Assessment 2: “Op-Ed”
Indigenous Health in a Global Context POPH90291
Due date: Friday 26th September, by 11:59pm
Weighting: 20%
Length: 100 words (+/- 10%)
Submission: Upload into Canvas
Overview
In this assessment task, students are asked to write an opinion piece in the style of an “Op-Ed” for a broad audience on an Indigenous health issue that has been presented or discussed in lectures or tutorials. Traditionally, these are pieces that were published in newspapers opposite the editorial page (hence ‘Op-Ed’), and which frequently contained more personal, persuasive commentary.
Learning objectives
At the end of this assessment task, students will be able to:
Identify and synthesis comparative international literature, case studies, and data that explain the diversity of health status and needs across international jurisdictions in Australia, the Pacific region, Europe, North America, and recognise the complexities involved in achieving health equity for Indigenous peoples and local peoples.
Distinguish and apply the grounds for debate and critical appraisal of public policy, programmatic responses, and health services for Indigenous populations in national and international context.
Purpose of an Op-Ed
An Op-Ed is a commentary where the author presents their views on a specific topic and advocates for action. For this assessment, the topic must have been discussed in lecture or tutorial and made relevant and easily accessible to a general audience by avoiding overly technical terms and formal language. A strong Op-ed is well written, demonstrates the author’s expertise in the area and/or shows their personal experience with the topic, has a strong argument backed by evidence, and provides an original way forward (i.e., doesn’t just state that someone needs to do something now).
Writing an Op-ed encourages organisation of thoughts around an issue, improves one’s understanding of their own opinion on a matter, and should stimulate thought, conversation/debate, and perhaps even action in their audience.
Task description
Write an Op-ed on an Indigenous health issue that has been presented or discussed in tutorials or lectures. Use the following questions to guide your writing:
What is the Indigenous health issue?
Why is this Indigenous health issue important to you, the writer? Do you have a personal and/or professional connection?
Why should your audience care about this Indigenous health issue?
Are there applicable real-world examples that help describe the Indigenous health issue?
What is your opinion on how best to address the Indigenous health issue? Are there applicable real-world examples that support your argument/opinion?
What is your call to action? How might it be implemented or accomplished? Who does it involve?
Include data and references in your Op-ed as hyperlinks.
Assessment criteria
Criterion 1: Topic and opinion
What is the Indigenous health issue? Has it been discussed in lectures or tutorials? Does the writer demonstrate a good understanding of it?
What is the writer’s opinion on addressing the issue? Do they build a strong argument for it?
Is there a clear call to action and what next step should be taken?
Criterion 2: Structure and organisation
The piece is within the 900–1100-word limit and follows the general structure of an Op-ed (I.e., introduces an Indigenous health issue from tutorials or lectures), a position on reform is stated and built with relevant data and references, and a direct call to action is proposed).
Concepts are logical and coherently presented.
Criterion 3: Supporting details
High currency, relevant sources are used to explain the issue and support the writer’s position and call for reform.
Data and references are embedded in the Op-ed as hyperlinks.
Criterion 4: Expression and language
Vocabulary, grammar, syntax, and quality of writing is appropriate for a general audience and clearly communicates the message.
Rubric:
Criteria
Explanation
Rating scale
Excellent
Good
Satisfactory
Not satisfactory
Criterion 1: Topic and opinion
What is written: the Indigenous health issue, opinion, call to action
Indigenous health issue has been discussed in lectures or tutorials.
Evidence of original thinking.
Offers detailed understanding of the issue and proposed action/reform.
Presents clear, justified and supported position.
Provides a direct call to action and/or summary of the reform.
Indigenous health issue has been discussed in lectures or tutorials.
Understanding of challenge and proposed action/reform, minor gaps may be evident.
Presents a supported position through most of the Op-ed.
Provides a call to action and/or summary of reform.
Indigenous health issue has been discussed in lectures or tutorials.
Degree of understanding of the issue and proposed action/reform, though needs more development.
Presents position, but more justification and support are needed.
Proposes action/reform.
Indigenous health issue has not been covered in lectures or tutorials.
Demonstrates a lack of understanding of the issue and proposed action/reform.
Position is unclear.
No real call to action or summary of reform.
Criterion 2: Structure and organisation
How the Op-ed is presented: logic, flow, building of argument
Completes all required aspects of the task.
Ideas consistently coherent (logical) and cohesive (linked).
Organises data and references to build argument.
Presents opinion and call to action/reform concisely.
Completes required aspects of the task with minor gaps.
Minor, infrequent coherence and cohesion issues.
Minor organisation errors or gaps may be evident.
Ideas mostly concise; occasionally may be verbose.
Completes task, some parts need more development.
Occasional inconsistencies in logic and links between ideas.
Organisation issues may be evident (e.g., opinion weakened or confused).
Generally concise, though parts are verbose.
Requirements of task not met.
Lack of coherence and cohesion of ideas.
Organisation issues making argument unclear.
Predominately verbose, making it hard to identify the opinion or call to action/reform.
Criterion 3: Supporting details
Referencing: use of external sources and citation; depth and breadth
Uses high currency, relevant sources that support the topic and/or opinion.
Data and referencing hyperlinks work; errors, if any, are minor and infrequent.
Uses a range of mostly relevant sources with currency.
Most referencing hyperlinks work and/or references appropriately and accurately provided.
Some sources may lack currency or relevance.
Most referencing hyperlinks work and/or references provided; inaccuracies at times distracting.
Sources lack currency and relevance.
Referencing hyperlinks do not work and no alternatives provided.
Criterion 4: Expression and language
How the Op-ed is written: vocabulary, spelling, syntax, and grammar; quality of writing
Message is consistently very clear.
Vocabulary is appropriate to a broad audience.
Any language use or expression errors are minor, infrequent, and non-distracting.
Message is mostly clear.
Minor vocabulary issues may be evident. Language and expressions errors infrequent, minimal, and almost always non-distracting.
Overall, message is clear.
Vocabulary inappropriate at times.
Language and expression errors evident and at times distracting.
Message is not clear.
Vocabulary is inappropriate for a broad audience.
Language and expression errors evident and distracting.
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NOTE: Can have a learning activity where students use the guiding questions (under Task Description) and the below resources to review the exemplars or an Op-ed of their choice (e.g., from https://theconversation.com/au or https://theguardian.com/au/commentisfree)
Resources
Harvard Kennedy School – How to write an Op-ed or columnhttps://projects.iq.harvard.edu/files/hks-communications-program/files/new_seglin_how_to_write_an_oped_1_25_17_7.pdf
Stone A. (2021) Ten tips to write an opinion piece people actually readhttps://www.linkedin.com/pulse/ten-tips-write-opinion-piece-people-actually-read-alvin-stone
Exemplars
Rao D. (2024) Canada should provide Indigenous languages with constitutional protection
https://theconversation.com/canada-should-provide-indigenous-languages-with-constitutional-protection-224617
Axleby C. (2022) To keep young children out of adult prisons, Australia must urgently raise the age of criminal responsibility
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2022/aug/25/to-keep-young-children-out-of-adult-prisons-australia-must-urgently-raise-the-age-of-criminal-responsibility
Schwartz S. (2022) Indigenous Victorians pay a high price when prisons prioritise profits
https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/indigenous-victorians-pay-a-high-price-when-prisons-prioritise-profit-20221101-p5burp.html
