Posted: July 20th, 2022

SPS101

SCHOOL OF APPLIED SCIENCES
Division of Sport & Exercise Science
Module Reference Number: SPS101
Module Title: Social Science for Sport & Exercise
Level: 7
Academic Session: 2022-23
Term: 1
Module Tutor: Dr David Scott
Unit: Unit 2
Associated Learning Outcomes: 3, 4 and 5
LO3: Demonstrate a basic understanding of key social issues in sport and exercise
LO4: Demonstrate a basic understanding of methodologies associated with social science
disciplines in sport and exercise
LO5: Acknowledge and apply knowledge of wider social issues to case study examples within
sport and exercise contexts
Title of assignment: Unit 2 (70%) Essay, 2000 words
Select ONE question from the following options.
Option 1: Many have said that ‘sport and politics do not mix’. Discuss this statement
using appropriate examples and reference to political ideology(ies).
Option 2: Does inequality and/or discrimination still exist in contemporary sport
contexts? Using social theory and appropriate examples, explain how one form
of social inequality still exists in contemporary sporting contexts.
To pass this coursework
* Select ONE of the questions presented and address the marking criteria.
* The topic chosen should be introduced using appropriate academic definitions for key
concepts, and theoretical/political ideas.
* The essay should identify an example to illustrate and/or emphasise the argument being
made in the essay.
* The essay should also be summarised and points identified for social progression; that is
what can we learn from this case study and the research provided.
* References should be made to academic sources (preferably academic journal articles) and
key legislation and policy where appropriate.
Criteria for assessment
• Meets the assignment title and outline
• Critical thinking
• Application of social/political theory and empirical research to the essay question/title
• Structure and organisation of the work (logical flow of discussion and argument)
• Clarity and quality of writing (grammar, spelling, and punctuation)
2
• Presentation and formatting
Assessment will take the form of an essay of no more than 2,000 words (including in-text
references, but excluding the reference list).
Scholarly (style) guidelines
• Should follow a logical flow and organisation
• Should be written in an academic style
• Student’s understanding of the topic area should be evident
• Grammar, spelling, punctuation should be of a high standard
• References must be in an Abertay Harvard format (students based in different Divisions
[e.g. psychology, engineering and food science] may use APA if they so wish).
Presentation of work to include:
A word-processed document with the following formatting:
• Double line spacing
• A sans serif font of size 12
• Page numbering
• Justified or left aligned text
• A title page with the student’s name registration number, the title of the assessment
and essay question chosen, module name/number and module leader’s name.
Plagiarism and study skills
All work submitted will be checked for similarity and plagiarism. Please refer to the Abertay
University’s guidelines regarding plagiarism. Help with referencing, grammar, avoiding
plagiarism etc. is available from the Study Skills pages on MLS, Student Support and Services,
and the Learner Development Service.
3
Submission and return of work
Your essay must be submitted via the SPS101 My Learning Space site no later than 11.59pm
on Monday 28th November 2022.
Where coursework is handed in late and there are no valid mitigating circumstances, the work
will be accepted up to 5 working days late. Late coursework will be adjusted on a sliding scale
with half a letter grade deducted for each day late for the first five working days, after which
the only grade awarded will be an NS0. Late submissions will not be accepted where
coursework is marked as pass/fail basis and an NS0 will be recorded in these cases. This is
subject to change in line with university regulations. Please note that if you are awarded an
extension (e.g. 48 hrs, 1 week, 2 weeks) then there is no late submission allowed; it must be
submitted on the final day of the extension period. If late then an NS0 will be awarded.
Please retain a receipt of the electronic submission (e.g., a screen grab) and copy of your
own work in case of future need.
Return of coursework will be according to the university guidelines. If submitted up to and
including week 12 of a term feedback is to be given within 10 working days. For final units of
assessment or those submitted in weeks 13, 14 or week 15 of each term (and for honours
dissertation assessments) feedback to students is to be given within 15 working days.
The marking criteria for the assessment is shown on the following page
OPTION ONE
Many have said that ‘sport and politics do not mix’. Discuss this statement using
appropriate examples and reference to political ideology(ies).
Introduction, (10%)
• Provide a clear statement addressing the essay title
• Provide a brief discussion around the relationship between sport and politics using
appropriate literature to support points
• Provide an overview of how you will approach the task – what example are you going to
use (inc. country, time period etc.)? What political ideology is this example framed in?
Outlining the political ideology (20%)
• Define and discuss the political system and/or ideology in which the example you’re
providing sits. Use academic sources to support your points.
• Provide an overview of the wider socio-cultural context associated with the example(s)
you will use, linked to the political ideology (e.g. examples of what social life looked like
in the country/time/society) you have chosen to look at to illustrate how the political
ideology operated in the day-to-day lives of those living within it. Use academic sources
to support your points.
The selection and discussion of a good and appropriate case study example to support the
statement in the introduction (50%)
• Provide a clear discussion of the sport/exercise example(s) that illustrates your argument
(i.e., sport and politics do or no not mix).
4
• Where possible draw upon/highlight key characteristics of the political ideology to
explain the example (i.e., how the political system you’re focusing on uses(d)
sport/exercise).
• What, if any, legislation exists/ed to support the political ideology and the associated
system’s use of sport/exercise?
• Academic journal articles providing commentary on this or similar events should be
drawn upon to support your argument.
• All points should be referenced using academic, peer-reviewed literature
• Information discussed should be relayed back to the argument or point made about the
overarching statement in the essay title
Conclusion (10%)
Provide a summary of the argument you have provided, referring back to your stance on the
statement provided and key points within the main body. Do not include new information.
Key sources should be cited where appropriate.
References (5%)
Recent and appropriate sources used and correctly cited in Harvard format or APA for
students outwith sport
Style and format (5%)
The work should be presented as an academic essay, using headings and subheadings to aid
structure and flow. The marking criteria provides a guide for this, but the final essay should
be a coherent piece. Use appropriate terminology and academic style throughout; avoid
colloquialisms and non-inclusive language.
5
OPTION TWO
Does inequality and/or discrimination still exist in contemporary sport contexts? Using social
theory and appropriate examples, explain how one form of social inequality still exists in
contemporary sporting contexts.
Introduction, (10%)
• Provide a clear statement addressing the essay question
• Provide an overview of how you will approach the task – what form of inequality will you
focus on, what example(s) from sport/exercise are you going to focus on (country, date etc.)?
• Define key concepts (e.g., gender/sex) using appropriate sources
• Provide a brief discussion about the socio-historical context of the form of inequality you will
focus on (i.e., how does this form of social inequality manifest in individuals’ day-to-day lives
outside of sport). Use appropriate sources to support your points.
Outlining of social theory (20%)
• Select an appropriate and logical social theory to understand the phenomenon you are
focusing on.
• Introduce the theory/theorist – how has their work contributed to sport/exercise? Draw
upon journal articles where the theorists work has been used to support your points.
• What are the key components of the theory or ideas?
• Reference this explanation appropriately using the original work or sources that have
discussed this work
The selection and discussion of a good and appropriate case study example to illustrate
ongoing discrimination/inequality in sport/exercise (50%)
• Provide a clear discussion of the sport/exercise example(s) that illustrates your argument
(i.e., inequality/ discrimination does not/still exists in sport).
• Where possible link theoretical ideas identified above to the example identified.
• What, if any, legislation existed or now exists to promote change and how effective is this?
• Academic journal articles providing commentary on this or similar events should be drawn
upon to support your argument.
• All points should be referenced using academic, peer-reviewed literature
• Information discussed should be relayed back to the argument or point made about the
overarching statement in the essay title
Conclusion (10%)
Provide a summary of the argument you have provided (i.e., inequality/ discrimination does or
does not exist in sport), referring back to your stance on the question provided and key points
within the main body. Do not include new information. Key sources should be cited where
appropriate.
References (5%)
Recent and appropriate sources used and correctly cited in Harvard format or APA for students
outwith sport
Style and format (5%)
The work should be presented as an academic essay, using headings and subheadings to aid
structure and flow. The marking criteria provides a guide for this, but the final essay should be a
coherent piece. Use appropriate terminology and academic style throughout; avoid
colloquialisms and non-inclusive language.