The aim of this module is to prepare students for studying at degree level. They are encouraged to develop a questioning approach, to structure an argument, to write academically, and to avoidplagiarism. Students are introduced to the study skills needed for successful learning within a higher education environment. Students are supported to work autonomously as well as together in a community of practice to develop their own knowledge and skills and support the development of their peers.

Aims and Learning Outcomes of the Module

 

LO1	Summarise key pieces of information from academic source (s).
LO2	Apply a range of reading techniques and paraphrasing.
LO3	Identify plagiarism and reference according to Harvard referencing style.
LO4	Demonstrate reflection in the context of developing academic skills

 

 

Module Leader/ Module Team Contact Details 

 

Teacher Name	Teacher Email	Teacher Contact Number

 

 

Reading list and additional learning resources

 

Grubb, P (2019), Preparing for Higher Education, Fantastic Books

 

Cottrell, S (2019) The Study Skills Handbook (5th edition), London: Bloomsbury

 

Pears, R (2022) Cite them Right: The Essential Referencing Guide

(12th edition), London: Bloomsbury

 

Weyers, J (2011), How to write essays & Assignments (2nd edition), Pearson

 

 

Additional resources to support your modules can be accessed via your programme Teams site/Virtual Learning Environment (VLE).

             

Assessment: You must present the following for assessment for this module:

 

 

Assessment 1: Essay (30%)

 

Essay: You will be required to construct an essay, which demonstrates the development of paraphrasing, academic sources, and references. The subject will be provided (750 words).

The essay provides you with the ability to demonstrate the skills you have been taught throughout the module, such as paraphrasing, demonstrating a line of argument, demonstrating the ability to use academic sources, and Harvard referencing.

 

A suggested outline of how students can approach this assessment is below:

(LO1) Summarise key pieces of information from academic source(s).

• Students should demonstrate an understanding of how to summarise key pieces of information from several academic sources, with a minimum of 1 from each of the following sources: academic book, journal, and website.

(LO2) Apply a range of reading techniques and paraphrasing.

 

• Students should showcase an understanding of multiple reading techniques by discussing the importance of each within the essay.
• Students should paraphrase all key information included relating to their chosen topic.

(LO3) Identify plagiarism and reference according to Harvard referencing style.

 

• Students should describe and explain how important it is to follow the correct plagiarism policies.
• Students are expected to include a reference list according to Harvard referencing style, including in-text citations throughout the essay.

 

Essay Template

 

Introduction: Set out your argument. An introduction should focus directly on the essay question or title and aim to present your main idea in your answer.

Main Body: Develop it with evidence (divided into paragraphs).

You might want to start each paragraph with a topic sentence

that summarises the main idea of the paragraph before bringing in your evidence and examples. A topic sentence acts like a mini-introduction to the paragraph.

Conclusion: A conclusion is the final paragraph of your essay. It should tie all the loose ends of your argument together.

 

References: Include a reference list according to Harvard-style referencing.

 

 

Assessment 2: Reflection (70%)

 

Reflection: Students will be required to reflect on their ability to complete an academic written piece of work whilst adhering to the skills they have learned over the duration of the module (250 words)

 

The reflection enables you to consider your journey through the module and to start to develop the skill of reflection. By reflecting you will be able to evaluate your own skills and create an action plan to improve for future assignments.

 

(LO4) Demonstrate reflection in the context of developing academic skills. 

• Student to demonstrate some understanding of reflection in the context of developing their academic skills.
• Student to reflect on their own skills to outline their strengths and weaknesses in the context of developing academic skills.

Reflection Template

 

Objective Title: Brief Introduction. Developing my Academic Skills

Strengths: What strengths do you have when completing an academic written piece of work? Provide at least 2 examples.

Weaknesses: What weaknesses do you have when completing an academic written piece of work? Provide at least 2 examples.

Learning: How do you plan to develop your skills to improve your overall ability?

 

References: Include a reference list according to Harvard referencing style.

 

 

Additional Information

• Font: Arial
• Size: 12
• Students failing to achieve the 40% pass mark will be provided with a second opportunity to submit their work (resubmission).
• Resubmissions will be capped at 40%.
• Originality will be checked, and action taken where plagiarism is suspected. Failure to submit any work will result in an automatic module failure and potential withdrawal from the course.

 

Formal Formative Assessment 

 

Formal formative is a method of assessment used to support your development and progress you are making within this module. Formal formative assessments are not graded; however, you will receive feedback from your module lead to support with the summative assessment (graded