Access to Higher Education:
Health Studies/Combined Studies
ASSIGNMENT GUIDELINES
Theme and Unit title: Health Studies
Unit 1 - Health and Disease: an introduction.
Student Name:
Title of assignment: Essay "Lifestyle plays a key role in influencing health and in the
development of disease. Discuss. " Word count of 1500- 2000
Date issued: Week 4 - w/c 27/09.10
Submission date: Week 10 w/c 22/11/10
Work presented in an assessment must be your own. Plagiarism is where a student copies work
from another source, published or unpublished (including the work of another student) and fails to
acknowledge the influence of another’s work or to attribute quotes to the author. Plagiarism is an
academic offence. If you are thought to have plagiarised someone else’s work this could result in
disciplinary action.
I have read the above information and I can confirm that this work is my own, and that any
sources used have been acknowledged using the appropriate referencing system.
Signature:…………………………………………………………………..Date: ……………………………………………
ASSIGNMENT GUIDELINES
"Lifestyle plays a key role in influencing health and in the development of disease. Discuss."

As this is your first essay style assignment you are provided overleaf with a suggested
format to help you select content and structure your essay in a logical sequence.

Your work will be assessed against the criteria identified on page 3

If the work meets the level 3 criteria then it will be graded against the criteria
identified on page 4.

Remember that principally work that is mainly descriptive is level 2 and to achieve at L3
there must be evidence of evaluation and independent research.
You are advised to utilise:
 The handouts provided in your health studies lessons including those on referencing and
your related notes.
 The handouts issued in communications on essay writing and other related writing skills.
 Learning Resources booklet on referencing together with your own independent research
to assist you in this assignment.
PLEASE ENSURE THESE GUIDELINES ARE SUBMITTED WITH YOUR ASSIGNMENT
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1
SUGGESTED FORMAT
Remember that an academic essay should be written in continuous prose, with no
use of bullet points or subheadings. Use paragraphs to distinguish the different
areas/sections of your essay. Try to use phrases that will lead/link the paragraphs.
Try not to use personal pronouns. Remember to acknowledge your sources where
relevant and reference using an appropriate referencing system.
Introduction – This should outline the structure of your essay i.e. what you intend to
write about and in what order. Identify the need to discuss what health, disease and
lifestyle are before discussing the influence lifestyle has on health and disease. If you
have chosen to focus on certain factors and diseases you should identify this in your
introduction.
Define health/Discussing what is meant by being healthy: Introduce some of the key
points i.e. the difficulties in defining health, the complex nature of health and the
different dimensions of health. Include some examples of definitions with
critique/discussion.
Describe/Explain how disease may be classified. Briefly describe what a disease is.
Explain some of the different methods that may be used to classify diseases. Explain
some of the difficulties that may arise when attempting to classify diseases into various
categories.
Describe/Evaluate the role of epidemiology in the study of health and disease
Explain what epidemiology is and then evaluate the role epidemiology has played in
identifying how lifestyle factors contribute to the maintenance of human health and the
development of lifestyle disease. i.e. what are the strengths and limitations of
epidemiological studies. You may find it helpful to use an example e.g. the role of
epidemiological studies in developing our understanding of the links between smoking
and the development of lung cancer.
Describe/Explain the role of lifestyle factors in the maintenance of human health
and in the development of lifestyle disease.
Explain the role of lifestyle factors in influencing health and the development of
disease. You are recommended to focus on a two or three lifestyle factors as a more
detailed explanation of a smaller selection of factors is better than a superficial
explanation of larger number of factors and their related diseases.
You should end your essay with a brief summary and/or conclusion.
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LEARNING OUTCOMES
1. Understand the term health
2. Understand the different categories of disease.
3. Understand the role of epidemiology in the study of health and disease.
4. Understand the role of lifestyle in the maintenance of human health and the concept of
lifestyle diseases.
ASSESSMENT CRITERIA LEVEL 2
1.1 Define health.
2.1 Describe how diseases may be classified.
3.1 Describe the role of epidemiology in the study of health and disease.
4.1 Describe the role of lifestyle factors in the maintenance of human health.
4.2 Describe the role of lifestyle factors in the development of disease.
ASSESSMENT CRITERIA LEVEL 3
1.1 Discuss what is meant by being healthy.
2.1 Explain how diseases may be classified.
3.1 Evaluate the role of epidemiology in the study of health and disease.
4.1 Explain the role of lifestyle factors in the maintenance of human health.
4.2 Explain the role of lifestyle factors in the development of disease.
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3
If all learning outcomes are achieved at level 3 the assignment will be graded according
to the grade descriptors below. For this assignment grading criteria 2 and 7 apply.
Descriptor
Content for merit
Content for distinction
Guidance
2.
Application of
knowledge
Makes use of the
relevant ideas and
perspectives with
either breadth or
depth
Makes use of the
relevant ideas and
perspectives with both
breadth or depth
Your essay must include the
relevant ideas and perspectives
both in depth and breadth.
The assignment
work is:
The assignment work is:
Structured in a way
that is generally
logical and fluent.
Structured in a way
that is consistently
logical and fluent.
You have been provided with a
suggested format, this
provides a logical structure for
your essay and you are advised
to utilise this.
Taken as a whole
demonstrates a
very good response
to the demands of
the
brief/assignment.
Taken as a whole
demonstrates an
excellent response to
the demands of the
brief/assignment
7.
Quality
i.e. Think carefully when
choosing content Ensure you
chose only what is relevant to
the assignment criteria. Your
content must demonstrate
breadth and depth to achieve a
distinction.
Ensure that all of the concepts
you introduce are clearly
explained and are presented
logically and fluently. i.e.
Ensure that there are phrases
that link one part of the essay
with the next part.
Your work should be written in
academic essay style i.e.
continuous prose, with no use
of bullet points or subheadings
and no use of personal
pronouns..
Your work should demonstrate
that you have used your class
notes and handouts together
with your own independent
research. The latter should be
evidenced by at least one
reference (merit) two
references (distinction) cited
correctly in the text and listed
correctly in a reference list.
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Access to Higher Education:
Health Studies/Combined Studies
FEEDBACK SHEET
Theme and Unit title: Health Studies
Unit 1 - Health and Disease; an introduction.
Student Name:
Title of assignment: Essay "Lifestyle plays a key role in influencing health and in the
development of disease. Discuss. " Word count of 1500- 2000
Date issued: Week 4 - w/c 27/09.10
Submission date: Week 10 w/c 22/11/10
Markers comments:
Initial submission level awarded:
Resubmission level awarded:
TUTOR/ASSESSOR : Janet Vickers
SIGNED:
DATE:
INTERNAL VERIFIER
SIGNED:
DATE:
Internal Verifiers Comments:
TUTOR/ASSESSOR : Janet Vickers
SIGNED
DATE:
INTERNAL VERIFIER
SIGNED:
DATE
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5
Learning Outcomes:
Level
achieved 1st
submission
Level
achieved 2nd
submission
1. Understand the term health
2. Understand the different categories of disease.
3. Understand the role of epidemiology in the study of health and
disease.
4. Understand the role of lifestyle in the maintenance of human
health and the concept of lifestyle diseases.
Assessment Criteria
To achieve at Level 2 you need to:
Met ()/Not Met(x)
1 sub
2nd sub
st
1.2 Define health.
2.1 Describe how diseases may be classified.
3.1 Describe the role of epidemiology in the study of health and
disease.
4.1 Describe the role of lifestyle factors in the maintenance of
human health.
4.2 Describe the role of lifestyle factors in the development of
disease.
Met()/Not Met(x)
To achieve at Level 3 you need to:
1.1 Discuss what is meant by being healthy.
1st sub
2nd sub
2.1 Explain how diseases may be classified.
3.1 Evaluate the role of epidemiology in the study of health and
disease.
4.1 Explain the role of lifestyle factors in the maintenance of
human health.
4.2 Explain the role of lifestyle factors in the development of
disease.
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If all learning outcomes are achieved at level 3 the assignment will be graded for this
assignment grading criteria 2 and 7 apply.
Descriptor
Grade awarded
Comment
2.
Application of
knowledge
7.
Quality
Markers comments:
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7