ACSK4001 Academic Skills Spring 2017 Assignment Brief Handout: [Time (am/pm), Date Month Year] Deadline for Submission: 2pm Thursday April 27th (provisional) Submit this coursework through the Student Portal An Academic Portfolio consisting of: Section 1: Portfolio tasks Section 2: A subject specific academic report or essay (900 words +/- 10%) and a reflective summary (300 words +/- 10%) Learning outcomes assessed: 1) Show evidence of core components of academic/ literacy skills. 2) Apply critical thought to a range of tasks and do so with minimal external guidance in particular situations. 3) To reflect, analyse and discuss strengths, weaknesses and opportunities personally and academically. 4) Use appropriate technologies to facilitate the completion of self-analysis/reflection This coursework is worth 100% of the total marks for this module. Coursework Instructions Please read carefully • Carefully read the module handbook, the marking criteria and the grade descriptors. Academic Misconduct You are responsible for ensuring you understand the policy and regulations about academic misconduct. You must: • Complete this work alone except where required or allowed by this assignment briefing paper and ensure it has not been written or composed by or with the assistance of any other person. • Make sure all sentences or passages quoted from other people’s work in this assignment (with or without trivial changes) are in quotation marks, and are specifically acknowledged by reference to the author, work and page.   ASSESSMENT GUIDELINES Portfolio 100% Academic skills is a core module designed to equip students with the skills necessary to succeed in both an academic and professional environment. Over ten weeks students attend 10 lectures and 10 tutorial sessions. Lectures will be run by the Language and Skills department and will cover the core components of academic/ literacy skills. Tutorials will be led by subject lecturers who will support students in their development of academic skills within the context of their degree. To complete tasks, students will work both as part of a group in order to address an assignment brief, brainstorm ideas, understand texts and conduct research. Students will also work individually to develop their writing and presentation skills. The portfolio is a live document consisting of the following tasks: Week Table of Contents Page Learning outcome Section 1: Portfolio Evidence (These tasks will be drafted in class and are designed to inform the written tasks in section 2; Suggested word counts are included in brackets where appropriate.) 1 Self-evaluation checklist 3 LO 3 & 4 1 Personal SWOT analysis (suggested word count: 200 words) 4 LO 3 & 4 3 Primary research: (Quantitative) data analysis (suggested word count: 300 words) 6-7 LO 1 & 2 4 Evaluating sources and referencing (suggested word count 150 words) 8 LO 1 & 2 5 Synthesising and in-text citations (suggested word count: 250 words) 10 LO 1 & 2 6 Structuring your writing (including examples and evidence) 11 LO 1 & 2 7 Presenting your assignment (include screen shot) 12 LO 1 8 Editing and proof reading your portfolio: using the marking criteria to get a first! 13-14 LO 1 & 3 9 Post-presentation reflection 15 LO 3 & 4 10 End of course self-evaluation checklist 16 LO 3 & 4 10 Personal development plan (PDP) (suggested word count: 17 LO 3 & 4 Section 2: Written Tasks (These written tasks should be developed throughout the semester but completed in weeks 9-11) 1-10 Academic writing [degree-specific focus related to The UK’s exit from The European Union] (900 words +/- 10%) 18-19 LO 1 9 & 10 Reflective writing: summary (300 words +/- 10%) 20 LO 3 & 4 Glossary: Academic skills Skills that students need to develop in order to succeed at university. For example, students need to able to write a good paragraph or critically analyse a journal article. Portfolio It is a collection of student work that shows evidence of learning and progress in one or more areas. This collection “represents a personal investment on behalf of the student that is evident through the student’s participation in the selection of the contents….and self-reflection” (Gisselle and Martin-Kniep, 2000). Learning outcome Learning outcomes are goals that describe how a student will be different because of a learning experience (Suskie, 2009). Practical tasks Tasks acquired through practice or action, rather than theory. Critical thought Critical thinking is a mode of thinking in which the thinker improves the quality of his or her thinking by analysing, assessing, and reconstructing it. Analyse Break an issue into its parts. Look in depth at each part using supporting arguments and evidence for and against as well as how these interrelate to one another. Discuss Investigate or examine by argument; debate; give reason for and against; examine the implications of the topic. Excellent evidence Very good evidence Good evidence Some evidence Insufficient evidence Little/No Evidence 86 – 100%/First 70+/First 60+/2:1 50+/2:2 40+/Third 30+/Fail Pass by compensation possible 16 – 29%/Fail 0 – 15%/Fail Knowledge and understanding (45%) What we are looking for on this module: Looking at the portfolio as a whole, does the student show an understanding of core academic literacy/ skills throughout the portfolio and understanding of what’s required for each task? This knowledge and understanding includes both an understanding of the principles of academic skills, and also showing an understanding of the subject material/ programme through which they are developed. LO 1 Includes all required factual content, accurately summarised. Includes relevant factual content only. Includes all required factual content, accurately summarised. Includes relevant factual content only. Includes most required factual content, mostly accurately summarised. Includes relevant factual content only. Includes most required factual content, but with some gaps or misunderstandings. Includes some irrelevant factual content. Includes limited factual content, with many gaps or inaccuracies. Includes significant irrelevant factual content. Includes insufficient required factual content, with significant gaps or inaccuracies. Includes substantial irrelevant factual content. Includes almost no required factual content, and with very significant inaccuracies. Includes mainly irrelevant factual content. Does not include required factual content. Includes entirely irrelevant factual content. Very accurate identification of pre-defined concepts, theories and/or principles, appropriate to this level. Excellent understanding of factual and conceptual material, relative to this level. Accurate identification of pre-defined concepts, theories and/or principles, appropriate to this level. Very good understanding of factual and conceptual material, relative to this level. Mainly accurate identification of pre-defined concepts, theories and/or principles, appropriate to this level. Good understanding of factual and conceptual material, relative to this level. Some identification of pre-defined concepts, theories and/or principles, appropriate to this level. Adequate understanding of factual and conceptual material, relative to this level. Limited identification of pre-defined concepts, theories and/or principles, appropriate to this level. Limited understanding of factual and conceptual material, relative to this level. Very limited or inaccurate identification of pre-defined concepts, theories and/or principles, appropriate to this level. Very limited understanding of factual and conceptual material, relative to this level. No identification of pre-defined concepts, theories and/or principles, appropriate to this level. No understanding of factual and conceptual material, relative to this level. No identification of pre-defined concepts, theories and/or principles, appropriate to this level. Demonstrates no understanding of factual and conceptual material and ideas. Independent, wide-ranging reading and research, from secondary sources, appropriate to this level. Independent, wide-ranging reading and research, from secondary sources, appropriate to this level. Independent reading and research from sufficient and mostly authoritative secondary sources, appropriate to this level. Some independent reading and research from secondary sources, appropriate to this level. Limited independent reading and research from secondary sources, appropriate to this level. Minimal independent reading and research, appropriate to this level. No independent reading and research, appropriate to this level. No independent reading and research, appropriate to this level. LO1: Show understanding of core components of academic literacy/ skills   Excellent evidence Very good evidence Good evidence Some evidence Insufficient evidence Little/No Evidence 86 – 100%/First 70+/First 60+/2:1 50+/2:2 40+/Third 30+/Fail Pass by compensation possible 16 – 29%/Fail 0 – 15%/Fail Cognitive/Intellectual Skills (30%) What we are looking for on this module: Key tasks which would show evidence of cognitive/ intellectual skills include: Section 1: Academic writing task Section 2: primary research task evaluating sources synthesising LO1 & LO2 Well developed, relevant introduction and conclusions. Relevant introduction and conclusions. Mostly relevant introduction and conclusions. Adequate introduction and conclusions. Basic introduction and conclusions. Incoherent or irrelevant introduction and conclusions. No introduction and conclusions. No introduction and conclusions. Clearly and logically structured material. Well-developed arguments, referencing a range of literature, appropriate to this level. Clearly structured material. Coherent arguments, referencing a range of literature, appropriate to this level. Clearly structured material, with a few gaps. Mostly coherent arguments, referencing a range of literature, appropriate to this level. Adequately structured material. Limited arguments referencing limited literature. Includes personal opinion. Unevenly structured material. Little argument, mainly descriptive or personal opinion, with little reference to literature. Incoherently structured material. Little or no argument, entirely descriptive or personal opinion, with no reference to literature. Very incoherently structured material. Little or no argument, entirely descriptive or personal opinion, with no reference to literature. Very incoherently structured material. No argument, entirely personal opinion, with no reference to sources. Information or data selected from highly relevant sources, and categorised, analysed or evaluated using a recommended format. Information or data selected from relevant sources, and categorised, analysed or evaluated using a recommended format. Information or data selected from relevant sources, and categorised, analysed or evaluated using a recommended format, with some gaps or errors. Information or data selected, categorised, analysed or evaluated with an attempt at using a recommended format and with gaps or errors. Information or data poorly selected, categorised, analysed or evaluated, and may not use recommended format. Minimal selection of information or data, and little attempt at collation, categorisation, analysis or evaluation. No evidence of the selection, categorisation, analysis or evaluation of information or data. No evidence of the selection, categorisation, analysis or evaluation of information or data. Substantiated, relevant recommendations. Very good awareness of ethical issues, where relevant. Relevant recommendations. Good awareness of ethical issues, where relevant. Some relevant recommendations. Satisfactory awareness of ethical issues, where relevant. Basic recommendations. Satisfactory awareness of ethical issues, where relevant. Recommendations lack clarity or may be incomplete. Little awareness of ethical issues, where relevant. Irrelevant recommendations. Little or no awareness of ethical issues, where relevant. No recommendations. No awareness of ethical issues, where relevant. No recommendations. No awareness of ethical issues, where relevant. LO1: Show understanding of core components of academic literacy/ skills LO2: Apply critical thought to a range of tasks and do so with a minimum of external guidance in particular situations   Graduate: Transferable Employability & Practical Skills (25%) What we are looking for on this module: Most tasks in the portfolio relate to this section LO1, LO3 & LO 4 Section 1 tasks Within word count Section 1 tasks Within word count Section 1 tasks Within word count Section 1 tasks Within 10% of word count Section 1 tasks More than 10% outside word count Section 1 tasks More than 10% outside word count Section 1 tasks More than 10% outside word count Section 1 tasks More than 10% outside word count Accurate spelling, grammar, punctuation, paragraphing Accurate spelling, grammar, punctuation, paragraphing Mostly accurate spelling, grammar, punctuation, paragraphing. Some mistakes in spelling, grammar, punctuation, paragraphing. Frequent mistakes in spelling, grammar, punctuation, paragraphing. Serious mistakes in spelling, grammar, punctuation, paragraphing. Serious and extensive mistakes in spelling, grammar, punctuation, paragraphing. Serious and extensive mistakes in spelling, grammar, punctuation, paragraphing. Fluent, interesting writing style, appropriate to the assignment Appropriate visual presentation, including font, spacing for essays Fluent writing style, appropriate to the assignment Appropriate visual presentation, including font, spacing for essays Mainly fluent writing style, appropriate to the assignment Mostly appropriate visual presentation, including font, spacing for essays Writing style is mostly appropriate but not always fluent Inconsistent visual presentation, including font, spacing for essays Awkward or inappropriate writing style Inappropriate visual presentation, including font, spacing for essays Poor writing style Poor visual presentation, including font, spacing for essays Incoherent writing style Very poor visual presentation, including font, spacing for essays Incoherent writing style Exceptionally poor visual presentation, including font, spacing for essays Correct use of academic conventions, references and bibliography. Correct use of academic conventions, references and bibliography. Mostly correct use of academic conventions, references and bibliography Inconsistent use of academic conventions, references and bibliography. Inconsistent or incomplete use of academic conventions, references and bibliography. Inaccurate or incomplete use of academic conventions, references and bibliography. Very inaccurate or no use of academic conventions, references and bibliography. No use of academic conventions, references and bibliography. Insightful reflection on own strengths and weaknesses in relation to defined professional and practical skills. Good reflection on own strengths and weaknesses in relation to defined professional and practical skills. Clear reflection on own strengths and weaknesses in relation to defined professional and practical skills. Some evaluation of own strengths and weaknesses in relation to defined professional and practical skills. Limited reflection on own strengths and weaknesses in relation to defined professional and practical skills. Very limited reflection on own strengths and weaknesses in relation to defined professional and practical skills. Minimal evaluation of own strengths and weaknesses in relation to defined professional and practical skills. No evaluation of own strengths and weaknesses in relation to defined professional and practical skills. LO1: Show understanding of core components of academic literacy/ skills LO3: To reflect, analyse and discuss strengths and weaknesses and opportunities personally and academically LO4: Use appropriate technologies to facilitate the completion of self-analysis/ reflection Marking band weightings: KNOWLEDGE & UNDERSTANDING (LO 1) 45% INTELLECTUAL & COGNITIVE SKILLS (LO 1 & 2) 30% Graduate Skills: transferable, employability, practical and academic skills 25% (LO 1, 3 & 4) Factual and conceptual knowledge and understanding of academic skills within the context of degree; use of class materials; independent reading Critical thinking; conceptualisation; creativity; synthesis, analysis and evaluation; application; problem solving and research/investigation Written, oral and presentation skills; interpersonal, group and teamwork skills; leadership skills; numeracy; digital skills; practical, professional and academic skills (including referencing/presentation)