Skills for Success in Academic Life

This article discusses the importance of developing skills for success in academic life. It explores skills such as comparison, mind mapping, presentation, writing, avoiding plagiarism, improving reading, research, critical thinking, and the use of academic keywords. The article also highlights how these skills can enhance learning and academic performance.

Preparing for Success At
University-Knowledge and
Creativity

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................4
SELF REFLECTION.......................................................................................................................4
Comparison of two websites.......................................................................................................4
Mind mapping ............................................................................................................................4
Poster (How to make a poster)....................................................................................................5
Presentation skills (Power Point)................................................................................................5
Writing skills..............................................................................................................................5
Avoiding Plagiarism ...................................................................................................................5
Improving reading.......................................................................................................................6
Research skills.............................................................................................................................6
Usage of capital letter..................................................................................................................6
Critical thinking..........................................................................................................................6
Academic keywords....................................................................................................................7
Reflective learning......................................................................................................................7
HOW SKILLS HELP IN ACADEMIC LIFE.................................................................................7
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................8
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................9

INTRODUCTION
Portfolio is basically termed as the collaboration of different sort of educational
evidences as well a students academic work for the motive of analyzing that how effectively they
are enhancing their learning and also improvising their academic performance (Baker and et. al.,
2015). It also shows that whether the individual have fulfilled over criteria of learning standards
at the time of graduation or not. This project deeply explores students learning and strengths with
the usage of reflection within the coursework.
SELF REFLECTION
While my learning time at University, I have developed my understanding over several
skills which are highly important for the academic as well as professional life. My tutors at
university have told me about these skills and shown me that how effectively I can use and
improve them in my learning time period. Some of the main skills which have supported me in
learning are stated as below one after another:
Comparison of two websites
Comparing two websites while studying them in highly important as it aware that best
one among them. This comparison is done on the basis of their relevance of information
presented in it (Basturkmen, 2014) It can also be done on the basis of presentation of websites
that includes selection of images which are associated with the topic. My tutor told me that
comparing website is very important while developing knowledge on the particular topic. By
doing so I can easily find out that which website is good and goes well with the academic work.
On the basis of my own experience, it can be said that I prefers to compare two or websites while
developing project on particular topic. This allows me making good project and supports in
gaining higher score on the same.
Mind mapping
Mind mapping is seen as the graphical method through which individuals can easily
represent particular concept or topic. With reference to the academic life, it can be said that it is
important to incorporate mind mapping in academic life as by doing so it would be easier for me
to develop new ideas in simpler. With the usage of mind mapping at University, I will be able to
structure all the relevant information and generate new idea towards it.

Poster (How to make a poster)
Poster making is seen as the art or skill which shows that how creatively individual
represents their source of information in the form of Poster (Flores, Kleyn and Menken, 2015). I
personally face difficulty in making poster as I am not able to align whole information in
systematic manner. For improving this, my teachers have provided me few training sessions
which have made learn several ways by which I can easily make poster. Improvement of this
skill will allow me to enhance creativity in my academic life.
Presentation skills (Power Point)
Presentation skill refers to the ability of person through which they engage its audience
and also influence their interest towards the stated topic in effective manner (Nieth and
Benneworth, 2019). Presentation skill includes the both aspects that is presentation of themselves
as well as their formulated power point which provides detailed information to audience. During
the starting time of my tenure, my presentation skills were not that much effective as I was not
able to choose academic slide background as well as color combination used by me in this were
very bright that directly distracts my audience interest towards other things. For improving the
sane, my tutor has shown me several PPT developed by others which have provided me idea
about how it can be improved according to the academic requirement. By developing these skills,
it would be easier for me to develop very creative and attractive presentation and provides me
support in gaining higher score in same.
Writing skills
Writing is considered as the kind of communication according to which individual or
students expresses their information, knowledge and belief on particular topic (Valentino and
Reardon, 2015). My writing skill is moderate as I am able to express the concept in the written
form too if I have good knowledge on them. As per the tutor, it is important for teachers to
enhance my command over this skill so that I can also express new concepts in same manner.
Enhancement of this skill will allow me scoring higher grades in the university.
Avoiding Plagiarism
Plagiarism simply means the activity by which individual represents others work as well
as opinion as their own. In academic zone, plagiarism is seen as the biggest crime which could
cost major to the individual who have been caught with it. With my own experience in the

college, I got to know that plagiarism in academic life can develop due to self intention of person
or it might develop unintentionally. In order to avoid this, it is highly important for me to
consider my own opinions and facts while developing academic paper.
Improving reading
Reading is considered as the effective skill which states that individual is able to read and
write overall text presented in the written form (Curda and Westeren, 2019). It is important for
individuals to develop their reading effectively by enhancing vocabulary each and every time
when they goes through any new text or word. My tutor taught me in the class that effective
reading is very important in academic life and presents individual learning and reading ability in
front of others. With my own experience, it can be said that my pronunciation is good as I read
every word clearly but at the same time I face difficulty in reading new technical words. The
main reason behind this is my unfamiliarity with them. This can be improved by indulging into
more number of reading practices. This will enhance my familiarity with other new words that
will result in enhancement of my reading skill with the passing period of time.
Research skills
It is termed as skill of searching out information on particular subject and then analyze
and interpret it effectively in order to draw valid outcome on it (Kek and Lawrence, 2019). As
lectures delivered by tutor in the class, it has been determined that research skill is very
important part of academic life as it allows individual in drawing valid outcome on the particular
topic. By enhancing this, I will be able to attempt each and every project in effective manner as I
research on every topic I detailed manner.
Usage of capital letter
Using first letter of word in the starting of sentence is very important as the rule of
English grammar (Braun and et. al., 2018). As being student of University, I have to prepare
several assignment in which it essentially important for me to capitalize each and every letter at
the start point of project. By doing so, it would be easier for maintain my command over
grammar as well as it usage in academic life.
Critical thinking
Critical thinking refers to the evaluation of particular issue in order to make effective
judgment towards it in rightful manner. The respective skill is highly important in academic

zone. Good command over this skill directly helps me out in evaluating opinions and perception
of others taken towards the particular topic and assists me drawing valid outcome towards.
Enhancement of this skill in the future will support me analyzing opinion of others and
developing relevant ideology towards it. In addition to this, it also supports me taking right
decision on the basis of my judgment and gaining particular aims and objective within provided
time frame.
Academic keywords
Academic keyword are mainly termed as the common terms used by individual belonging
to academic life (MALCOLM and LANCASTER, 2018). In the lecture, tutor has clearly
expressed we are required to make use of academic key words in the written assignment as well
as PPT and poster. By using these, it will be easier for me to express all details in systematic and
formal manner. This will also make presentation more academic because of using these
keywords.
Reflective learning
It is termed as the effective way of learning under which individual critically evaluates
whole situation and checks that how they reacted and responded in that particular situation
(Shamia and et. al., 2018). In the class room lectures, my teachers have taught me about Gibbs
reflective model and its practical application in academic life. Incorporation of this reflective
cycle have supported me in enhancing my thinking process and also contributed in the
completion of those particular assignment which includes reflective writing and has major
proportionate of scores in it too.
HOW SKILLS HELP IN ACADEMIC LIFE
On the basis of my personal experience related to the learning, I have realized that all
situations from which I have gone through had made me learn many things. The main learning
developed from it includes development of skills which are highly important for my academic as
well as professional life. Development of the skills will directly helps me out in attaining higher
number of opportunities for myself that will turn mu career towards the success in rightful
manner. From the discussion made on range of skills, it can be said that I have good command
over some of the skills whereas, I still have to place several initiatives in order to improve the
lack area in effective manner. While discussing about the weak skill or that particular skill which

is required to be developed by me are Comparison of two websites, Presentation skills,
Improving reading etc. According to my own experience, it can be said that I am quite weak in
presentation skill as I am not able to select right background and color combination according to
the academic norms. In order to develop the same my tutor have provided us some training
session in which they have shown us some same of academic power point and some key points
which have been considered by their respective developers at the time of preparing PPT. Apart
from this, my teachers have advised me to read more number of books, articles, newspaper and
other academic published material so that they can enhance my learning on the new words with
which I am not at all familiar. Thus, it can be said that more and more reading will not only
improvise my reading skill but will also provide me opportunity to enhance me knowledge over
the particular subject area.
Apart from this, it has been analyzed that there are certain number of skills over which I
currently have satisfactory amount of command but still have to put some more efforts in order
to improvise them or develop them effectively. It can be said that development of knowledge and
application of reflective writing helps me out in enhancing my own learning by analyzing my
personal response in particular situation. This analysis allows me checking out that whether I
have responded in right way or. As a result, it can be said that reflective writing is supportive in
exploring personal strength and weak areas which can be further developed or improved after its
determination. From the overall analysis, it has been identified that continuous based
improvement is very important for every individual as it allows them in enhancing their skills
and knowledge. In addition to this, improvement of respective academic skills enhances chances
of attaining more number of opportunities for individual by which they can easily become
successful in the near future.
CONCLUSION
On the basis of above expressed information, it has been comprehended that academic
life not only develops individuals knowledge over particular subjects or topics but at the same
time it enhances range of skills among students. Some of the essential skill among them are
Reflective learning, Academic keywords, Critical thinking, Research skills, Improving reading,
Avoiding Plagiarism, Writing skills, Poster (How to make a poster), Presentation skills (Power
Point) etc. Enhancement of all these skills supports individual in developing themselves and
makes them prepare for entering into professional life.

REFERENCES
Books and Journals
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Valentino, R. A. and Reardon, S. F., 2015. Effectiveness of four instructional programs designed
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