Portfolio: Skills for Academic Success

This portfolio explores the various skills necessary for academic success, including communication, presentation, reading, and more. It discusses the importance of skills such as CV writing, cover letters, independent study, reflective thinking, and academic writing. The portfolio also highlights the role of skills in academic life and their impact on future career opportunities.

CW2: PORTFOLIO

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
SKILL REFLECTION ....................................................................................................................3
Curriculum Vitae ........................................................................................................................3
Cover Letter................................................................................................................................3
Independent Study.......................................................................................................................3
Reflective Thinking ....................................................................................................................4
Learning and Development.........................................................................................................4
Communication skills..................................................................................................................4
Presentation Skills.......................................................................................................................4
Reading skills..............................................................................................................................5
Types of Graphs .........................................................................................................................5
Plagiarism....................................................................................................................................5
Academic Writing ......................................................................................................................6
Group and Team skills ...............................................................................................................6
HOW SKILLS HELP IN ACADENIC LIFE .................................................................................6
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................7
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................8

INTRODUCTION
Portfolio is related to collection of student's academic works as well as other type of
evidences related to education with motive of reviewing coursework quality, development &
learning progress as well as academic performance. In addition to this, it will help in ascertaining
that student had fulfilled criteria related to learning standards, graduation, grade promotions or
not. This research project is reflective account of student in that individual communicates
learning related to university and develop skills at the time of coursework.
SKILL REFLECTION
At the time of my tenure in university, I utilise numerous skills out of these few were
inherited as well as other are acquired while my coursework was going with lectures which was
given by my tutors. In relation to this, below mention skills helped me during my academic
courses at university. Explanation of these are as follows :-
Curriculum Vitae
CV is in-depth document which explain career journey step by step including personal
information also. In my classroom lectures tutor teach us that curriculum Vitae on individual
give first impression in front of employers while taking interviews. In addition to this, it has been
acknowledge by me that individual have to mention each and every steps of career journey in CV
including personal information also. Thus, good CV will help me in taking better future
opportunities.
Cover Letter
Cover Letter is written document which submitted along with job application along with
explanation of applicants interest as well as credentials in the vacant position. I even don't have
any idea about importance of Cover Letter when I attend my classroom lectures it has been
acknowledge by me that while applying for vacant job position in an organisation along with
CV, cover letter also given. This show interest and credentials of person who applying for vacant
position.
Independent Study
Independent study is the activity which has been conducted by an individual for recalling
all the topics which taught by tutors during classroom sessions. It is important for particular

person to do independent study because without recalling each and every topic it become
difficult to clearly understand. Through independent study I make notes of topics teaches in
classroom session. This will help me in future at the time of exams because recalling through
notes is easy and it also help me in gaining good marks within academic exams. I learnt
independent study and its importance while my academic course work was going on. As tutors in
end of every topic ask students to recall entire discussion after going home. Because through this
they will learn overall topic in effective manner and gain deep knowledge related to it.
Reflective Thinking
It is an logical thinking practice by that an individual particularly will be able to analyses
a situation as well as makes effective judgement related to what has happened. While my
classroom lectures was going on, within that I learn Gibbs reflective cycle which is an effective
model which provide assistance to individual in executing their writing and also reflective
thinking. By me this Gibbs reflective model mainly utilise during course work within University.
With the assistance of this model lots of time I gain appreciation for its exceptionally display of
my critical thinking. When I will do course in future such type of skills will help me in taking
assignment further as well as also assist in associating my ideas with specific scenario for
providing effectual decision.
Learning and Development
Learning and development is important as it will help in conducting academic related
activities in more effective manner. When classroom sessions has been taken by me it has
acknowledge that there are several skills as well as practices which I have to learn for conducting
future academic activities in effective manner. In addition to this, there is requirement to develop
because proper development will help in taking career related future opportunities.
Communication skills
It is important skill as required for sharing information or message with one another.
Communication skills generally involves listening, observing as well as empathizing. Within my
classroom session I developed by communication skills which not only help me in personal life
but also in academic related activities. Moreover, in my weekly session it has been realised by
me that communication is generally of three type i.e., oral, written and visual. In future it will
help in conducting communication related activities in more effective manner.

Presentation Skills
This skill is consider as individual capabilities through which they can engage targeted
audience for favourable time by influencing their interest on topic selected for presentations. In
this skills specific area of presentation includes body language, slides, tone, voice, way of
speaking and many more. When I started my coursework it has been identified by me that my
presentation skill is not good and I am not able to influence audience to focus on my
presentation. But through classroom sessions it get certain tips related to presentations such as
eye contact, attractive slides, soft speaking skills, body language and many more which help me
in future for giving good presentations.
Reading skills
This skills found in individual which shows how effectively they read, write and interpret
in correct manner. Reading skills play important role in every student and readers life as well as
for those who belong to academic zone respective skills is mandatory for owing advance level.
Through evaluation of my experience in past it has been accomplished by me that antecedently I
was not that much capable as can understand my reading material quickly due not good
vocabulary. But I started developing my vocabulary through finding new as well as complicated
words on google. Along with this, with the assistance of book reading I developed my reading
skills which help me in completing my coursework in more efficacious way.
Types of Graphs
Graph is pictorial presentation of statistical data which help in increasing
comprehensibility of information. During my coursework lectures given by tutors provide
assistance in gaining knowledge related to the way within that graphs and tables are evaluated as
well as interpreted and also able to draw graphs through computers. Moreover, there are
numerous type of graph which can be utilise while making reports and these will assist in
creating eye capturing as well as attractive reports. There are several types of graph which is
learnt from class lectures such as pie chart, bar graph, picto-graph, broken line graphs, scatter
plots and many more. Such graphs will assist in presenting my report in more attractive manner
and help in gaining high marks.

Plagiarism
Plagiarism is explained as an act in which individual directly copying and then present an
existing production without an appropriate citing or referencing as well as without any
permission from its original users. During my tenure within University, it has been learnt by me
that plagiarism is an academic crime. Moreover, it has been acknowledged that plagiarism is
mainly of two types i.e., intentionally as well as unintentionally. Through lectures given by tutors
during the week provided assistance to me in learning that an ideal student carry out project work
in such manner within that in-text citations credits given to the original writers. Strict actions has
been taken on student by Academic Disciplinary Committee whose report is founded plagiarised.
Thus, it has been acknowledged by me that in-texting is essential part of an student's academic
life as well as it must have to be consider by students while completing their project work.
Academic Writing
This skill refers to specific style that utilise in writing any essay or assessment which is
related to coursework in formal manner. Academic writing use logical and well devised structure
as well as language that usually supported through evidence. From class room lectures this has
been acknowledge by me that there are generally four kind of academic writing such as critical,
analytical, descriptive and persuasive. In addition to this, every type of writing have their own
motive or purpose and also language features. Furthermore, with the assistance of academic
writing skills I am able to complete my assessment in effective manner in past as well as it will
also help me in future for completing my in relation of my course work activities.
Group and Team skills
An individual will only become successful within their professional as well as academic
life when they possesses ability for working within group and cooperation's with others for
deriving desirable results. While lecture was going on, I learned importance of working within an
team and how working in group will result in gaining desirable outcomes. Tutors explain
Belbin's theoretical framework of team working which taught me role of every particular team
members and how work of every particular person will contributes in achieving team targets.
Such skills will help me in working within team in effectual manner as well as also assist in
completing allotted task while my course work was going on. These skills will provide assistance
to me in shaping my personality through which I can comfortably as well as conveniently work
within team in effective manner.

HOW SKILLS HELP IN ACADENIC LIFE
Through my entire learning experience it has been analysed by me that there are several
experience which shaped my academic life. These experience help me in learning several
personal skills as well as others developed by professional skills which have wide contribution in
my career. In addition to this, above mention various academic skills has been learned by me
which help me in improving my working capabilities as well as also chances of growth in
academic life. There are some major skills which included within it such as communication
skills, presentation skills, team and group working, academic writings and many more. Through
my experience it has been realised by me that communication skills is important because it
provide way of interaction. As it will assist me in delivering best of views in front of others to
whom I was interacting. Moreover, communication skills also provide assistance to me in
communicating with teacher and clearing doubts. Apart from this, presentation skills taught me
to represent myself in front of audience as well as also in listening like professionals.
As per evaluation it has been analysed presentation and communication both skills help
individual in gaining better career opportunities. Moreover, both skills involve appropriate pitch
volume, dressing manner, body language, gesture and many more. In addition to this, it can be
said that enhancement within academic writing skills provide assistance to me in gaining higher
marks at the time of subjective paper in university. It become easy for me to present the actual
learning within written form which help in realising teacher that I have knowledge about
particular topic which they taught in classroom sessions.
Moreover, development of team working skill has helped me out in effective completion
of group work. Developments of this skill have made me learnt to corporate with team members
and execute each and every work by discussing with them. Apart from this, cover letter and CV
both are important as they give wide as well as positive impact on employers if designed in
effective manner. Through my classroom sessions I learnt that what are important points which
have to be covered in CV and cover letter for making it impressive. This will help me in
developing positive impact in front of employers while applying for vacant job position.
CONCLUSION
After going through above discussion it has been summarised that, there are numerous
skills which have to be inherent or acquired by students while their education is going on for
carrying out successful academic life. Above mention skills such as communication, referencing

and many more help in building capabilities as well as potential within individual which will
shape the personality of person so that one can take better place as professional.

REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Baker, C. N. and et. al., 2015. Teacher (mis) perceptions of preschoolers’ academic skills:
Predictors and associations with longitudinal outcomes. Journal of educational psychology.
107(3). p.805.
Basturkmen, H., 2014. Ideas and options in English for specific purposes. Routledge.
Flores, N., Kleyn, T. and Menken, K., 2015. Looking holistically in a climate of partiality:
Identities of students labeled long-term English language learners. Journal of Language,
Identity & Education. 14(2). pp.113-132.
Valentino, R. A. and Reardon, S. F., 2015. Effectiveness of four instructional programs designed
to serve English learners: Variation by ethnicity and initial English proficiency. Educational
Evaluation and Policy Analysis. 37(4). pp.612-637.
Ma, L., Tang, Y. and Gómez, J.P., 2019. Portfolio manager compensation in the US mutual fund
industry. The Journal of Finance. 74(2), pp.587-638.
Dybvig, P. H. and Pezzo, L., 2019. Mean-variance portfolio rebalancing with transaction costs.
Available at SSRN 3373329.