Briefly describe the purpose of the occupational therapy process. Critically discuss one stage of the occupational therapy process (Duncan, 2021), drawing on the aspects of history, philosophy and inclusivity explored in part

Assessment Information/Brief 2025-26

Part 2 (approx. 1,000 words) (ILO 3, 4, 6, 9)

Briefly describe the purpose of the occupational therapy process. Critically discuss one stage of the occupational therapy process (Duncan, 2021), drawing on the aspects of history, philosophy and inclusivity explored in part 1. Consider how this stage would be influenced by the person, environment and occupation (PEO) (Law et al, 1996). Please consider how professional standards would also influence practice within this stage.

The four stages to choose between are:

• Identifying and analysing occupational need (assessment)
• Goal setting
• Facilitating occupational performance / engagement (occupation focused Intervention/Treatment)
• Evaluating, reflective and acting on occupational outcomes (evaluation)

Part 3 (approx. 500 words) (ILO 6, 9)

Using the structure provided below, write a short reflection about your learning while writing this assignment. Consider what you have learnt about yourself in terms of your professional and personal development, and how to develop further.

For part 3 only, you will write in the first person.

You should use the Driscoll (2006) model of reflection to structure your reflection. This is a short and simple reflective model that is widely used in healthcare. It has three stages and is based on the work of Borton (1970) as cited in Jasper (2013):

What (description)

So what (theory & knowledge building)

Now what (action plan)

Due to limited word count, the ‘Now what’ (action plan) can be written in bullet points.

Expectations:

You are expected to utilise skills taught throughout the module including criticality and using a literature search.

Although textbooks are useful for foundation knowledge, articles provide a diverse approach to theory, please be reading and referencing these in your assignment

Please use resources appropriate to the level of study and the profession (ie Wikipedia and My OT Spot are not acceptable resources).

Ensure that your assignment is focused and that the parameters under exploration are well defined. You should draw on reading and discussions from within the module to help focus your work.

Masters level thinking is analytical and critical:

• Your work must be informed by a wide range of academic reading, and be based on critical analysis e.g., the extent to which the findings of research papers are trustworthy, or the extent to which a body of evidence creates a compelling argument or not.
• Further guidance on critical thinking can be found on the Library skills for learning site: Critical Writing

Presentation of the assessment:

A good assignment will be well presented, with an introduction, a coherent and well-presented discussion of the evidence in relation to the question, recommendations and a conclusion.

The conclusion should contain no new information.

Include a cover sheet with student number, assignment title and word count.

Present the work with a clear and logical structure. Use sub- headings as appropriate.

Do not use bullet points for parts 1 & 2; these can be used for the action plan in part 3.

Do not abbreviate occupational therapy or occupational therapist to OT.

Proof-read the assignment carefully before submitting Use size 12 font and double-space the work.

Referencing:

This work must be fully referenced, using APA 7th edition APA 7th edition | University of Salford

Ensure that statements are supported by the highest quality evidence available. Prioritise high-quality primary sources. The guide: https://www.salford.ac.uk/skills/referencing/apa-7th- edition

Practice for success opportunities:

You will have practice for success opportunities in coaching, where you will critically review papers debate topics related to this assignment and gain informal feedback from peers and tutors.

You will complete critical thinking tasks and explore your skills within coaching.

Using Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) tools

For this assessment you may use tools, software, or features of software which use artificial intelligence to generate content such as text, images or data, in an assistive and supportive capacity. This means you may use the tool to explore the topic, generate or process data, or suggest draft structures and refine the wording or your work. However, the final work you submit must be your own. Use of AI to generate content to misrepresent your own abilities or mislead your assessor is academic misconduct. When using AI tools, please use University provided tools within the requirements of the University`s ICT Acceptable Use Policy, and do not upload sensitive or personal information.

Word count/ duration (if applicable)

Your assessment should be 2,500 words.

Suggested breakdown:

Part 1 – approximately 1000 words

Part 2 – approximately 1000 words

Part 3 – approximately 500 words

The word count includes references in the text, but does not include the title page, figures, diagrams, and the reference list.

There is a 5% allowance. There are no penalties for going under or over the word count. Work that is significantly under the word count can often not create the necessary depth of critical thinking required. The reader will stop reading and marking at the point of the word count +5%, so any information given after this point will not be considered for marking.

Appendices are not included in the word count but should be used judiciously. Appendices are not marked, unless required in this assessment brief.

How to submit

You should submit your assessment in Microsoft Word or PDF format.

The link for the Blackboard submission box is in the Assessment folder in the module blackboard site.

As the University will mark assessments anonymously where possible, include your student roll number and not your name on your assessment. Do not upload links in the submission area, as we cannot access them and therefore cannot mark your work. If you have saved your files on your University of Salford OneDrive, dragging files to the submission area may attach a link instead of the file. Always attach files using the paperclip icon.

Feedback

You can expect to receive feedback by 20^th November, 2025.

Feedback on the summative assignment will include:

• An overall grade (percentage)
• A description of the grade (e.g. very good, good)
• An indication of how the work meets each aspect of the marking rubric.
• A commentary on key strengths / what was done well in the work, areas for improvement in the work and advice for future assessments
• The name of the first marker
• Annotations throughout the work to enable you to improve specific aspects of work in the future.

Feedback is designed to be supportive and to help you achieve. Please take time to read through and process the information given, and use this feedback in your future work.

There will be practice for success opportunities throughout The Occupational Therapist module that will provide you with formative feedback throughout the module. These are outlined above and highlighted in Blackboard.

Assessment criteria

You should look at the assessment criteria to find out what we are specifically looking at during the assessment – this can be found in the assessment folder on the module Blackboard site. You should look at the guidelines above and attend the assessment tutorial to find out what we are specifically looking at during the assessment.

Assessed intended learning outcomes

On successful completion of this assessment, you will be able to:

1. Illustrate how the history and philosophy of occupational therapy shape understanding of the profession and practice.
2. Explain core principles of occupational science and appraise the relationships between the Person, Environment and Occupation and between occupation, health, and wellbeing.
3. Explain how the Occupational Therapy process is used in day- to-day practice.
4. Appraise the importance of respecting the individuality of the person and practicing in an inclusive manner.
5. Identify professional standards and ethics and appraise their impact on the practice of occupational therapy and on your professional behaviours.
6. Undertake a basic literature search.

Employability skills developed / demonstrated

NB: learning outcome 8 is assessed with the mandatory training log. Learning outcomes 1 and 7, while are introduced in this module, are not directly assessed.

You will develop a range of employability skills sought by employers through each assessment.

Through this assessment will have an opportunity to develop and demonstrate the following employability skills:

I = You will have been introduced to this skill

U = You will have developed an understanding of this skill in the context of your subject

A = You will be able to apply this skill in the context of your subject

D = You will have demonstrated an enhanced understanding and application of this skill in a wider context

Support for this Assessment   You can obtain support for this assessment by..

• Reading the assessment brief and marking rubric carefully and repeatedly
• Fully engaging with all elements of the module and it’s learning experiences
• Engaging with all practice for success opportunities
• Maintaining good attendance
• Attending the assessment workshops and Q&A sessions that are scheduled within the timetable
• Using assessment specific discussion boards that will be reviewed and answered on a regular basis throughout the module
• Reading other people’s questions and answers on the discussion board
• Asking questions in a way that feels comfortable to you
• Coaching sessions have been built into the module to enable development of critical thinking & writing skills. These sessions should be fully used to develop knowledge and skills to support life-long learning and for this specific module
• There is also time at the end of taught sessions to ask the module team questions about the module or assessment
• Being aware of your health and wellbeing and seeking support via your Academic Tutor or the Student progressions Officer as required.

Other sources of support

Understanding your assessment brief/assessment tips for success

Develop your academic and digital skills

Assessment rules and processes

Support services

Issues affecting your assessment

If exceptional circumstances have affected your ability to complete this assessment, you can find more information about the Exceptional Circumstances Procedure (previously Personal Mitigating Circumstances) here. Independent advice is available from the Students’ Union Advice Centre.

Academic Integrity and Academic Misconduct

You must learn and demonstrate good academic conduct (academic integrity). Good academic conduct includes the use of clear and correct referencing of source materials.