Value: 100% (For a supplementary assessment, you will receive a grade of a ‘Pass’ or Fail’)
Word limit: 1500 +/- 10% (excluding references)
Due: To be set by your course coordinator
Assignment topic:
Communication skills are the most important tool any healthcare professional can possess. With this in mind, discuss four (4) strategies to enhance therapeutic communication between a healthcare professional and a person in their care. Explore the topic with consideration to a person in an aged, paediatric or disability care setting.
Details of task:
You are required to write a fully referenced academic essay on the topic above, choosing one of the patient groups listed above to focus on. Please write it in a third person perspective from the views of healthcare professionals in general.
What is an academic essay?
An academic essay is a structured piece of writing with an introduction, body, conclusion and reference list of sources cited in the essay. Use of section titles are not required but encouraged.
Writing an essay involves:
• Analysing the assignment instructions and understanding the topic
• Brainstorming ideas for points to discuss
• Conceptualising a research question (an essay is a structured, evidence-based answer to a question, so it is important to be clear on what question you are trying to answer).
• Database searching to find relevant articles to inform your ideas and provide evidence for your arguments.
• Effective reading to evaluate the relevance and credibility of your articles, quickly identify
important information, and make effective notes in your own words.
• Figuring out a structure to present your points in a logical way, with a flow of information from the introduction (which introduces the topic and its context), through key points and leading to the overall conclusion (or take-home message).
• Get writing to put your ideas down and ensure they are supported with evidence, then review what you have written to ensure the content is appropriate.
• Having a break so you have time to look at your work with fresh eyes and…
• Identify errors. Make sure your work actually says what you think it said. Look for any grammatical, typographical, spelling or referencing errors. Finally check your formatting against requirements.
• You may need to repeat some of these steps several times, so it is important to allow plenty of time to complete your work effectively. Academic essays are rarely written well when left to the last minute.
Assessment Structure:
Your essay must include the following:
1. Introduction (10 -15% of total length).
a. Introduce the concept of effective communication in your specific health context
b. Provide an overview of the case study you have chosen.
c. Outline the main points you will discuss in the body paragraphs
d. Use in-text citations and ensure they are reflected in the reference list.
2. Body paragraphs (5 paragraphs)
a. Using the headings and prompts as a guide provided in the essay template, create
complete paragraphs applying academic writing style, plus evidence to support your claims using in-text citations.
b. Highlight important elements from the case study that will determine your communication strategies
c. Your writing should include analysis and synthesis of the research.
3. Conclusion (10% of total length)
4. Reference list: APA 7th edition
a. You are required to reference a minimum of eight academic sources (e.g. textbooks, peer reviewed journal articles).
b. Resources such as websites, legislations, and government sites are in addition to the minimum of eight academic resources.
c. Reference list is NOT included in the word count, but in-text citations are included in the word count.
Referencing requirements:
• Direct quotes should be avoided where possible in academic writing. If deemed necessary, all quotations must be referenced correctly using APA 7th edition.
• All resources should be less than 7 years old, unless of historical significance.
• We encourage you to read widely and use the most current research you can find. If you have a journal article that falls outside the 7-year limit, ask the following:
o Have I searched for a more recent article? (Try searching the databases using key words from the references that you have already)
o Is there anything more recent that could replace it?
o Does it contain important information that is relevant and has historical significance to the assessment task? Can I justify using an older source for the academic assessment task?
Formatting:
What your document should look like:
Cover Page: Course ID: HEALT 1113
Assessment name and title: Supplementary assessment
Student Name and Student ID number.
Course Coordinators name:
Date submitted:
Word Count

Margins: 2.5 cm
Page numbers: Every page
Font type: Times New Roman or Arial.
Font size 11-12 pt.
Headings: Bold and left aligned.
Header: Name and Student ID Number.
Alignment of Text: Left aligned.
Line spacing: Double line spacing throughout.
Resources to help you complete your assignments:
Research skills: The following links will assist you with finding the resources you need to write this task.
• Library home page: https://federation.edu.au/library
• Library resource on search strategies: https://federation.edu.au/library/studentresources/help-with-searching
Academic writing style: The following link has downloads that will help you develop effective academic writing skills.
• Study Skills website: https://studyskills.federation.edu.au/student-skills/writing/
Referencing: The following links will assist you with developing your referencing skills.
• FedCite: https://federation.edu.au/library/student-resources/fedcite
• Study Skills website: https://studyskills.federation.edu.au/referencing/
Learning support: The following are links to support services that can assist you with your study and writing skills.
• ASK Desk: https://federation.edu.au/ask
• Learning Skills Advisers: https://federation.edu.au/lsa
• Studiosity: https://federation.edu.au/studiosity
Assessment Submission:
To be confirmed with your Campus Course Coordinator