IA195-3-FY-CO:
Research and Academic Development Skills
2023/24
Essex Pathways
Colchester Campus
Full Year
Foundation/Year Zero: Level 3
Current
Thursday 05 October 2023
Friday 28 June 2024
30
05 June 2023
Requisites for this module
(none)
(none)
(none)
(none)
(none)
BA M903 Criminology (Including Foundation Year),
BSC LL14 Economics and Politics (Including Foundation Year),
BA QX41 Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) (Including Foundation Year),
BA QQ16 English Language and Linguistics (Including Foundation Year),
BA QQ24 English Language and Literature (Including Foundation Year),
BA L921 International Development (Including Foundation Year),
BA L250 International Relations (Including Foundation Year),
BA LR59 International Relations and Modern Languages (5 Years Including Foundation Year),
BA Q143 Language Studies (4 Years Including Foundation Year),
BA Q102 Linguistics (Including Foundation Year),
BA P300 Media and Digital Culture (including Foundation Year),
BA R999 Modern Languages (5 Years Including Foundation Year),
BA RQ99 Modern Languages and English Language (5 Years Including Foundation Year),
BA RQ98 Modern Languages and Linguistics (5 Years Including Foundation Year),
BA R8T8 Modern Languages and Teaching English as a Foreign Language (5 Years Including Foundation Year),
BA R8T9 Modern Languages with Latin American Studies (5 Years Including Foundation Year),
BA L0V2 Philosophy, Politics and Economics (Including Foundation Year),
BA L202 Politics (Including Foundation Year),
BA L2M8 Politics with Human Rights (Including Foundation Year),
BA L2CH Social Sciences,
BA LFCH Social Sciences,
BA L304 Sociology (Including Foundation Year),
BA LMHX Sociology and Criminology (Including Foundation Year),
BA RT99 Spanish, Portuguese and Brazilian Studies (5 Years Including Foundation Year),
BA C848CO Psychodynamic Practice (Including Foundation Year),
BA C89C Psychosocial and Psychoanalytic Studies (Including Foundation Year),
BA L523 Childhood Studies (Including Foundation Year),
BA QP13 English Language with Media Communication (Including Foundation Year),
BSC L313 Sociology with Data Science (including foundation Year),
BA Q121 Linguistics with Data Science (Including Foundation Year),
BA R107 Language Studies with Latin American Studies (Including Foundation Year),
BA R111 International Relations and Language Studies (Including Foundation Year),
BA R115 Language Studies and Linguistics (Including Foundation Year),
BA R117 Language Studies and Teaching English as a Foreign Language (Including Foundation Year),
BA LY13 Social Sciences (Including Foundation Year),
BA V306 Curating with Politics (including Foundation Year),
BA L351 Sociology and Health (including Foundation Year),
BA Q912 Modern Languages Translation, Interpreting and Cultural Mediation (including Foundation Year)
This module is designed to support students in their academic subject disciplines and to strengthen their confidence in key skills areas such as: academic writing, research, academic integrity, and collaborative and reflective practices.
The students are supported through the use of subject-specific materials tailored to their chosen degrees with the alignment of assessments between academic subject modules and the skills module.
The aims of this module are:
To develop students’ ability to operate effectively, in both written and spoken language, in a range of academic settings.
To develop students’ basic research skills, encouraging a critical approach to source materials and appropriate use of sources as supporting evidence.
To encourage independent learning strategies and develop students’ confidence to make judgments and be evaluative.
To equip students with appropriate and effective language and study skills applicable to their various disciplines.
By the end of this module, students will be expected to be able to:
- Produce academic writing which is well-structured, relevant and clearly reasoned.
- Communicate ideas, information and arguments with clarity, both orally and in written form, and which demonstrates the ability to integrate students’ own ideas with those of others.
- Deliver effective presentations using an appropriate range of visual aids.
- Comprehend texts on a range of subjects identifying main points from listening and reading material, and demonstrating critical reading skills to assess the usefulness of information.
- Make full use of academic libraries and a range of appropriate electronic media for independent research purposes.
- Demonstrate knowledge and appropriate use of academic register and referencing conventions.
- Develop time management strategies, employ self-directed learning and show an ability to reflect on one’s own goals and progress.
Skills for your professional life (Transferable Skills)
By the end of this module, students will have practised the following transferable skills:
- To improve your written and oral communication skills.
- To develop your online and independent learning skills.
- To develop your analytical, critical thinking skills.
- To enhance your reflective practice and develop a growth mindset.
- To develop your research and planning skills.
- To enhance your teamwork and interpersonal skills.
Syllabus
Develop research techniques
Reading and note-taking skills development
Academic writing skills development
Planning, editing and redrafting skills (including effective use of feedback)
Referencing and how to avoid plagiarism
Listening skills development
Taking notes from lectures
Summary writing
Presentation skills including the effective use of visuals
Revision and exam strategies
The reflective process for university students
The skills identified above will be developed using topics which may include:
Topics of particular relevance to specific pathways.
Topics linked to Education for Sustainable Development.
Topics of generic relevance to university students and studying.
Current affairs topics which offer opportunities for the development of critical thinking/discussion.
Sources will be included within the syllabus which support the decolonisation of the curriculum through offering a wider range of source materials.
The module will be delivered via:
Teaching and learning on Essex Pathways modules offers students the ability to develop the foundation knowledge, skills, and competencies to study at the undergraduate level, through a curriculum that is purposely designed to provide an exceptional learning experience.
All teaching, learning and assessment materials will be available via Moodle in a consistent and user-friendly manner.
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Elliot Hyman (2020)
Who’s really responsible for Climate Change? Harvard Political Review. Available at:
https://harvardpolitics.com/climate-change-responsibility/.
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Patrick-André Mather (2012) ‘The Social Stratification of /r/ in New York City: Labov’s Department Store Study Revisited’,
Journal of English Linguistics, 40(4), pp. 338–356. Available at:
https://doi.org/10.1177/0075424211431265.
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Dörnyei, Z. and Csizér, K. (1998) ‘Ten commandments for motivating language learners: results of an empirical study’,
Language Teaching Research, 2(3), pp. 203–229. Available at:
https://doi.org/10.1177/136216889800200303.
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Bryan Magee (2016) The story of philosophy. Revised edition. London: Dorling Kindersley Limited.
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Clarke, P. and Cannadine, D. (2004) ‘Prologue’, in Hope and Glory. New edition. London: Penguin Books Ltd.
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Geertshuis, S.A. (2019) ‘Slaves to our emotions: Examining the predictive relationship between emotional well-being and academic outcomes’,
Active Learning in Higher Education, 20(2), pp. 153–166. Available at:
https://doi.org/10.1177/1469787418808932.
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Turner, J. (2002)
How to Study. 6 Bonhill Street, London England EC2A 4PU United Kingdom : SAGE Publications, Ltd. Available at:
https://doi.org/10.4135/9780857025036.
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Bailey, S. (2018)
Academic Writing: A Handbook for International Students. 5th edn. Abingdon, UK: Routledge. Available at:
https://ebookcentral-proquest-com.uniessexlib.idm.oclc.org/lib/universityofessex-ebooks/detail.action?docID=5178437.
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Cottrell, S. (2017)
Critical thinking skills: effective analysis, argument and reflection. Third edition. London: Palgrave. Available at:
https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/universityofessex-ebooks/detail.action?docID=6234915.
The above list is indicative of the essential reading for the course.
The library makes provision for all reading list items, with digital provision where possible, and these resources are shared between students.
Further reading can be obtained from this module's
reading list.
Assessment items, weightings and deadlines
| Coursework / exam |
Description |
Deadline |
Coursework weighting |
| Coursework |
IA195 - Academic Integrity Online Quiz |
|
15% |
| Coursework |
IA195 - Formative Summary Task - 500 Words |
30/10/2023 |
0% |
| Coursework |
IA195 - Summary Task |
11/12/2023 |
25% |
| Coursework |
IA195 - Scaffolded Assignment |
18/03/2024 |
30% |
| Coursework |
IA195 - Reflective Presentations |
26/04/2024 |
30% |
Additional coursework information
Formative assessment
- Students will submit a 500-word reading-to-write summary in the Autumn Term.
Summative assessment
- Academic Integrity Online Quiz (40 mins) taken in the Autumn Term to raise awareness of plagiarism.
- Summary of a subject-specific text (500 words) to be submitted in the Autumn Term after formative feedback has been provided.
- Scaffolded assignment (1,000 words) to be submitted in the Spring term. The assignment will develop the student’s ability to produce an extended piece of writing in the most relevant for the Humanities pathway. The topic is selected in consultation with subject Module Leaders on the pathway.
- Reflective presentation (7-10 mins) to take place in the Summer Term. Presentations are delivered individually but include an element of reporting on collaborative group or peer reflective exercises. The presentation aims to develop student’s oral communication skills and to become more reflective learners.
Reassessment strategy
- Failed coursework - Resubmit a piece of coursework (1,000 words) which will be marked as 100% of the new module mark. The reassessment task will enable the relevant learning outcomes to be met.
- If the group presentation has failed or has not been attempted, students will also be required to submit a recorded presentation (7-10 minutes). The weighting will be divided equally between the assignment and the 500-word presentation.
Exam format definitions
- Remote, open book: Your exam will take place remotely via an online learning platform. You may refer to any physical or electronic materials during the exam.
- In-person, open book: Your exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may refer to any physical materials such as paper study notes or a textbook during the exam. Electronic devices may not be used in the exam.
- In-person, open book (restricted): The exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may refer only to specific physical materials such as a named textbook during the exam. Permitted materials will be specified by your department. Electronic devices may not be used in the exam.
- In-person, closed book: The exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may not refer to any physical materials or electronic devices during the exam. There may be times when a paper dictionary,
for example, may be permitted in an otherwise closed book exam. Any exceptions will be specified by your department.
Your department will provide further guidance before your exams.
Overall assessment
Reassessment
Module supervisor and teaching staff
Ms Fiona Elsted, email: felsted@essex.ac.uk.
Becky Humphreys (becky.humphreys@essex.ac.uk or 01206 872217)
No
No
No
Mr Gerald Dampier
University of Surrey
Teaching Fellow in Learning Development
Available via Moodle
Of 98 hours, 94 (95.9%) hours available to students:
2 hours not recorded due to service coverage or fault;
2 hours not recorded due to opt-out by lecturer(s), module, or event type.
Essex Pathways
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