full and equal participation in humanitarian assistance, peace efforts, and governance.
  Assignment Task:
  Perform the Case Study evaluation by providing a correct response to the following:

1. Apply an understanding of logical reasoning to analyse the arguments presented in the above article. [40 Marks]
2. Apply your acquired critical evaluation skills to evaluate the sources of information (hyperlinked and marked in blue text) in the above article. [40 Marks]
3. In your conclusion, comment on evidence of a systematic and rigorous process adopted by the author in producing the above article. [20 Marks]
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   ASSIGNMENT 02– INDICATIVE GRADING CRITERIA Essay
   A: 80%+
   High First
   An excellent answer will have the following attributes:

• An excellent application of logical reasoning with an excellent analysis of key arguments
• An excellent evaluation of the sources of information used in the article
• An excellent commentary on a systematic and rigorous process carried out when developing the article
• Excellent reading comprehension and academic writing
• Excellent reading of primary and secondary sources
• Excellent structure and presentation of the report
• Excellent use of the Harvard style of referencing
  A 70 – 79%
  First Class
  All components will have been submitted, and the remaining criteria will be as per the 80%+ marking band. However, in one or two areas student may not have demonstrated the skills as noted in band 80%+
  B 60 – 69 %
  Upper Second
  The answer in this band of marks will have the following attributes:
• A very good application of logical reasoning with a very good analysis of key arguments
• A very good evaluation of the sources of information used in the article
• A very good commentary on a systematic and rigorous process carried out when developing the article
• Very good reading comprehension and academic writing
• Very good reading of primary and secondary sources
• Very good structure and presentation of the report
• Very good use of the Harvard style of referencing
  C 50 – 59%
  Lower Second
  All components will have been submitted, and the remaining criteria will be as per the 60-69% marking band. However, there will be some gaps in knowledge and analysis.
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  D 40 – 49%
  Third Class
  The answer in this band of marks will have the following attributes:
• A limited application of logical reasoning with a fair analysis of key arguments
• A limited evaluation of the sources of information used in the article
• A limited commentary on a systematic and rigorous process carried out when developing the article
• Limited reading comprehension and academic writing
• Limited reading of primary and secondary sources
• Limited structure and presentation of the report
• Limited use of the Harvard style of referencing
  F 30 – 39%
  Fail
  The answer in this band of marks will have the following attributes:
• A poor application of logical reasoning with an excellent analysis of key arguments
• A poor evaluation of data or information used in the article
• A poor commentary on a systematic and rigorous process carried out when developing the article
• Poor reading comprehension and academic writing
• Poor reading of primary and secondary sources
• Poor structure and presentation of the report
• Poor use of Harvard style of referencing
  F 0 – 29%
  Poor Fail
  The answer in this band of marks will have the following attributes:
• Largely inaccurate or irrelevant material.
• Little or no evidence of logical reasoning.
• No or little evidence of correctly interpreting or evaluating the case.
• Structure very weak or lacking.
• Many mistakes in grammar or sentence construction.
• Citations and bibliography are incorrect or missing.
• The work may be incomplete or too brief.
  COMPLETING THE TASKS
  In order to complete Assignments 1 and 2, you will need to research different information sources such as textbooks, journals, articles and the internet. You are also required to develop skills in the analysis of information. Analysis requires you to critically examine different aspects of a topic and identify relevant issues. Discussions with your peers and friends will also help you to understand the relevant data analysis and presentation techniques that can be applied to different perspectives of the collated data provided.
  Please Note: Make use of information and guidance provided by your lecturer(s) as well as learning and teaching materials and additional resources uploaded on Canvas.
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  HELPFUL INFORMATION
  Core Texts
  Coterell, S. (2023) Critical Thinking Skills: Effective Analysis, Argument and Reflection. 4th edn. London: Bloomsbury Publishing.
  Butterworth, J., Thwaites, G. (2013) Thinking Skills: Critical Thinking and Problem-Solving. Cambridge: CUP.
  Chatfield, T. (2017) Critical Thinking: Your Guide to Effective Argument, Successful Analysis and Independent Study. London: Sage Publications.
  Fisher, A. (2011) Critical Thinking: An Introduction. Cambridge: CUP.
  Thompson, A. (2008) Critical Reasoning. Oxford: Routledge.
  Additional Texts
  Fahim, M., Teimourtash, M. A. (2012) ‘Critical look at the notion of critical thinking from a new personality trait perspective: Midtrovert’. Advances in Digital Multimedia, 1 (3), pp. 149-152.
  Lau, J. F. (2011) An introduction to critical thinking and creativity: Think more, think better. New Jersey: Willy.
  Hosseini, E., Sarfallah, S., and Dolatabadi, H. (2012) ‘Exploring the relationship between critical thinking, reading comprehension and reading strategies of English university students’, World Applied Sciences Journal, 17 (10), pp.156-158. Available at: https://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/document?repid=rep1&type=pdf&doi=fb5fd2b32ac2d933505566227d72d5d22541bc1b (Accessed: 15 August 2023).
  Wallace, M. and Wray, A. (2016) Critical reading and writing for postgraduates. 03rd edn. London: SAGE.
  REFERENCING YOUR WORK
  References to relevant academic theory and research findings should be provided and cited appropriately using the Harvard system of referencing. Examples of this referencing style is as follows:
  Book:
  Pears, R. and Shields, G. (2016) Cite them right: the essential referencing guide. Palgrave study skills. 10th edn. Basingstoke, Palgrave Macmillan.
  Journal:
  Petit, C. and Sieffermann, J. (2007) ‘Testing consumer preferences for iced-coffee: Does the drinking environment have any influence?’, Food Quality and Preference, 18(1), pp.161-172.
  Note: Do not use Wikipedia, tutor2U or non-academic website as a source of reference.
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  ACADEMIC MALPRACTICE
  You are required to work independently when preparing this assignment, and you are reminded of the need to avoid the risk (intentionally or unintentionally) of committing academic malpractice. In particular, presenting another learner’s work as yours or taking information from any sources without acknowledging the source correctly can constitute academic malpractice. You are expected to submit your work using Canvas platform that is provided by the school.
  Please note that your work may be subject to penalties and/or cancellation if academic malpractice has taken place. The similarity report will be generated on Turnitin which will be visible on Canvas, can highlight where academic sources have not been referenced appropriately/effectively and this could result in a concern being highlighted around possible plagiarism (one form of academic malpractice where sources have been used without proper acknowledgement). Make sure you read over your work carefully and ensure that all sources of information have been acknowledged to avoid any untoward investigations that would result in a delay in your achievement of the module. Further information on academic malpractice (including plagiarism) and potential consequences are available in your student handbooks.
  Although it is not inappropriate to generate ideas for assignments, presenting an assignment generated solely by Artificial Intelligence (AI) is similar to contract cheating because the work submitted will not be your original work and the academic malpractice policy will apply.
  Make sure you read over your work carefully and ensure that all sources of information have been acknowledged to avoid any untoward investigations that would result in a delay in your achievement of the module. Further information on academic malpractice (including plagiarism and the use of AI) and potential consequences are available in your student handbooks and UoC guidance on AI.
  As for Artificial Intelligence (AI), you must acknowledge using AI by naming the tool and how it was used within your references. You should use one of the following options:
• No content generated by AI technologies has been presented as my own work.
• I acknowledge the use of [insert AI system(s) and link] to generate materials for background research and self-study in the drafting of this assessment.
• I acknowledge the use of [insert AI system(s) and link] to generate materials that were included within my final assessment in modified form.
  Please ensure that you include one of the statements above in the final version of your work that you submit.
  We suggest that this statement is included within your References or Bibliography section towards the end of your work.
  Referencing your use of Gen AI
  You must describe how the information or material was generated (including the prompts you used), what the output was and how the output was changed by you. You should use the following format of wording, depending on the nature of use:
• The following prompts were input into [AI system]: [List prompt(s)]
• The output obtained was: [Paste the output generated by the AI system]
• The output was changed by me in the following ways: [explain the actions taken]
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  You also need to reference the use of AI in-text. Here is an example of how you should write this: (OpenAI, 2022). Here is an example of how to include the use of AI within your references: OpenAI. (2022). ChatGPT: Optimizing Language Models for Dialogue. Available at https://openai.com/blog/chatgpt/. (Accessed: 30 June 2023).
  Link to Academic Malpractice Policy: https://lsme.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/college-policies/LSME-Policy-Academic-Misconduct-Policy-and-Procedure.pdf PRESENTATION
  Present a document with a word count of 2000 words (+/- 10%) (Assignment 1) and 2000 words (+/- 10%) (Assignment 2) excluding references, images, diagrams, tables and appendices. The word count should be stated in the assignment cover sheet and please note you will be penalised for exceeding the word limit.
  Work must be presented in a suitable format of 12-point font, Arial, 1.5-line spacing and pages numbered.
  SUBMISSION
  When submitting your assignment, you must include:
  ∙ An Assignment Submission Sheet/ Assignment Front Cover
  ∙ Other documents required by your lecturer as evidence of achievement.
  ∙ All assignments should be submitted via the VLE.
  Submission deadlines must be strictly observed. Therefore, disciplined time management is very important when producing this assignment. Failure to meet deadlines will be considered as a failure by non-submission. You will only have the opportunity for one resubmission of a different assignment. Refer to pages 22-24, Sections 3.4.8 to 3.4.11 of the General Student Handbook for Undergraduate Programmes for more information on Assignment Deadlines and Late Submission of Assignments on the VLE. EXTENUATING CIRCUMSTANCES
  Students who experience unforeseen or exceptional circumstances that may impact their ability to submit their assignments on time are encouraged to apply for extenuating circumstances with appropriate documentary evidence in accordance with the college’s Extenuating Circumstances Policy. Refer to page 24, Section 3.4.12 of the General Student Handbook for Undergraduate Programmes for more information on Extenuating Circumstances on the VLE. END OF ASSIGNMENT BRIEF