A good paper will use the introductory paragraph to clearly and simply state the aims of the paper.

A good essay will make it clear that sociology is about the study of social life and that it is an important focus for health practitioners because social factors can have a major influence on how health conditions occur and how they are treated in different locations. It will also very briefly explain that there are different approaches to sociological analysis and that these are called perspectives.

A good essay will mention that a key perspective in health is the biomedical model, which views health in terms of biological processes within individuals. It will mention how this perspective is valuable in clinical practice and research, but does not adequately capture the impact of hierarchy and power on health.

A good paper will define both of these key concepts. It will discuss key propositions from major theorists and theories across each concept.

A good paper will draw on relevant data to support the discussion. A really high level paper will also comment on the data in terms of its relevance and methodology. For studies that significantly relate to your argument you should comment on any issues that the reader might need to consider or be aware of.

A good paper will draw together the various threads of the discussion e.g. theories and particular health issuesto identify and explore, in your own words, the key implications for health practitioners in the Australian context. It should be noted that can choose to focus on an example issue, which you situate within the Australian health care system

This is a cumulative element, which relates to the extent to which the paper was a unified piece of work that illustrated a deep understanding of the relevant topic. Work that scores highly here is well on the way to what would be a publishable standard in academic journals because the overall paper has a clear focus and points are consistently backed up with evidence and clear logic.

A good introduction is one that makes clear the specific topic or question that essay is addressing. It also mentions, without going into any detail, the main theories and concepts that will be discussed in the paper.

A good paper will use descriptive information to lead into deeper critical sections or passages, in which you that draw threads from different sources of information together so that you can use your own words to articulate the practical implications or consequences of your research into the topic.

A good conclusion does not introduce new information, nor does it simply restate the essay. Rather, it should reinforce the most important takeaways from the essay and offer suggestions for solutions or further exploration that could build on your work.

A good paper will use wording precisely- whether the wording is relatively simple or technical the main focus is on using appropriate wording for the context. Language should also reflect that used by the authors that the paper is drawing upon.

Good papers will have no spelling errors, as these can be easily corrected with proofreading. They will also consistently adopt either the UK (preferred) or US spelling conventions rather than fluctuate in between (except where a direct quotation is used).

Good papers will have sentences that make sense and link well to the previous and following sentences. The subject will also be made clear at all times e.g. when using ‘this’ to refer to something it should be abundantly clear what ‘this’ actually is.

Good papers will have paragraphs that are not too long and have a clear topic sentence that articulates a key idea, which is then discussed/reinforced in the remaining sentences in the paragraph. They should also flow from one to the next with sentences that start with phrasing such as: “Given the previous point…” or “A related issue is…”)

Good paper papers will draw on research from academic sources that have a review process, rather than obscure websites or ‘study notes’ websites which present a secondhand perspective.

Good papers will draw on a range of sources, including core readings from the various learning modules and some that you have located yourself via searching. In high level papers sources will offer both theoretical and data/research contributions to the paper.

Good papers will clearly indicate with in-text citations the work of authors they are drawing upon. Where one author is referenced for multiple points, each main idea is referenced rather than just at the end of a paragraph. The paper will also mix direct quotations and paraphrasing, or adapting ideas to your own words.

Good papers will have a match between the in-text references and the reference list entries, will have correct spelling, and will be consistently punctuated and formatted according to the relevant APA style guide.