Group Written Assignment Guidelines (30%)
This is a group assignment. Each group (around 7-8 per group) will submit 1 written assignment about a
psychosomatic disorder.
Objectives: To provide students the opportunity to critically assess dissemination of knowledge about
psychosomatic condition in relation to the physiological and biological explanations in - relation to
human behaviour.
Step 1: Signing Up
Please form groups of 7-8 on your own and designate a group representative. Choose a group
representative. A forum will be created on LMS to ease the search for a group or group members. Once
a complete group is formed, the group representative needs to compile all group members’ details and
sign up via LMS. If you encounter any problems, please email the tutor.
Signup Deadline: 4th Feb (Fri) – 12pm GMT+8
Please take note that all members of the group share the responsibility to check emails and LMS
regularly for updates. If there are any latest updates posted on the LMS, the instructions announced
on the LMS will overrides the instructions here.
*If you still have trouble finding a group, then email the tutor before 31st January 2022 (Monday, 12pm
GMT +8). You will be randomly assigned to an already-formed group that has fewer than 7 members or
a new group. Do not wait until Week 4 to inform us because it would be too late by then. Failure to
sign-up within this time frame will result in not having any group, hence, losing your assignment marks.
Step 2: Select a Case Study
a) Each group should find a psychosomatic condition taught in the textbook/slides.
Alternatively, if there are case studies uploaded to the LMS, you can utilize the case studies
too (please follow the instructions on LMS).
b) Identify ONE case study in relation to your chosen psychosomatic condition from journal
articles. This case study must be about ONE case study of a patient with details of the
anatomy/symptoms/diagnosis and treatment.
c) This case study needs to be emailed to your lecturer for approval latest by the end of Week
5 (Friday, 12pm GMT +8). Only when approved, you may proceed with the assignment.
d) You then research further and find out the anatomy & physiology, symptoms diagnosis,
treatment, alternative treatment that is available and research the latest development, and
your opinion on what could have been done better based on your research in that particular
area. Support your suggestions by citing other journal articles or evidence.
e) The format of writing the assignment as below.
i. Use APA 7th Edition (available in Psych General Matters @ LMS),
ii. Maximum 10 pages (typed, double spaced, Times New Roman, 12 pt font).
iii. Your submission will be :
o Cover Page
o Content (maximum 10 pages)
o References
o Appendix (not compulsory, will not deduct any marks for groups that don’t
have any appendix)
Submission Deadline: 21st March (Monday) – 9am GMT+8
Additional info on assignments submitted via Turnitin:
a) Please ensure that you have received and kept your Turnitin receipt as proof of submission
once you have uploaded your assignment. If you did not receive this in your email account,
please download the receipt by logging into your Turnitin account. If no receipt is available,
it may mean that your assignment submission was not uploaded successfully. Please upload
again and immediately contact your lecturer and tutor if further issues persist.
b) Your assignment will be marked via Turnitin, and you will receive feedback via Turnitin.
c) Please ensure that your cover page, references, and appendices are included in your
Turnitin submission, as it is supposed to mirror your full assignment submission (under
normal circumstances).
A framework on your assignment:
Summary
- Summary of case study
- Anatomy & Physiology of case study
- Anatomy & Physiology of condition from other sources
Symptoms and Diagnosis
- Symptoms presented in case study
- Symptoms of condition according to (any reliable sources ie DSM v)
- Diagnosis in case study
- Diagnosis of condition according to (any reliable sources ie DSM v)
Treatment and Research
- Treatment in case study
- Treatment of condition according to (any reliable sources)
- Alternative treatment supported by research
- Latest research in relevant to condition
You can insert your opinion in regard to each section of this essay, but they need to be
supported by credible sources. This is just a general framework; you can structure your essay
as long as it is organized and clear.
RUBRICS
0-2 (Poor) 3-5 (Good) 6-8 (Excellent)
Summary of Poor coverage of the topic. Good coverage of the Excellent coverage of the
Case Study Misidentified the anatomy topic. Identified most of case study. Identified the
(CLO1) and physiology of the case. the anatomy and relevant anatomy and
Many errors were found physiology of the case. physiology in specific,
within the paragraphs, May consist minor supported statements from
statements were poorly errors, or statements multiple credible sources
supported/ off-topic. were not properly that are highly relevant to
supported by credible the case to shed light on
sources or not closely the case study.
relevant to the case
study.
Symptoms Attributed the wrong Determined the correct Attributed accurate
and Diagnosis symptoms, contain many symptoms and diagnosis symptoms and diagnosis
(CLO2) errors in the paragraphs, is accurate. Supported towards the case.
wrong diagnosis and the statements with credible Mentioned highly relevant
statements were not related sources, but contained points, backed by credible
to the topic/not credible. minor errors, or certain evidence, and examined
segments were not the case thoroughly.
closely related to the
case.
Treatments & Discussed the wrong Good treatments and Excellent discussion of the
Research treatments, wrong research research methods were treatment and research
(CLO3) methods to further support discussed in the essay. methods that are highly
this case study. Contained May consist of minor relevant to the case.
major errors, statements errors, or certain Statements were supported
were not supported by sentences were not with credible sources,
credible sources or not closely related to the highly related to the topic
relevant to the topic. topic. Sources are discussed.
credible.
0-2 (Poor) 3-4 (Good) 5-6 (Excellent)
Format Information is poorly cited Information is cited and Information is cited and
and referenced, contain referenced but contain referenced properly and in
major errors. Poor some minor errors and APA format.
grammar. grammar mistakes.
In the case of a dispute:
As this is a group project, there will be issues where some members who do not contribute to the group
work. In such cases, please resolve the conflict by yourself first. Try to communicate clearly with the
members and distribute the work fairly. I believe that everyone is mature enough to communicate the
issue well.
If the conflict persists, please contact the lecturer/tutor immediately. Please do not contact the
lecturer/tutor after the submission deadline. Please provide the following items when you contact the
lecturer/tutor:
a) Description of conflict + Task List (in word document)
b) Evidence (screenshot of conversation, document edit history, etc.)
Failure to provide these items will not be entertained. A meeting will be set up with all the group
members to further investigate the issue. The problem will be dismissed if one group member failed to
turn up to the meeting. For the defendant, he/she will be presented a chance to explain. The likely
outcome from this process is: (a) zero mark for those who do not contribute at all; (b) marks deduction
from the assignment for that particular member; (c) case dismissed if it is a misunderstanding; (d) other
possible actions depending on the context.
Example of Task List:
*You can create your own version; this is just a guide.
Name Summarized case Source for information Wrote the first
study paragraph
Richard X x
(Done:24/5/2021)
Cindy x X
John x (John just send in the
articles without telling us
the details – see
conversation screenshot &
document history)