Academic English Skills Coursework 1 Assessment Brief

What
Coursework 1:
In this assessment, you will:
- select an essay title related to your subject of study.
- be given a source to start your reading for the essay.
- find a minimum of four additional reliable sources related to your essay and add them to a reference list using an
appropriate referencing format. Note that you can use the source given to you; if you do not want to use the
source provided, you will need to find five reliable sources.
- outline how you found each source (eg. via Google Scholar, the University library, from a reading list, following
up on a reference in another article) and determined it was useful.
- explain how three sources are relevant to your essay.
- complete the source evaluation table for the other two sources, outlining how you have identified each source
as reliable.
- identify three main points which are useful from each of the two sources, and the supporting evidence provided.
- note the part of the essay for which the points are useful.
- note the conclusions you have drawn from your reading of the five texts on the topic.
This coursework is the first stage of your coursework portfolio. You will be required to present and answer
questions on your research in CW 2, and write a research-based essay of 1500 words (IFY students), or 2000 words
(IY1 students) in CW 3. There is no word limit for CW 1. You can write in note-form, as you are not marked for the
accuracy of your language, but you must use your own words. You cannot demonstrate your understanding of the
sources you have read if you copy from the text.
Why
CW 1 tests your ability to research and plan an extended research essay by:
- analysing an essay title and answering it with relevant points and ideas.
- finding useful, credible academic sources to inform your ideas in answering the question.
- reading and identifying relevant information for your essay.
- identifying the main points and supporting evidence in sources.
- draw conclusions from your reading.
- integrating your own ideas with ideas from your sources.
- discussing your conclusions in a tutorial.
This assessment counts for 40% of your final mark for reading.
When
Stage 1) w/c 27th February 2023 Complete the CW 1 planning document and show it to your tutor for approval.
This ensures you have understood the requirements of the essay question correctly, and that your choice of
sources is appropriate before you go any further.
Stage 2) 15th March 2023 Go through the CW 1 Checklist and Feedback Sheet to make sure you have completed
the assessment fully and correctly, and submit the draft of your source report.
Stage 3) w/c 27th March 2023 Your tutor will provide feedback on your draft in a tutorial. Make notes of your
tutor’s comments on the CW 1 Checklist and Feedback Sheet. Your tutor will advise you on whether your
submission is acceptable as a piece of academic work, or if further work is needed. You will also be asked in the
tutorial to talk through your research so far and show the sources you have found.
Stage 4) 3rd May 2023 Submit your CW 1.
How
Your work is submitted and marked electronically. Your tutor will give you the marking criteria and samples of
student submissions so that you can see how the assessment is marked.
Your work will automatically be checked by similarity software (Turnitin) to make sure you have submitted work in
your own words. You may be able to submit your work ahead of the submission deadline in order to check the
similarity score.
What if…
I don’t choose relevant or - Your tutor will check your sources before you write your first draft. Make sure you
reliable sources? have used the best source of information (if you find some interesting data reported
in a newspaper, follow up on the original source, rather than just citing the
newspaper).
 - Use the sources you are given as a starting point; follow up on references
mentioned in the texts, consult reading lists for your subject and ask in the library for
help finding relevant material.
my similarity score on First, check your similarity report. Any wording on the template will be picked up as
Turnitin is high? plagiarism, so your tutor will not count that. This assessment requires you to show
your understanding of the texts you have read, and present your conclusions, so you
will be heavily penalised if you just copy and paste parts from your sources in part 3.
Use your Turnitin similarity report to check you have paraphrased and summarised
your conclusions, and resubmit your work (before the deadline) if needed.
I submit the coursework If you submit an assessment late, a penalty will be applied to your final mark. The
late? penalties for late submission are outlined in your Student Handbook.
I don’t pass CW 1? You should submit a draft of CW 1 so that your tutor can provide you with feedback
to improve your work before you submit it.
You will need a minimum score for your overall reading mark in order to meet your
progression requirements. If you score below 40% on CW 1, you may be required to
resubmit at the end of the module. If your CW 1 needs improvement or
development, you can resubmit a re-working of your original submission. If you are
awarded zero due to Academic Misconduct (ie. you have submitted work which is
not your own), you will be given a new essay title to research and plan.
I don’t submit CW 1? You must submit complete all three components of the module in order to
demonstrate that you have met all the learning outcomes. Your final mark may be
withheld if your assessments are incomplete. If you are unable to submit CW 1 by
the deadline, you will need to apply for mitigating circumstances. Further
information on mitigating circumstances can be found in your student handbook.
I miss part of CW 1? If you only submit part of CW 1 (you complete the first two annotated references,
but not the source evaluation part, for example) your work will be penalised
according to the marking criteria. In this example, you would be awarded zero for
Source Evaluation and Use of Sources, and Processing Text and a low score for
demonstrating your knowledge.
Can I…
choose the same title as Yes. You can choose the same title as other students, but you must not work
someone else in my class? together, as this is collusion, a form of academic misconduct. The work you submit
must be your own.
use sources that I am Yes. You should not submit the same assessment for two modules, as this is
reading for my subject? academic misconduct, but you are able to use material you are reading in your
subject module in the AES Coursework.
not use the source I am Yes. You do not have to use the source you are given; but it is recommended as a
given? starting point on the topic. If you find better sources of information for the purposes
of your essay, use those. You will, however, have to do more work if you don’t use
the given source.

Related documents:

Overview presentation of CW 1
Samples of marked student submissions
CW 1 Checklist and Feedback Sheet
CW 1 Submission Template
How to complete the CW 1 Planning document
You need to complete the planning document to show your tutor like this:
Essay title or question:

Title:
Critics depict zoos as animal prisons where animals are exploited for entertainment. Discuss the impacts of
captivity and human interaction on animal behaviour and welfare. To what extent are the concerns upheld by the
scientific community? Add the key question words from your title and what they refer
to – this shows you have understood the question correctly.

Approach verbs Ideas to be explored

Discuss How are animals affected by living in zoos? What are the benefits and
drawbacks? Does it make a difference if animals are born in captivity?
To what extent How far are the claims that zoos do not prioritise animal welfare and
conservation valid?

Issues to be considered You can write in note form, but make sure
it is clear what the key points / arguments
you are going to cover are.

- Who are the critics? Are they scientists?

- What are the main criticisms of zoos? What is the evidence base for the criticisms?

- What are the main effects on animals in captivity in terms of the space they live in? Is it dependent on the animal
or the environment?

- What are the main effects on animals in captivity of human interaction? Does human presence bother animals in
the same way? What is the issue – noise? smell? physical contact?

- Are there issues when animals are in captivity and then are put back into the wild?

- Have zoos done anything to improve conditions and respond to criticisms? Is there evidence that the measures
have been effective?

- What are the positives of zoos / captivity? Conservation / education. Would animals be negatively affected if
there were no zoos?
You don’t need to decide what your
position is yet; this will be informed by
your reading, but if your title asks for a
position, you should show that you plan
to include it.
AES Coursework 1: Source Report

Name: Class: Date:

Essay title or question:

Title:
Critics depict zoos as animal prisons where animals are exploited for entertainment. Discuss the impacts of captivity and human interaction on animal behaviour and
welfare. To what extent are the concerns upheld by the scientific community?

Outline each topic you will cover in answering your essay question. Make sure you
Plan for overall structure of essay: think about the type of essay you are writing when planning the structure of your
essay.
Plan for overall structure
Introduction – context and position: While there are concerns around animal welfare, zoos perform a significant role in both in conservation and education.
Thesis statement: The scientific community are working at a national and global level to mitigate the negative impacts of captivity on animal welfare.
Topic 1. Background: The aims / purpose of zoos
Topic 2. Conservation and Species Protection - the role of zoos
Topic 3. Key issues and concerns related to animal welfare – overview of complexity of the issue
Topic 4. The effect of human visitors on animal behaviour – effect on animal welfare / behaviour and if negative effects can be mitigated
Topic 5. Physical Space and Exhibits – effect on animal welfare / behaviour and if negative effects can be mitigated
Conclusion

Add more topics to the template if you need them.

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Use the following referencing format for your sources:

Books / chapters of books:

Surname, I. and Surname, I. (Year) Title of the book Place of Publication: Publisher
Surname, I. (Year) ‘Chapter of the book’ In: I. Surname & I. Surname (Eds) Title of the book Place of Publication:
Publisher pp.1 - 18

Journal articles (print/ online)

Surname, I. (Year) ‘The Title of the Article’ The Name of the Journal 1 (1), pp. 1- 18

Reports / articles online

Surname, I. (Year) ‘The Title of the Article or Report’ [Online] The Name of the Organisation or website. Available
at: url [Last Accessed 23.07.19]

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Part 1: List of relevant sources
List 5 sources which will be useful in answering your essay question, and are suitable for academic use.
Make sure you use the referencing format provided on page 1. Outline how you found your sources, including where you found the source and how you found it. For three of
your sources, note why it is relevant to your essay.
Reference
1 Conway, W. G. (2011) ‘Buying time
for wild animals with zoos’ Zoo
Biology, 30 (1), 1-8
2 Hosey, G., Melfi, V. and Pankhurst, S.
(2009) Zoo animals: Behaviour,
Management and Welfare. Oxford
University Press, New York (USA)
Type of source:
☒ Academic journal article
☐ Book
☐ Online report / article
☐ Other (state which)
☐ Academic journal article
☐ Book
☒ Online report / article
☐ Other (state which)
I found this source by…
using the University online library with
the search terms ‘endangered species +
conservation’. As this article focussed
specifically on the role of zoos in
conservation it is useful as evidence that
zoos play a vital role, which I plan to
cover in the second part of my essay.
using the online University library with
the search terms ‘zoo + welfare’. I could
see from the chapter headings that there
was useful information on the effect of
captivity on animal behaviour and new
approaches being taken by zoos to
improve animal welfare.
This source is relevant to my essay because…
it presents the argument that today’s zoos
are now the lifeline of a number of species.
The article explains that due to human
interference and the resulting loss of land and
biodiversity, zoos and parks are becoming the
only viable way to protect animals. The article
presents research from the World Association
of Zoos and Aquariums that suggests that
greater resource should be invested in the
conservation work carried out by zoos and
parks. Conway presents and an interesting
perspective that while zoos may not be ideal,
they may be essential in stopping significant
numbers of animal species going extinct due
to human activity and climate change.
it offers a comprehensive overview of the
topic. The books has chapters on several
aspects of zoo management in terms of their
housing, breeding, feeding, etc. from both
welfare and regulation perspectives. Chapter
13 looks at the effects of human visitors on
zoo animals, Chapter 10 focusses on the value
of zoos in conservation and chapter 14
outlines areas where further research is
needed. The book is aimed at those studying
or working in the field, so is accessible but
research-based.
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3 Conde, D. A., Flesness, N., Colchero,
F., Jones, O. R., & Scheuerlein, A.
(2011) ‘An emerging role of zoos to
conserve biodiversity’. Science,
331(6023), 1390-1391
☒ Academic journal article
☐ Book
☐ Online report / article
☐ Other (state which)
following up on a reference. This article
was cited extensively in the Paul-Murphy
and Molter (2019) article, so I located the
full article in the university online library
using the full reference in the
bibliography.
This article presents an argument in favour of
the use of zoos as a means of preserving
endangered species by breeding in captivity.
It is directly related to my essay as it covers
the role of zoos in conservation. This article
provides data on the number of endangered
species, and the success of conservation
programmes in zoos and aquariums.

4 Paul-Murphy, J., & Molter, C. (2019)
‘Overview of Animal Welfare in
Zoos’, In: R. Miller & P.Calle (Eds)
Fowler's Zoo and Wild Animal
Medicine Current Therapy Volume 9,
Elsevier: Missouri, pp. 64-72
☐ Academic journal article
☒ Book
☐ Online report / article
☐ Other (state which)
visiting the university library. There were
multiple copies of the Miller and Calle
book so I assumed it was a core text, and
checked the list of chapters to find the
section most relevant to animal welfare
in zoos.

5 Fernandez, E.J., Tamborski, M.A.,
Pickens, S.R. and Timberlake, W.
(2009) ‘Animal–visitor interactions in
the modern zoo: Conflicts and
interventions’, Applied Animal
Behaviour Science, 120 (1-2), pp.1-8
☒ Academic journal article
☐ Book
☐ Online report / article
☐ Other (state which)
following the recommendation on the
online library. After I had established the
Hosey and Pankhurst article was relevant
to my essay, I checked what other
students had also read, and narrowed the
search to 2000 onwards. The title
indicated that the article would be very
useful in researching the effect of
humans on animals in captivity.

7
Part 2: Source Evaluation and Use of Sources

Complete the source evaluation and overview of useful points from the text for the two sources you did not discuss the relevance of in part 1. Summarise and paraphrase
key information in the text in order to demonstrate that you have understood the sources. You may use bullet points. Note that you cannot include a source you have been
given in this section.

Type of source: Reference:

Journal Fernandez, E.J., Tamborski, M.A., Pickens, S.R. and Timberlake, W. (2009) ‘Animal–visitor interactions in the modern zoo: Conflicts and
interventions’, Applied Animal Behaviour Science, 120 (1-2), pp.1-8
I have identified this source is reliable and appropriate for academic use because…
Criteria Tick all statements which apply and provide an example or evidence where required
Currency ☐ The article is current
The ☐ Research in the area has not been updated
timeliness of ☒My essay requires reference to older research
the REASON: This article provides a comprehensive review of research on zoo exhibits, animal behaviour, and the impact of humans on animals in zoos. The
information article highlights how thinking and approaches to animal welfare have changed over time, and also outlines suggestions for improvements which have
been implemented in recent years.

Authority ☒The authors have the appropriate level of expertise in the field
The source EVIDENCE: Four researchers contributed to this paper; all have worked in various Departments of Psychology or Psychological and Brain Sciences, working
of the with animal behaviour, in both Indiana and Oklahoma Universities. The lead researcher, Eduardo Fernandez, is currently (as of 2020) an animal welfare
information scientist linked with Florida Institute of Technology.

Accuracy ☒The information has been peer-reviewed

The ☒The source uses academic conventions throughout
reliability ☒The arguments are supported by sound evidence
and EVIDENCE: The article references academic and scientific research throughout, including previous research from the article’s authors and also studies in
correctness animal behaviour which is also cited in other sources.
of the
information
Purpose ☒This source has not been commissioned by a company or organisation
The reason ☒The purpose of this source is to inform / educate
the ☒The information contained in this source is presented without bias
information EVIDENCE: The article is written for an academic audience. The article is objective and evaluates both the positive and negative effects of human visitors
exists on animal behaviour.
8

Use of source Note three points from the source which will be useful for your essay and how you will use them
Relevant key point from the text Supporting evidence / example/ data for the key point
Modern zoos have five primary goals: animal
welfare, conservation, education of the public
and entertainment.
Add the page numbers for your evidence as it will
help you find it when you are writing your essay.
Make sure you note any secondary citations so that
you can reference accurately later.
Visitor effects on animals: Noisy crowds
negatively affect animal behaviour: measured
by changes in behaviour and physiology.
Modifying animals’ living space / interaction
with visitors can mitigate some of the negative
effects of human presence.
Your source may be useful for one part of your essay, or several.
Note the relevant topic from your essay plan and indicate why /
how the information is useful.
Which topic from your outline
does this point relate to and in
what way?
- p2 -The majority of visitors come for entertainment (Altman, 1998; Reade & Topic: 1. Background: The aims /
Waren, 1996) but without the element of entertainment, zoos would be unable purpose of zoos
to achieve their other goals. The entertainment factor is essential in generating
income and raising awareness of conservation.
- p4 - Anderson et al. (2003); Hosey (2005) – entertainment ensures that visitors
This information is useful because
visit zoos repeatedly – this generates revenue for conservation and animal care.
it highlights that while welfare is a
- p2 - Anderson et al. (2003); Hosey (2005) – study shows time people spend
goal of zoos, entertainment is
with animals leads to positive perceptions of animals, which leads to an
essential in making sure zoos have
increased support for conservation projects.
the money to support this.
Changes in behaviour: Topic: 4. The effect of human
- p5 - Mallapur & Chellam (2002) - Leopards increased ‘pacing’ when the zoo visitors on animal behaviour –
was extremely busy. Interpreted as an attempt to maintain distance from effect on animal welfare /
visitors, possible attempt to escape. behaviour and if negative effects
- p5 - Birke (2002) - Orangutans covered their heads with paper sacks and can be mitigated.
infants held onto their mothers significantly more with large group of visitors
- p5 - Chamove et al. (1988) - Tamarins, Diana monkeys, ring-tailed lemurs and
This information is useful because
mandrills - increase in aggression and a decrease in grooming, inactivity when
it provides specific examples of
visitors were present.
how animal behaviour changes in
Changes in physiology:
zoo s. Note if the source is useful for supporting
- p5 - Davis et al, (2005) Spider Monkeys - measure stress by via urinary cortisol
levels indicates positive correlation between cortisol levels and visitor an argument / presenting a counter-
argument / providing data or examples.
numbers
- Most studies suggest that zoo visitors produce stress, but Margulis et al. Topic: 5. Physical Space and
(2003); Nimon & Dalziel (1992) suggest that animals may adjust and become Exhibits – effect on animal welfare
accustomed to zoo visitors.as expected. p6 - Anderson et al. (2002); Davis et al. / behaviour and if negative effects
(2005) - Exhibits design to be ‘naturalistic’ and provide retreats to give the can be mitigated
animals some control in stressful situations.
9
 - p5 - Anderson et al. (2002) - African pygmy goats and Romanov sheep - an This information is useful because
increase in ‘petting zoo’ visitors led to aggressive and escape behaviour as the it provides evidence through
animals found it difficult to form distance from humans. When a retreat space examples that changes to physical
was provided, undesirable behaviours were reduced. space can help improve animal
- p6 - Blaney Wells (2004); Wells (2005) - Gorillas - less aggressive and less behaviour.
abnormal behaviour when camouflage netting was installed.

Type of source: Reference:

Book Paul-Murphy, J., & Molter, C. (2019) ‘Overview of Animal Welfare in Zoos’, In: R. Miller & P.Calle (Eds) Fowler's Zoo
and Wild Animal Medicine Current Therapy Volume 9, Elsevier: Missouri, pp. 64-72.
I have identified this source is reliable and appropriate for academic use because…
Criteria Tick all statements which apply and provide an example or evidence where required
Currency ☒The article is current
The ☐ Research in the area has not been updated
timeliness of ☐ My essay requires reference to older research
the REASON: The article was published in 2019 and refers to many changes in zoo and conservation management that have happened very recently. All the
information data used in the source is from within the past 10 years.

Authority ☒The authors have the appropriate level of expertise in the field
The source EVIDENCE: The authors are reputable researchers and professors at the University of California working in the field of veterinary medicine.
of the
information

Accuracy ☐ The information has been peer-reviewed

The ☒The source uses academic conventions throughout
reliability ☒The arguments are supported by sound evidence
and EVIDENCE: The article cites a sources and data throughout to support its claims. It also refers to government guidelines and regulations from around the
correctness world which can be verified on government websites.
of the
information

Purpose ☒This source has not been commissioned by a company or organisation

The reason ☒The purpose of this source is to inform / educate
the ☒The information contained in this source is presented without bias
10
information EVIDENCE: The purpose of the article is to give an overview of what animal welfare means. It also discusses how this is assessed in zoos along with the
exists principles and guidelines that those who work in zoos follow.
Use of source Note three points from the source which will be useful for your essay and how you will use them
Relevant key point from the text
A key issue around the discussion of animal
welfare is the lack of an international
standard, and also disparity between the
needs of different animals; this makes the
establishment of a ‘standard’ problematic.
Efforts have been made to establish a
system of measuring animal welfare in
captivity: ‘animal-based’ and ‘resource-
based’ (Blokhuis 2008).
One approach to addressing animal welfare
is designing animals spaces based on
species.
Supporting evidence / example/ data for the key point Which topic from your outline does
this point relate to and in what
way?
- Duncan (1981) – A new perspective of animal welfare is that welfare refers to a Topic: 3. Key issues and concerns
characteristic of the individual animal. related to animal welfare –
- Hill & Broom (2009); Koene (2013) - Animals in zoos come from a variety of overview of complexity of the issue
backgrounds, with differing life experiences and ability to reaction to challenges.
For example, an animal that stays in zoos its whole life and one that is
This information is useful because
temporarily resident until reintroduced to the wild require different skills or
it provides reasons why the issue is
another example of an animal brought into an urban zoo from a semi-free-
complex.
ranging facility or vice versa.
- p3 - Blokhuis (2008) - ‘Animal-based welfare’ focuses on the physical, Topic: 3. Key issues and concerns
behavioural, and mental state of the animals and is measured from the animals’ related to animal welfare –
perspectives, which can be scientifically challenging i.e. mental state. overview of complexity of the issue
‘Resource-based welfare’ focuses on natural history such as the amount of
space, temperature, diet, and veterinary care.
This information is useful because
it explains what is being done to
- Maslow’s hierarchy addressed Animal Rights and results in an animal retaining
address the issue.
and encouraging natural abilities. The foundations for survival include
physiologic needs for shelter, water, and hygiene. Followed by the animals’
physical health and safety needs. Finally, welfare-related activities, such as social
needs, mental stimulation, and choice. www.waza.org/en/site/home p.4
- p3 - Kagan & Veasey (2010) – ‘Exhibit design’ must be species-specific, Topic: 5. Physical Space and Exhibits
incorporate appropriate space; environmental enrichment, natural exercise and – effect on animal welfare /
social interactions with other animals in the location. As outlined in Blokhuis behaviour and if negative effects
(2008) resource based welfare. can be mitigated
- p5 - Kagan & Veasey (2010) – A priority for the welfare of an animal in captivity is
This information is useful because
that the animal should be able to perform and behave as they would in a natural
it outlines a possible solution to
environment / the wild.
welfare concerns.
- p1 - Mench & Kreger (1996) - It is the responsibility of the zoo to demonstrate a
current and up to date knowledge of animals’ needs by providing a suitable
environment.
11
Part 3

Bullet point key conclusions you have drawn from your reading of the five sources and any areas you need to research further.

Conclusions drawn from your reading

My research has shown that…

• There are valid criticisms of zoos – particularly in countries where regulation is weak or unclear, but there is evidence that many zoos have invested research and
resources into mitigating against welfare issues.
• Research suggests that there are significant benefits to animal conservation through being kept in captivity.
• There is evidence that the situation it is improving all the time due to growing awareness of animal needs and support for conservation projects.
• The scientific community are very aware of the challenges presented by keeping animals in captivity and are working collaboratively to find solutions.

I need to do more research to find…

• Although my reading indicated that many countries are making sure animal welfare is prioritised and that the primary function of zoos is conservation, I need to
read further to find out if there are any countries or areas where this is not the case.
• I also want to find out if there is a link between strong government regulation and animal welfare. It may be the case that there are countries where regulation is
weaker, but there are excellent conservation projects happening as government involvement does not always lead to safer practice for animals.

12