
MHSC8.003 Background to this Assessment
This assessment invites students to engage critically with both the clinical and global dimensions of physical activity for health. It is structured into two interconnected parts.
Part A encourages you to reflect on the role of exercise as medicine, drawing on evidence- based literature to understand its application as a therapeutic and preventive health intervention.
Part B focuses on examining a global initiative that aims to promote physical activity among populations. You will assess the initiative’s goals, evidence base, and effectiveness in improving physical activity outcomes, as well as propose any future recommendations based on your critical analysis.
This assessment addresses the following learning outcomes:
- LO2: Critically reflect on the role of exercise as medicine.
- LO3: Critically examine global initiatives to improve physical activity.
Together, the two parts will support your ability to apply theoretical knowledge to real- world practice across both individual and population health settings.
MHSC8.003 Assessment Task
You are required to submit a two-part written essay (3000 words total) that addresses the following:
1.Part A: Exercise as Medicine (1500 words)
2.Part B: Global Physical Activity Initiative or Campaign (1500 words)
Guidelines
Review your lectures from Week 1 and 6 on the course site. Review the following sections:
- Evidence underpinning Physical Activity
- Physical Activity Risks
- Physical Activity Trends and Opportunities
- Physical Activity Initiatives and Campaigns
For Part A: Exercise as Medicine (1500 words)
Aligned to LO2 | Evidence underpinning physical activity + Physical activity risks
In this section, you are required to:
- Describe the concept of exercise as medicine.
- Discuss the current evidence base that supports the use of physical activity as a preventive and therapeutic intervention. Include examples relevant to your area of interest.
- Identify and explain potential risks, or challenges associated with prescribing physical activity, especially for specific populations (e.g., people with chronic illness, older adults, or those with disabilities).
- Evaluate how well the concept of exercise as medicine is integrated into health systems or practice in your context (e.g., New Zealand, or your country of origin). Consider the role of healthcare providers, referral systems, training, and accessibility.
Part B: Global Physical Activity Initiative or Campaign (1500 words)
Aligned to LO3 | Select a global or national initiative, strategy, or campaign designed to increase population-level physical activity. In this section you are required to:
- Outline the objectives, and target population of the initiative.
- Situate the initiative within emerging trends and opportunities for physical activity (e.g., active transport, digital tools, nature-based movement).
- Identify and critique the strengths and limitations of the initiative in achieving its goals.
- Provide future recommendations to strengthen the initiative (e.g., through integration with health services, inclusion of marginalised communities, or improving accessibility and reach)
Use peer-reviewed literature and Weeks 1 to 6 learning materials to support your discussion.
- You can find the two submission drop boxes on your Moodle course page under the assessments tab. Please ensure that you submit your assessment in both the drop boxes (with grammar correction and without grammar correction).
- You can access EIT support services for academic writing. This information is provided on your Moodle course page, under the Learner Support tab or click on the link provided here: EIT
Formatting
- Use the format of an academic report
- Word count of the assessment is approximately 3000 words (excluding references and appendices, the additional material will not be graded).
- Use recent and relevant references to support your points and cite your references accurately.
- Make sure that your font size and style is consistent throughout your article.
- Ensure that you spell check and grammar check your work.
- Check when to use capital letters.
- Use APA 7th referencing format for both the in-text citation and the list of references.
MHSC8.003 ASSESSMENT MARKING CRITERIA
OVERALL GRADE: %
Grade description
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‘A’ grade (> 80%)
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‘B’ grade (65% - 79.9%)
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‘C’ grade (50% - 64.9%)
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Fail grade (<50%)
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Research Knowledge base
15%
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Demonstrates a proficient command of the subject matter.
Excels in explaining all major points clearly and concisely.
Demonstrates a consistent ability to seek out reliable information to improve knowledge.
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Demonstrates an adequate level of knowledge of subject matter with only minor gaps in knowledge- base.
Explains most of the major points clearly and concisely.
Demonstrates an adequate ability to seek out reliable information to improve knowledge.
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Demonstrates a general, fundamental understanding of the subject matter but with some obvious gaps in the knowledge base.
Has attempted to explain major points but not always successful at doing so clearly and/or concisely.
Demonstrates some ability to seek out information to improve knowledge.
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Demonstrates little or no understanding of the subject matter.
Has not explained the major points clearly or concisely.
Demonstrates very little or no ability to seek out information to improve knowledge.
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Synthesis and analysis of information
25%
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Demonstrates a clear understanding of the assessment requirements.
Provides a comprehensive analysis and synthesis of details, facts and concepts.
Provides a robust conclusion after presenting a variety of well-supported points for discussion.
Presents a highly structured argument, using information from a variety of robust sources.
Proficiently explains complex ideas or concepts in simple terms.
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Demonstrates a generally adequate level of understanding of the assessment requirements.
Provides a moderate level of analysis of details, facts and concepts.
Provides a conclusion after presenting some well- supported points for discussion.
Presents a structured argument, using information from robust sources.
Adequately explains complex ideas or concepts in simple terms.
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Demonstrates some understanding of the assessment requirements but has not fully understood them.
Provides some analysis of details, facts and concepts.
Provides a conclusion after presenting a limited number of well-supported points for discussion.
Presents a structured argument, but supported with limited information from robust sources.
Explains some complex ideas or concepts in simple terms.
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Demonstrates little or no understanding of the assessment requirements.
Shows no or little evidence of analysis of details, facts and concepts.
Presents a weak conclusion with very few or no well-supported points for discussion.
Demonstrates little or no ability to present a structured argument and support it with information from robust sources.
Explains few or no complex ideas or concepts in simple terms.
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Evidence of critical thinking
25%
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Highly competent critiquing of information presented.
Proficiently discusses conflicting pieces of information to produce an evidence-based conclusion.
Proficiently supports a conflicting viewpoint when responding to information presented by others.
Demonstrates a proficient level of clinical / diagnostic reasoning.
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Adequate critiquing of information presented.
Adequatelydiscusses conflicting pieces of information to produce an evidence-based conclusion.
Adequately supports a conflicting viewpoint when responding to information presented by others.
Demonstrates an adequate level of clinical / diagnostic reasoning.
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Some critiquing of information presented.
Some discussion of conflicting pieces of information to produce an evidence-based conclusion.
Some support of a conflicting viewpoint when responding to information presented by others.
Demonstrates some clinical / diagnostic reasoning.
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Poor or no critiquing of information presented.
Little or no discussion of conflicting pieces of information to produce an evidence-based conclusion.
Little or no support of a conflicting viewpoint when responding to information presented by others.
Demonstrates little or no clinical / diagnostic reasoning.
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Use of academic literature
15%
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Uses a wide variety of relevant and up-to-date sources of information, primarily from peer- reviewed literature.
Presents all sources of information accurately in APA 7th style in the text and reference list.
Consistently integrates the literature as a foundation for well-argued reasoning.
Proficient in paraphrasing academic literature accurately and concisely.
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Uses a range of relevant sources of information but not always the latest and/or peer-reviewed literature.
Presents most sources of information accurately in APA 7th style in the text and reference list, with some errors/omissions.
Generally integrates the literature as a foundation for argument. Adequate in paraphrasing academic literature accurately and concisely.
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Uses some relevant literature but little of the latest and/or peer-reviewed literature.
Presents some sources of information accurately in APA 7th style in the text and reference list, with many errors/omissions.
Some integration of the literature.
Demonstrates some ability to paraphrase academic literature accurately and concisely.
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Uses little relevant literature and/or peer- reviewed literature, and/or uses outdated literature.
Presents sources of information inaccurately and/or not in APA 7th style.
Very few or no links made between the literature and the assessment topic / subject.
Demonstrates little ability to paraphrase academic literature accurately and concisely.
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Academic writing skills
15%
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Consistently presents information in a logical sequence.
Proficient formulation of sentences and use of grammar
Consistently adheres to the EIT ‘Academic Writing Style’ guidelines.
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Presents most of the information in a logical sequence.
Adequate formulation of sentences and use of grammar.
Generally adheres to the EIT ‘Academic Writing Style’ guidelines.
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Presents some of the information in a logical sequence.
Writing difficult to follow in places and/or numerous minor grammatical.
Sometimes adheres to the EIT ‘Academic Writing Style’ guidelines.
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Little or no logical flow to the delivery of information.
Poor formulation throughout and/or numerous grammatical errors.
Rarely adheres to the EIT ‘Academic Writing Style’ guidelines.
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Reflection 5%
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Proficient in reflecting on learnings from the course and identifying areas for improvement.
Proficient in demonstrating how learnings from the course
have been used to improve practice.
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Adequate in reflecting on learnings from the course and identifying areas for improvement.
Adequately demonstrated how learnings from the course have been used to improve practice.
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Demonstrates some ability to reflect on learnings from the course and identify areas for improvement.
Some demonstration of how learnings from the course have been used to improve practice.
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Demonstrates little or no ability to reflect on learnings from the course and identify areas for improvement.
Demonstrates little or no ability to utilise learnings from the course to improve practice.
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