Academic Skills and PDP Assignment: Goals, Sources, and Plan

This assignment delves into the concepts of personal and professional development, emphasizing the importance of goal setting across short, medium, and long timeframes. It includes a detailed personal development plan, outlining specific learning objectives, target proficiency levels, and timeframes for skill enhancement in areas like communication, presentation, and leadership. The assignment also discusses the impact of author, purpose, reliability, and relevance on source utilization, including a CRAAP test analysis. Finally, the assignment evaluates eight sources used in the essay, assessing their credibility and relevance to the topics discussed. The references include books and online articles used in the assignment.

Academic Skills and PDP

Table of Contents
TASK 1.......................................................................................................................................................4
Define concept of personal and professional development......................................................................4
Discuss value of short term goals with appropriate examples..................................................................4
Discuss significance of medium term goals with examples.....................................................................4
Discuss value of long term goals along with appropriate examples.........................................................4
Personal development plan......................................................................................................................5
TASK 2.......................................................................................................................................................6
Discuss the way in which Author, Purpose, Reliability, and Relevance affect use of a source................6
TASK 3.......................................................................................................................................................7
Discuss evaluation of eight sources used in essay...................................................................................7
REFRENCES............................................................................................................................................10

TASK 1
Define concept of personal and professional development
Personal development plan refers to the set of actions that are prepare by an individual to
grow and enrich in personal as well as professional career (Hill, 2020). Here, reflection plays a
crucial role for personal development as it provides required information about own skills and
competencies along with the area of improvements.
Discuss value of short term goals with appropriate examples
It refers to the goals which an individual wish to get in near future within a time frame of 3 to
5 months. It is analyzed that these short term goals prepare effective role in future success. Here,
some examples of these goals are given as under:
 Manage stress and anxiety in appropriate way.
 Undertake online lectures to improve my communication skills.
 To improve writing skills to perform in academics.
Discuss significance of medium term goals with examples
These goals are for the time period between 6 to 12 months. It is analyzed that most of the
individual have these goals but they do not put attention towards these goals (Hill, 2019).
However, it plays a significant role in future growth and success of individuals. Some examples
of these goals are underneath:
 To improve my public speaking and presentation skills.
 To undertake different online course in order to get diversity in career and get vast
knowledge on different subjects.
 To improve skills in order to get better position at work place.
Discuss value of long term goals along with appropriate examples
Long term goals are related to more than a year which is helpful to motivate human being to
work in desired manner. These goals cannot be achieved in short time rather needs continuous
efforts to build a great future. Examples of these goals are discussed as under:
 Receive degree of BSC with distinction.

 To start my own business to earn higher amount of profit.
 To go on international trip to come across with different cultures and values.
Personal development plan
Personal development plan is related to an individual that is prepared to gain certain
skills, competencies in predefined period of time (Dyer and Dyer, 2017). This plan is really
helpful in enhancement and enrichment of a person by identifying areas of improvement &
development.
Learning
target
Present
proficiency
Target
Proficiency
Development
opportunities
Criteria for
judging
attainment
Time period
Communicatio
n skills
7 10 Being a student
I am supposed
to have good
communication
skills to get
acknowledge
in classroom. It
will also help
me to perform
future job roles
and
responsibilities
in better
manner.
I will take
feedbacks
from my
peers,
teachers in
order to make
necessary
improvements
for future
betterment.
3 months
Presentation
skills
6 10 It will help me
to present my
point of view
and thoughts
among other
person in an
I will take
initiatives to
deliver
presentation
in front of
peers and
6 months

effective
manner. In
addition, I will
be able to
deliver
effective
presentation
during class
activities.
seniors and
also take their
feedbacks for
further
enhancement.
Leadership
skills
6 9 It is essential
to undertake
different
business
functions in an
effective
manner. It will
also help me to
guide as well
as lead team
while working
in a company
I will judge
myself over
the attainment
of team goals
by maintain
necessary
coordination
and
collaboration
among
members
throughout
the project.
1 year
TASK 2
Discuss the way in which Author, Purpose, Reliability, and Relevance affect use of a source
It is stated that there are different sources used to get required information for a project.
These sources include publications, articles, internet and more. Now, websites are also used to
collect appropriate data and information (Canfield, 2018). These information is write by any
author for a particular purpose. So, it is essential to check the credibility, relevancy of sources

before using information. For this purpose, CRAAP test used widely to assess credibility and
reliability of available information.
Currency(C): Information need to be recent and updated.
Relevancy(R): Data should be relevant for current project.
Authority (A): It includes information regarding author and time of publishing of data.
Accuracy (A): In this, origin as well as evidence of data is considered by researcher.
Purpose (P): Reason to availability of information.
TASK 3
Discuss evaluation of eight sources used in essay
Sources Author Purpose Reliability Relevance
Book Jack Canfield To enhance in
knowledge and
skills to get
better
employment in
future
Jack Canfield
and his company
have been
published nearly
250 books and
known for
effective writing
in the field of
personal
development.
It is crucial
information to
assess
significance of
gaining new
skills and
competencies.
E-Book Cottrell Stella To undergo with
the phase
preparing goals
and objectives
for personal
development
She has been
working as a
faculty and also
as a vice
chancellor in
University of
London for
These books will
help students to
formulate
necessary goals
through their
personal
analysis.

learning,
teaching and
engagement of
students.
Online articles Eckhart tolle To test the
reliability of
sources that are
using for current
project.
Teacher and well
known author
from Germany
who had write
several
bestselling
books.
Here, we used
CRAAP test and
found this article
highly relevant
for current
project.
Website Leo Babauta Describe
significance of
good habits for
better life style.
Leo babauta is a
renowned wrter
having website
name as Zen
habits for
improving life
style of people.
With this,
individual will
get a different
prospective about
life and learn the
importance of
having goals.
Book Napoleon Hill To learn self
development.
He is an
American author
renowned for his
book think and
grow rich which
is a bestselling
book.
To learn the
importance of
having long term
goals.
Website Terrell S Describe long
term goals and
the way to attain
it.
Terrell is a writer
and teacher of
communication
and literature at
university of
Toronto.
It is crucial to
understand
significance of
having long term
goals.

E book Smith James It has great
contribution
towards learning
process and
development
James has been
written more
than 27 books as
well as
publications over
personal
development.
It provides detail
information that
is helpful to
prepare personal
development
plan.
Books Dyer Understand
significance of
having personal
and professional
objectives
He is well known
writer who has
write down
nearly 40 books
on personal
development.
It motivates an
individual to
grow and enrich
in career.

REFRENCES
Books and Journals
Canfield, J., 2018. The success principles. Harper Collins e-books.
Cottrell, S., 2019. 50 Ways to Boost Your Employability. Macmillan International Higher
Education.
Dyer, G. and Dyer, M., 2017. Strategic leadership for sustainability by higher education: the
American College & University Presidents' Climate Commitment. Journal of Cleaner
Production, 140, pp.111-116.
Hill, N., 2020. Outwitting the devil: The secret to freedom and success. Sound Wisdom.
Hill, N., 2019. Success Habits: Proven Principles for Greater Wealth, Health, and Happiness.
Pan Macmillan.