Academic and Research Skills: Personal Development Report Analysis

This report presents a comprehensive analysis of personal development and academic skills, focusing on strengths, weaknesses, and a strategic plan for improvement. The introduction highlights the importance of personal development in enhancing skills, competencies, and abilities. Task 1 assesses the student's strengths, such as understanding and research skills, and weaknesses, including note-taking and summarising skills. SMART objectives are then developed to address these weaknesses. Task 2 delves into note-taking from oral and written sources, and the importance of paraphrasing and summarising information in research. Task 3 outlines a market research plan, including data collection methods, and the process of conducting research using primary and secondary sources. Task 4 provides a self-reflection on the development process, outlining targets, activities, and support needed for skill enhancement. The report concludes by emphasizing the significance of continuous skill development and the application of market and research knowledge.

Academic and Research Skills

Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................1
1.1 Assessment of own strengths and weaknesses......................................................................1
1.2 SMART Objectives...............................................................................................................1
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................2
3.1 Notes acquired from both oral and written sources...............................................................2
3.2 Paraphrasing and summarising information..........................................................................2
TASK 3............................................................................................................................................1
4.1 Market research plan..............................................................................................................1
4.2 Process of carrying out research from primary and secondary information..........................1
TASK 4............................................................................................................................................2
6.1 Reflection...............................................................................................................................2
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................5
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................6

INTRODUCTION
Personal development is an essential approach which refers to improvement of personal
skills, competencies and abilities. It is important for an individual to have appropriate
communication, learning and other skills to carry out extensive research. The present report is in
context to analysis of own strengths and weaknesses on the basis of which development plan can
be created. The research will include both primary and secondary techniques for achieving the
best outcomes. Furthermore, the report will also identify various factors that assist and affect the
development process through self-reflection.
TASK 1
1.1 Assessment of own strengths and weaknesses.
Determining personal strengths and weaknesses is an essential and complex task for an
individual, there are various strengths and weaknesses within an individual as described below -
Strengths Weaknesses
 Understanding skills
 Listening skills
 Good command on English language
 Technological skills
 Research Skills
 Logical skills
 Note-Taking skills
 Skills for Summarising
 Ability skills
1.2 SMART Objectives
To increase or enhance strengths as well as overcoming the weaknesses, it is very
important to develop SMART objectives. These objectives or goals are described as below -
1. Specific – From self-assessment it was determined that main weaknesses were skills of
taking notes and summarising skills which are important element of academic research.
Therefore, developing the skills of note-taking as well as summarising is specific
(McConville, 2017). The period of improving these skills should be 5 months.
2. Measurable – The objectives which are specified should be measurable, to measure the
goals or objectives feedbacks form peers and subordinate must be collected.
1

3. Achievable – The set of goals must be achievable, for accomplishing or overcoming the
weaknesses, period of 5 months has been allotted. In order to achieve the objectives
redundant efforts will be applied mainly on the summarising and not-taking skills.
4. Relevant – To increase or enhance professional career within the area of market research,
improving specified skills is very essential.
5. Time bound – The goals should be achieved in a particular time period, such as 5 months
are allotted to develop the specified skills – summarising and note-taking skills.
TASK 2
3.1 Notes acquired from both oral and written sources
Note-Taking is essentials skills within academic research, an individual needs to be
focused on every crucial point for taking notes and important information for carryout out a
research effectively (O'Sullivan and Dallas, 2017). In the present study notes are taken from both
oral and written source, these notes are mentioned below -
1. Oral sources - Through oral source, the notes has been collected from workshops,
attending seminars, lectures and seminars.
2. Written sources - Notes has been collected from reading journals and articles planned by
researchers related to the subject matter.
3.2 Paraphrasing and summarising information
Market research is stated as the most critical task and it is very necessary for carryout out
academic research successfully (Carey, 2017). Researcher should have effective research skills,
comprehensive and communication skills. Researcher at exploratory phase could face many
issues or problems with regards to choices of data selection technique, target population and
selecting the most appropriate method for data analysis. The researcher required to compass the
secondary data in precise and effective manner so that the report get provide useful knowledge
and assist reader to complete the task in an efficient and effective way.
2

TASK 3
4.1 Market research plan.
For special research about target market, every investigator must have a plan for conducts
the market research. In such market research plan these elements should be includes object of
research, types of participant’s persons and the main topic on which this research will focus on.
For this purpose, the important plan about the market research which is present as under:
Research Aim
Market research is to introduce new hand cream in the market.
Identifying Data needed for Marketing
Actions
In this present research, the data collection process is very complicated in the market
research plan. For the researcher, it is important to collect the data in the right method in order to
achieve the targets and aims of that particular research (Lewis, 2018). In this context, the main
target is the population living in London and buy various hand cream from different stores. The
data is required for obtain robust findings and it is the conclusion of that research.
Data collection
The data has two types first id primary and another one is secondary data. Primary data is
collects by various primary methods like interviews, questionnaire etc. The secondary data is
collects from different books, journals and articles.
collects from different books, journals and articles. articles.
4.2 Process of carrying out research from primary and secondary information
There are 2 types of sources which are mainly used in research like that of primary and
secondary ways and both of them could be used so that it is easy for them to analyse the results.
Primary sources-
This is regarded to as first hand method of extracting information, facts and figures which
could be used within purpose of finding out results. Primary sources will be including methods
of taking out information and data which is relevant in taking out conclusions and recommending
after that (Travis, 2017). There are number of ways in which are been included within this
primary sources like that of surveys, questionnaire, interviews and observations as well. In the
above which is having aim of introduction of hand cream so for this purpose it would require that
they are conducting market research through building up of questionnaire.
1

Secondary sources-
This is another method of taking or conducting research which includes collecting up of
information or data from books, articles and website which will be focusing on buying behaviour
of consumers (Atkinson and Coffey, 2018). Secondary sources will be having in depth
understanding of the products and services.
TASK 4
6.1 Reflection
From the above market research which I carried to provide important results it is
important that I could be progressing and developing my skills. it would be required that I could
be having personal skills and academic as well like that of note taking, summarising and
language skills as well.
My
personal
Developme
nt targets
Short or
long term
target
How will I
achieve
targets?
What
activities
need to
undertake
to achieve
my
objectives?
What
support do
Date of
Review
Progress
made
towards
target
Further
required
information
Actual date
of
achieving
targets
2

I need
Note taking
skills are
improved
Short term Achievemen
t of my
targets
through way
of rigorous
practice. I
will be
writing my
notes by
using digital
technologies
. I will
requiring
support and
help from
my tutors
and
supervisors.
12/07/18 Start writing
notes of
researches
and lectures.
No further
information
required
22/09/18
Improvemen
t in
summarisin
g skills
Short term Through
redundant
efforts and
summarisin
g practice. I
will need to
summarise
the research
project
efficiently. I
will need
12/07/18 Beginning
through
summarisin
g previous
research and
paraphrasin
g them so
that
comprehensi
ve
understandi
No further
information
required
22/09/18
3

support
from my
tutors and
supervisors.
ng can be
created.
Improvemen
t of
analytical
thinking
skills
Long Term By
frequently
resolving
difficult
problems I
will capable
to improve
my logical
skills. I will
need
provision
from my
tutors and
administrato
rs.
13/07/18 Started to
solve
complex
issues in
order to
enhance
analytical
abilities.
No further
information
required
15/01/19
Improvemen
t of
communicat
ion skills
Long Term By making
frequent
communicat
ion with
friends and
colleagues, I
will be able
to improve
my
communicat
ion skills.
16/07/18 Making
frequent
communicat
ion and
gathering
feedbacks
for
improvemen
t.
No further
information
required
14/01/19
4

CONCLUSION
It could be concluded that there are many ways to enhance marketing and researching
skills which are important as well. So individuals should be having both knowledge of market
and research so that they could be assessing all data and information that are made available.
5

REFERENCES
Books and journals
Atkinson, P. and Coffey, A., 2018. Introduction. In Occupational Socialization and Working
Lives (1994) (pp. 11-15). Routledge.
Carey, M., 2017. Qualitative research skills for social work: theory and practice. Routledge.
Lewis, V., 2018. New Skills for the Academic Library Workforce–A Canadian Experience.
McConville, M. ed., 2017. Research methods for law. Edinburgh University Press.
O'Sullivan, M.K. and Dallas, K.B., 2017. A collaborative approach to implementing 21st century
skills in a high school senior research class. Education Libraries, 33(1), pp.3-9.
Travis, T.A., 2017. From the classroom to the boardroom: the impact of information literacy
instruction on workplace research skills. Education Libraries, 34(2), pp.19-31.
6