ULMS577 & ULMJ577 Critical Perspectives on Consumption Assignment 2 brief: Individual Essay

ULMS577 & ULMJ577 Critical Perspectives on Consumption Assignment 2 brief

Individual Essay (3000 words, worth 60% of module mark)

On this module we discuss critical perspectives on consumption topics through a range of topics. You will be given three questions below that relate to several of these topics. You must answer one question – you can choose any one of the three questions below. The essay should be up to 3000 words.

Submission deadline:

Monday 11th May 2026 12pm

How to submit your work: Online via Canvas
Maximum length of this coursework element:
3000 words

Essay Structure and Format:

Your key focus in this assignment should be on developing a coherent and well supported and evidenced argument. You are free to argue only for, or only against the question, or you may argue both sides. This will be a judgement for yourselves based on your knowledge and understanding of the topic. When using evidence to support your argument please use largely academic sources (journal articles) but also examples and reference to media, industry sources where it helps your case. However, where examples are included try to keep them short, too much detail in examples can result in an overly descriptive essay and detract from the space you have to develop your argument. You only have 3000 words so it is better to make a smaller number of well-argued and supported points than try to cover too much.
To give you a guide about the number of academic (journal article) references we expect, this should be at least 15 references (academic journal articles). However, when including references bear in mind that there is not necessarily any advantage in including high volumes of references – instead focus on the relevance and appropriateness of those you do choose (we are looking for focus and quality over quantity).
In structuring your essay avoid giving too much background to the topic instead try to focus very clearly on the question and think about how each paragraph contributes to your argument. Each paragraph should develop one or two key points of your argument using evidence. The early stages of your essay preparation will be reading around the topic to decide what you think the most important points are. Your essay should be a word document using a Times New Roman 12-point font and 2.0 line spacing. Please use a consistent system of referencing.

Topics (choose one question to answer):

Assignment question 1: Is ethical consumption possible in contemporary consumer society?

Assignment question 2: Why do consumers misbehave and how can marketers manage misbehaviour effectively?

Assignment question 3: Can marketing representations of gender and race challenge stereotypes and promote consumer wellbeing (e.g., in the case of femvertising)?

Marking Criteria:

You should consult the marking criteria for all assessments carefully. Specific marking criteria for the coursework is provided below. In addition, please ensure you are aware of the generic marking criteria. Descriptors of work in each band can be found at: https://www.liverpool.ac.uk/intranet/management-school/assessment/

Marking Criteria for Assignments