University of Essex

IA195-3-FY-CO:
Research and Academic Development Skills

The details

Year: 2024/25

Department: Essex Pathways

Campus: Colchester Campus

Term: Full Year

Level: Foundation/Year Zero: Level 3

Status: Current

Start date: Thursday 03 October 2024

End date: Friday 27 June 2025

Credits: 30

Last updated: 04 November 2024

Requisites for this module

Pre-requisites: (none)

Co-requisites: (none)

Pre and / or co-requisites: (none)

Prohibited modules: (none)

Key module (requisite for): (none)

Key module for

BA T710 American Studies (United States) (Including Foundation Year and Year Abroad),
BA V31B Art History (Including Foundation Year and Year Abroad),
BA V350 Art History (Including Foundation Year),
BA V531 Continental Philosophy (Including Foundation Year),
BA W808 Creative Writing (Including Foundation Year),
BA M903 Criminology (Including Foundation Year),
BA MT28 Criminology and American Studies (Including Foundation Year and Year Abroad),
BA W408 Drama (Including Foundation Year),
BA WQ28 Drama and Literature (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 Q320 English Literature (Including Foundation Year),
BA R9R9 European Studies with Spanish (Including Foundation Year),
BA PW88 Film and Creative Writing (Including Foundation Year),
BA W628 Film Studies (Including Foundation Year),
BA PQ38 Film Studies and Literature (Including Foundation Year),
BA V102 History (Including Foundation Year),
BA QV2C History and Literature (Including Foundation Year),
BA LV38 History and Sociology (Including Foundation Year),
BA V1W8 History with Film Studies (Including Foundation Year),
BA V1L8 History with Human Rights (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 T7N3 Latin American Studies (Including Foundation Year),
BA T7N4 Latin American studies with Business Management (Including Foundation Year),
BA T7M8 Latin American studies with Human Rights (Including Foundation Year),
BA LQV0 Liberal Arts (Including Foundation Year),
BA Q900 Liberal Arts (Including Foundation Year and Year Abroad),
BA Q102 Linguistics (Including Foundation Year),
BA P300 Media and Digital Culture (Including Foundation Year),
BA V144 Modern History (Including Foundation Year),
BA VL18 Modern History and International Relations (Including Foundation Year),
BA LV28 Modern History and Politics (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 V502 Philosophy (Including Foundation Year),
BA V508 Philosophy (Including Foundation Year and Year Abroad),
BA MVC8 Philosophy and Law (Including Foundation Year),
BA VM58 Philosophy and Law (Including Foundation Year and Year Abroad),
BA VQ52 Philosophy and Literature (Including Foundation Year),
BA VQ58 Philosophy and Literature (Including Foundation Year and Year Abroad),
BA LV2H Philosophy and Politics (Including Foundation Year and Year Abroad),
BA LV8M Philosophy and Politics (Including Foundation Year),
BA V5M8 Philosophy with Human Rights (Including Foundation Year),
BA VLM8 Philosophy with Human Rights (Including Foundation Year and Year Abroad),
BA L0V2 Philosophy, Politics and Economics (Including Foundation Year),
BA VV58 Philosophy, Religion and Ethics (Including Foundation Year),
BA VV59 Philosophy, Religion and Ethics (Including Foundation Year and Year Abroad),
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 V359 Curating (Including Foundation Year),
BA V35B Curating (Including Foundation Year and Year Abroad),
BA L908 Global Studies (Including Foundation Year and Year Abroad),
BA QW38 Literature and Creative Writing (Including Foundation Year),
BA Q218 English and Comparative Literature (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 L913 Global Studies with Politics (Including Foundation Year),
BA L916 Global Studies with Human Rights (Including Foundation Year),
BA W353 Art History, Visual Culture and Media Studies (Including Foundation Year),
BA L401 Social Change (Including Foundation Year),
BA P403 Film and Drama (Including Foundation Year),
BA VV21 Philosophy with Business Management (Including Foundation Year),
BA L934 Global Studies with Business Management (Including Foundation Year),
BA Q121 Linguistics with Data Science (Including Foundation Year),
BSC Q121 Computational Linguistics (Including Foundation Year),
BA R101 Art History and Language Studies (Including Foundation Year),
BA R103 Art History with Language Studies (Including Foundation Year),
BA R105 Global Studies and Language Studies (Including Foundation Year),
BA R109 European Studies and Language Studies (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 L995 Global Studies with Latin American Studies (Including Foundation Year),
BA L991 Global Studies and Latin American Studies (Including Foundation Year),
BA V306 Curating with Politics (Including Foundation Year),
BA V310 Curating with History (Including Foundation Year),
BA VV41 Art History, Heritage and Museum Studies (Including Foundation Year),
BA V302 Curating, Heritage and Human Rights (Including Foundation Year),
BA V201 History and Heritage (Including Foundation Year),
BA VM11 History and Law (Including Foundation Year),
BA WW81 Drama and Creative Writing (Including Foundation Year),
BA P566 Film and Journalism (Including Foundation Year),
BA C901 Global Studies with Sustainability (Including Foundation Year),
BA L351 Sociology and Health (including Foundation Year),
BA Q912 Modern Languages Translation, Interpreting and Cultural Mediation (Including Foundation Year),
BA V5L6 Philosophy, Ethics and Sustainability (Including Foundation Year)

Module description

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, collaborative and reflective practices.

The students are supported through the use of subject-specific materials tailored to their chosen degrees with alignment of assessments between academic subject modules and the skills module.

Module aims

1. To develop students’ ability to operate effectively, in both written and spoken language, in a range of academic settings.

2. To develop students’ basic research skills, encouraging a critical approach to source materials and appropriate use of sources as supporting evidence.

3. To encourage independent learning strategies and develop students’ confidence to make judgments and be evaluative.

4. To equip students with appropriate and effective language and study skills applicable to their various disciplines.

Module learning outcomes

By the end of this module students will be expected to be able to:

1. Produce academic writing which is well-structured, relevant and clearly reasoned.

2. 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.

3. Deliver effective presentations using an appropriate range of visual aids.

4. 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.

5. Make full use of academic libraries and a range of appropriate electronic media for independent research purposes.

6. Demonstrate knowledge and appropriate use of academic register and referencing conventions.

7. Develop time management strategies, employ self-directed learning and show an ability to reflect on one’s own goals and progress.

Module information

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:

1. Topics of particular relevance to specific pathways
2. Topics linked to Education for Sustainable Development
3. Topics of generic relevance to university students and studying
4. 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.

Skills for your professional life (Transferable Skills)

By the end of this module, you will have been offered opportunities:
1. To improve your written and oral communication skills.
2. To develop your online and independent learning skills.
3. To develop your analytical, critical thinking skills.
4. To enhance your reflective practice and develop a growth mindset.
5. To develop your research and planning skills.
6. To enhance your teamwork and interpersonal skills.

Learning and teaching methods

Teaching and learning on Essex Pathways modules offers students the ability to develop the foundation knowledge, skills, and competences to study at 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. The module will be delivered through 1 x 1-hour lecture, 1 x 2-hour class and 1 x 1-hour class.

Bibliography

Newburn, T. (2018) Criminology: A Very Short Introduction. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1093/actrade/9780199643257.001.0001.
Wells, S. and Orlin, L.C. (2003) Shakespeare. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Elliot Hyman (2020) Who’s really responsible for Climate Change? Harvard Political Review. Available at: https://harvardpolitics.com/climate-change-responsibility/.
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.
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.
Bryan Magee (2016) The story of philosophy. Revised edition. London: Dorling Kindersley Limited.
Clarke, P. and Cannadine, D. (2004) ‘Prologue’, in Hope and Glory. New edition. London: Penguin Books Ltd.
Saher Rashid (2023) Rising up: How youth are leading the charge for climate justice. Available at: https://www.undp.org/blog/rising-how-youth-are-leading-charge-climate-justice.
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.
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.
Bailey, S. (2018) Academic Writing: A Handbook for International Students. 5th edn. Abingdon, UK: Routledge. Available at: https://search-ebscohost-com.uniessexlib.idm.oclc.org/login.aspx?direct=true&db=nlebk&AN=1650435&site=ehost-live&authtype=sso&custid=s9814295.
Cottrell, S. (no date) The study skills handbook. Sixth edition. London: Bloomsbury. Available at: https://app.kortext.com/Shibboleth.sso/Login?entityID=https://idp0.essex.ac.uk/shibboleth&target=https://app.kortext.com/borrow/2913869.
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	28/10/2024	0%
Coursework	IA195 - Summary Task	02/12/2024	25%
Coursework	IA195 - Formative Scaffold Assignment 1,000 Words	10/02/2025
Coursework	IA195 - Scaffolded Assignment	17/03/2025	30%
Coursework	IA195 - Reflective Presentations	25/04/2025	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, 15%) taken in the Autumn Term to raise awareness of plagiarism. Summary of a subject specific text (500 words, 25%) to be submitted in the Autumn Term after formative feedback has been provided. Scaffolded assignment (1,000 words, 30%) to be submitted in the Spring term. The assignment will develop the students’ 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, 30%) 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 students’ 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 been 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

Coursework	Exam
100%	0%

Reassessment

Coursework	Exam
100%	0%

Module supervisor and teaching staff

Supervisor: Miss Judith Holverson, email: jholver@essex.ac.uk.

Teaching staff:

Contact details: Lucy Anthony - lanthony@essex.ac.uk

Availability

Available to incoming Essex Abroad / Exchange students: No

Available to Outside Option: No

Available to Audit: No

External examiner

Name: Mr Gerald Dampier

Institution: University of Surrey

Academic role: Teaching Fellow in Learning Development

Resources

Teaching materials: Available via Moodle

Lecture recording: Of 56 hours, 56 (100%) hours available to students:
0 hours not recorded due to service coverage or fault;
0 hours not recorded due to opt-out by lecturer(s), module, or event type.

Further information

Department website: Essex Pathways

Disclaimer: The University makes every effort to ensure that this information on its Module Directory is accurate and up-to-date. Exceptionally it can be necessary to make changes, for example to programmes, modules, facilities or fees. Examples of such reasons might include a change of law or regulatory requirements, industrial action, lack of demand, departure of key personnel, change in government policy, or withdrawal/reduction of funding. Changes to modules may for example consist of variations to the content and method of delivery or assessment of modules and other services, to discontinue modules and other services and to merge or combine modules. The University will endeavour to keep such changes to a minimum, and will also keep students informed appropriately by updating our programme specifications and module directory.

The full Procedures, Rules and Regulations of the University governing how it operates are set out in the Charter, Statutes and Ordinances and in the University Regulations, Policy and Procedures.

Module Directory

IA195-3-FY-CO:Research and Academic Development Skills