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Assessment task details and instructions
This assignment will assess your knowledge and understanding of the Cognitive material covered in this module. The lectures and assignment support seminars should form the basis of your work in addition to your own further reading around the topic.
Choose ONE question from the two options below and write an essay using the question as your essay title.
- 1. Describe the spotlight theory of attention and evaluate the evidence that attention can move covertly and overtly.
- 2. Describe the working memory model and evaluate the evidence that short-term memory is made up of multiple components.
Each question focuses on a different aspect of cognition, so you will need to focus your answer on Attention OR Memory. You must answer the question by clearly describing and evaluating the cognitive processes that you include in your essay. You should also support your answer using relevant findings from cognitive psychology.
When writing your essay, you may want to consider the following:
- Relevant theories from the attention/memory lectures and seminars
- What are the strengths and weaknesses of each theory?
- Refer to relevant studies supporting/refuting the theories
Key skills and learning outcomes:
Completion of the essay will allow you to demonstrate your understanding of key cognitive principles. It will also give you experience on critically evaluating evidence. You will also develop your skills in computer literacy and written communication.
REMEMBER – You should choose one topic for this essay and focus on it. Please make sure to write the title of your essay at the start of your assignment. Also include the module name and your student number. There is help in the seminars and on blackboard – please use this
On successful completion of this assessment, you will be able to:
Knowledge and Understanding.
1. Understand and evaluate underlying concepts and principles of cognitive psychology.
2. Evaluate some of the research techniques used in cognitive psychology.
Transferable/Key Skills and other Attributes.
- Written communication will be tested via the course assessment of an essay which will necessitate explaining difficult concepts accurately and reliably with structured and coherent arguments.
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- Working with others will be a necessary part of participation in group discussion and activities, which will support your assignment preparation.
- A grounding in problem solving is assimilated into the seminars and assessments.
- Managing students` own learning will be demonstrable in the necessary literature reviews which will support the presentation of seminar material, as well as the course assessments.
Module Aims
- To provide students with knowledge of the basic theories and concepts within cognitive psychology.
- To introduce students to the principles underpinning the links between biology and psychology and demonstrate that human behaviour needs to be understood in relation to human biology.
- To introduce students to the concepts behind basic techniques involved in biological and cognitive psychological research.
Assessment criteria:
- Presentation (Structure, style, communication, 10%). Presentation in the style of an essay - clear and logical structure. Remember, an essay always has an Introduction, and always has a Conclusion
- Understanding and knowledge of topic area (50%): Description, explanation, and evaluation of relevant experimental studies, which shows evidence of further reading. Importantly you must use journal articles to support arguments
- Critical analysis of the information (30%): Explanation and evaluation of relevant information from cognitive psychology. The essay should articulate how the evidence presented can come together to inform understanding, and you should offer a conclusion based on your critical understanding of this evidence what that understanding currently is, as well as any gaps for future study
- Referencing (10%) – Work supported by relevant and appropriate references cited in APA 7th format
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