Your essay should be 2,000 words in total

Title: Task Analysis Essay

Assignment

You will write a 2000 word essay evaluating a task-based scenario of your choosing. Based upon the information in this module, and your independent reading, you must consider the psychological theory underpinning the performance of your chosen everyday task.

€¢ Example tasks which you might consider include:

€¢ Examining a slide from a cervical smear test

€¢ Using a community based defibrillator

€¢ Solving a mental arithmetic problem

€¢ Operating a vending machine

These are only examples.

The task analysis should focus on aspects of the moduel which could include problem solving but should also include other areas e.g. decision making, memory etc.

Hints & Tips:

Your choice of task is critical. It is therefore a good idea to check with the DBL whether the task you have chosen is appropriate for the assignment. When choosing your task it is a good idea to consider the various sections of the course and plan how each of the topics covered apply to the task you have chosen.

You don’t have to cover each topic, a smaller range is sufficient. For example, you might choose the task of solving an arithmetic problem; e.g. 467 x 765 = ?’ When considering the psychological constructs that underpin this task, you would need to discuss theory and research in areas such as attention, memory (short-term and long term), problem solving and (possibly) decision making.

It will be useful to analyse the task and to break it up into its components. Identify key elements and problem areas €“ this helps with the structure of the essay and then to place the task in a psychological context. In order to break the task down into its constituent parts, a task analysis is a good place to start. Some tips for conducting this can be found in the assessment folder.

The key to success is to remember that you must position your task within the psychological literature; i.e. show how psychological concepts impact on performance of the task. However, it is not sufficient to be descriptive; you must critically evaluate the psychological ideas and concepts that you write about. The task you have chosen is just a tool to allow you to demonstrate your knowledge and understanding of the ideas and concepts that were covered both in the course materials and in your independent study. Do not let the task dominate what should essentially be a psychology essay.