Academic Skills for Access to HE

Overview

Framework:
Access to HE 2024
Level:
Level 3
Unit No:
Not available
Credits:
3
Guided learning hours:
Not available

Qualification Grading Type

Ungraded

Aim

The purpose of the unit is to equip students with the underlying study skills necessary for study at Higher Education. Students will develop effective note taking and summarising skills and techniques and be expected to demonstrate the ability to extract pertinent information from resource materials. Importantly, students will be expected to understand how to avoid plagiarism and know the key resources available to further their own study and learning.

Unit Learning Outcomes

1.

Be able to extract key information from credible academic sources.

Extracting relevant and appropriate information from learning resources.

Reading and evaluating secondary materials – textbooks, journals and online sources.

Effective reading skills and note taking techniques including linear, mind mapping and visual organisers.

Assessment Criteria

  • 1.1

    Assess three online secondary sources for their:

    (a) currency

    (b) credibility

    (c) relevancy

    (d) audience. 

  • 1.2

    Use an appropriate note taking technique to collect information from credible academic sources.

  • 1.3

    Produce a summary from a piece of text at the appropriate level.

2.

Be able to plan, structure and demonstrate academic writing to a satisfactory standard.

Writing genres.

Difference between essays and reports.

Planning essays and reports to address an assignment brief.

Word counts.

Reflective models e.g. Driscoll, Gibbs and reflective writing.

Assessment Criteria

  • 2.1

    Write a correctly structured, coherent and substantiated academic essay or report.

  • 2.2

    Write a reflective statement on the planning process.

3.

Be able to correctly reference sources showing an understanding of the importance of academic integrity.

Concept of academic integrity. Malpractice and its consequences.

Referencing systems, e.g. Harvard, Modern Humanities Research Association (MHRA), System, Modern Language Association of America (MLA), American Psychological Association (APA).

Assessment Criteria

  • 3.1

    Explain the importance of academic integrity.

  • 3.2

    Reference assignment tasks correctly, using the appropriate referencing conventions.