Coursework Essay
Write an individual essay, which should about 3,500 words (excluding appendices and bibliographies):
A critical analysis on ONE Sustainable Development Goal namely: Goal 13 Climate Action.
The requirements of the essay are:
Examine the significance of the Sustainable Development Goals as a whole with an emphasis on how accounting for the goals advances social, environmental and ethical development
Use a theoretical framework to critically evaluate the purpose and relevance of your chosen Goal from an ethical perspective
Describe the context, indicators and targets of your chosen Goal that seeks to promote ethical and sustainable progress
Provide an evidential based analysis with a specific focus on an organisation or country that demonstrates progress and future outlook of the Goal
Support your arguments with personal opinions and recommendations with a recognition of whether targets of the goals can be met
Use International Examples, Scholarly Articles, Case Studies, Academic Articles, News Magazines to support Arguments
Format of the Essay:
o Structure your essay with sub-headings and paragraphs (as described further below in the end of the doc), following the exact order of the requirements, adding a brief introduction and a conclusion.
o Add a table of contents for the essay
o Ideas and arguments should be laid out logically and coherently.
o References/sources should be properly cited in the text (Harvard style of citation recommended), with full bibliography section provided at the end of the essay.
o Add In Text Citations (Havard Style) where appropriate
o Bibliography should be listed according to alphabetical order of the surname of first author.
o Pay attention to format and overall readability
o Use Visual aid / Pictures / Timeline of SDGs throughout the paragraphs where it suits to support the arguments
o Consistent and clear font size throughout
o Line space 1 – depending on font
Note: Additional Links & resources on all the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to include in the Essay:
• The Sustainable Development Goals Report 2021
• The Sustainable Development Goals Report 2020
• SDG INDICATORS
• A GUIDE TO SDG INTERACTIONS: FROM SCIENCE TO IMPLEMENTATION
• https://dashboards.sdgindex.org/profiles
• https://sdg-tracker.org/
• https://sdgacademylibrary.mediaspace.kaltura.com/
ACC3145 SDG COURSEWORK Structure & Criteria
1. Introduction (5%) Introduce scope of the coursework. Focus is on chosen SDG not all SDGs
Why do you think the chosen SDG is important?
Give a brief outline of the main sections and/or content of the essay
2. SDGs as a whole (10%) Provide a brief background and history on SDGs. Discussion should be generic
What issues led to the emergence of the SDGs
What are the objectives of the SDGs
How do the SDGs contribute to ethical (principles of human dignity, rights, justice, equality, fairness – see Unit 1) and sustainability (whether they are useful in the future Unit 2) perspectives
The state of SDG related disclosures by companies, organisations, consultancies governments and so on – all constitute accounting for SDGs and whether the disclosures (in whatever form) are needed
Some criticisms of the SDGs
3. Evaluation of chosen SDG (30%) What is the main issue of the Goal? e.g. for Goal 1, the main issue is poverty, so describe poverty and issues around the state of those experiencing poverty. Explain, from your perspective, why and how poverty is an important issue in global environment.
Present the Goal as a way of addressing the challenges from the issues raised above (all Goals have their issues poverty as an example above only applies to Goal 1)
Present facts on the Goal – what progress has been made on the goal overall?
The SDG report (available in UniHub) has latest details on all the goals
Critically discuss ethical and sustainability arguments specifically on the Goal. Use logical arguments to review the theoretical perspectives on the goal.
Guidance on critical evaluation is provided below
Specify the number of indicators and targets of the Goal, e.g. the goal has 2 targets and 3 indicators
Describe any 2 indicators/targets of the Goal
The 2 indicators will be used in evaluating evidence in the following section (section 4)
4. Evidence of SDG application (35%) Discuss any 2 evidence that demonstrates application of the Goal.
The evidence can be any country (e.g. Germany) or company (e.g. Tesco) or organisation (e.g. Oxfam) or project (e.g. a defined activity)
Each evidence must be given a brief background. If a company, a brief introduction and overview of the company is required. The same applies to a country. Context of the evidence should be adequately described
Analyse each evidence to specific detail. Mentions of achievements and outcomes are not enough, discuss processes (ideally from multiple reliable sources) of how the achievements were attained.
Link the performance of each evidence with the indicator/target as described in the previous section (section 3)
Ensure that each evidence is, at least, evaluated against one indicator/target
Critically discuss the evidence from a theoretical point of view using perspectives from ethical and/or sustainability arguments
See critical evaluation below
Present logical linkages between the Goal and other SDGs
How does progress, achievement, failure of the Goal affect and influence other SDGs?
5. Conclusion and recommendatio ns (15%) Present a summary of key findings and observations from the collective analysis undertaken
From the evidence presented, what is the direction of the Goal and indicator covered? Are the issues getting better or indications to suggest improvements?
Can the Goal be achieved by 2030?
Are key problems with the issue being addressed by the SDG?
Offer clear recommendations on the Goal and issue
Presentation and references (5%) Consistent in-text (in the body of write-up) and after text (in the bibliography section) references
Clean and logical structure
Critical thinking and evaluation
An inquisitive approach of using evidence and reasoning to form opinion. In the context of the coursework, apply the theories (ethical and sustainability arguments) on evidence used i.e. how has the evidence (company/ country/organisation) performed against theoretical arguments and assumptions.
Critical thinking is not about:
being negative questioning randomly nit picking
Critical thinking encourages:
Attitude of not accepting content at face value
Asking and answering constructively and systematically
Not accepting everything without rationale, justification and evidence Willingness to accept new evidence that emerge to shape understanding Continuous learning process
Critical writing emerges from critical thinking and should be presented with the following attributes:
A balanced account of pros and cons Assumptions and assertions are supported Clear account that scrutinises what’s been said
Expand ideas beyond mentions – fewer points that are explained well rather than presentation of numerous ideas
Backup argument with evidence and recognise limitations Avoid simple conclusion
Assessment marking criteria rubric – coursework
Section 1-4 5-8 9-12 13-16 17-20
Introduction Excellent introduction with clear specification of SDG of focus and scope that highlights all the main issues in the coursework. Very good introduction with clear specification of SDG of focus and scope that highlights the main issues in the coursework. Introduction specifies SDG of focus and scope that highlights some of the main issues in the coursework. Adequate introduction with specification of SDG of focus and scope that highlights some of the main issues in the
coursework. Absence of introduction or failure to meet introduction requirements.
5% 5 - 3.5 3.49 - 3 2.99 - 2.5 2.49 - 2 1.99 - 0
SDGs A thorough examination of the SDGs based on its history, justification, objectives with general theoretical insights, application and criticisms An examination of the SDGs based on most of its history, justification, objectives with general theoretical insights, application and criticisms Examination of the SDGs included its history, justification, objectives with general theoretical insights, application and
criticisms A review of the SDGs based on some of its history, justification, objectives with general theoretical insights, application and criticisms Limited review of the SDGs that lacked most of the required elements
10% 10 – 7 6.99 – 6 5.99 – 5 4.99 – 4 3.99 - 0
SDG evaluation Outstanding analysis of chosen SDG and relevant issues the goal was designed to address. Arguments brilliantly included a critical evaluation on progress of the goal with description of indicators/targets. A very well-expressed analysis of chosen SDG and relevant issues the goal was designed to address. Arguments included a critical evaluation on progress of the goal with description of indicators/targets. A good analysis of chosen SDG and/or relevant issues the goal was designed to address. Arguments considers critical evaluation on progress of the goal with description of
indicators/targets. Adequate analysis of chosen SDG and/or relevant issues the goal was designed to address. Some evaluation on progress of the goal with description of indicators/targets. Inadequate analysis of chosen SDG and/or relevant issues the goal was designed to address. Limited or absent evaluation and/or indicators.
30% 30 – 21 20.99 – 18 17.99 - 15 14.99 – 12 11.99 - 0
Evidence analysis Excellent description of required evidence with logical and critical
theoretical perspectives that A fantastic description of required evidence with logical and critical
theoretical perspectives A good description of required evidence with logical and critical
theoretical Limited description of required evidence with meagre critical
theoretical perspectives. Failure to adequately describe evidence
and/or theoretical
are linked to relevant indicators. Strong linkages established with other SDGs that are well linked to relevant indicators. Good Linkages established with other SDGs perspectives that are linked to relevant indicators. Linkages reasonably established
with other SDGs Some linkages to relevant indicators and/or consideration of other SDGs perspectives. Weak linkages to relevant indicators and/or consideration of
other SDGs
35% 35 – 24.5 24.44 - 21 20.99 – 17.5 17.49 - 14 13.99 - 0
Conclusion, recommendation, presentation and references Excellent summary of key findings that touches on practical and theoretical positions. Coherent recommendations. Effective, consistent and broad use of references. Brilliant presentation with very little errors. Very good summary of key findings that touches on practical and theoretical positions. Coherent recommendations.
Effective, and consistent use of references.
Confident presentation with little errors. Good summary of key findings that touches on practical and/or theoretical positions. Reasonable recommendations with consistent use of references. Clear presentation with
some errors. Adequate summary of key findings with little practical and theoretical positions. Good recommendations. Could improve references and/or presentation with errors. Limited or no summary of key findings and/or recommendations. Incomplete or no references. Can easily improve presentation.
20% 20 – 14 13.99 – 12 11.99 - 10 9.99 – 8 7.99 - 0
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