Comprehensive Academic Skills Portfolio: ACSK4001 Summer 18 Edition

This Academic Skills Portfolio from Summer 2018 (ACSK4001) includes several tasks designed to assess and develop key academic skills. Section A contains portfolio evidence, including evaluating sources critically, presenting and analyzing data, and presentation skills. The source evaluation task involves analyzing the authority, currency, content relevance, and accuracy of three different academic texts related to Brexit and globalization. The data analysis task requires presenting and interpreting a graph, focusing on trends, comparisons, and possible explanations, followed by an optional rewritten and improved paragraph. The presentation component involves planning and reflecting on a presentation based on a key point from a report/essay. Section B includes writing tasks, consisting of a report or essay and a reflective summary, focusing on critical thought, self-analysis, and the use of appropriate technologies. The portfolio aims to demonstrate an understanding of academic literacy, critical thinking, and self-reflection.

Summer 18
Academic Skills Portfolio
(module code: ACSK4001)
Name:
Student number:
Degree studied:
ACSK lecturer name:
ACSK tutor name:
This is your Academic Skills Portfolio, which should be submitted by Thursday 23rd August, 2pm via your student
portal.
Please save a copy on your computer and back it up regularly (e.g. by saving it on your computer / in the cloud
(e.g. Google Drive) / emailing it to yourself).
Please refer to suggested word counts for each task included within this portfolio.
Submission deadline: Thursday 23rd August, 2pm
Table of Contents
Task Page Week LO
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Assessed Learning Outcomes (LOs):
1. Show evidence of understanding core components of academic literacy/skills.
2. Apply critical thought to a range of tasks, and do so with a minimum of external guidance in
particular situations.
3. Reflect, analyse and discuss strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities personally and
academically.
4. Use appropriate technologies to facilitate the completion of self-analysis/reflection.

SECTION A: PORTFOLIO EVIDENCE
Portfolio evidence 1: Evaluating sources & critically engaging with texts 3 2-3 1&2
Portfolio evidence 2: Presenting & analysing data 4 6 1&2
Portfolio evidence 3: Presentation 6 7-9 1
SECTION B: WRITING TASKS (These written tasks should be developed throughout the semester).
Writing Task 1 (Report or Essay) 8 1-10 1
Writing Task 2 (Reflective Summary) 9 9-10 3&4
Word count (+/- 10%):
Section A: a minimum of 600 words for all 3 tasks in Section A.
o Portfolio Evidence Task 1 (at least 100 words)
o Portfolio Evidence Task 2 (at least 300 words)
o Portfolio Evidence Task 3 (at least 200 words)
The word count for the tasks of Section A is “recommended”. This means that you
can write as many words as you like, provided that you meet the minimum
number of words recommended in each task.
Section B:
o Writing Task 1 (900 words)
o Writing Task 2 (300 words)
The word count for Section B Tasks is compulsory (+/-10%).
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SECTION A: PORTFOLIO EVIDENCE
Task 1: Evaluating sources & critically engaging with texts (to be
completed in week 3)
(Word recommendation: at least 100 words)
Choose 3 sources that you are planning to use as references in your report/essay. You can use texts from your
reading list or texts you have found yourselves or texts recommended by your lecturer. Evaluate those 3 sources
by completing the following table. Make notes below.
Text A ↓ Text B ↓ Text C ↓
Resource type
(e.g. book, journal et.c.)
Journal Journal
Citation/reference (Pettifor 2016, p. 127-
132)
(Fotopoulos 2016, p. 26-58) (Reenen 2017, p. 1-17)
Authority
(Who is the author? Is
he/she qualified to
speak on this topic?)
The author is a policy
researcher in
macroeconomics and a
member of Jeremy
Corbyn’s Labour
Economic Advisory
Committee
The author is a political
philosopher and economist
with deep interests in the
two fields. He the editor of
the International Journal of
Inclusive Democracy and
the author of Towards an
Inclusive Democracy with
several books focussing on
globalization and Brexit.
The author is a professor
of Applied Economics at the
MIT Sloan School of
Management and in the
Department of Economic and
at the same time an associate
at the Centre for Economic
Performance, London School
of Economic
Currency
(Is the text up-to-
date?)
Yes the resource was
published last year.
The article is current since
it was published in 2016.
The paper is current since
it was published
immediately after the
referendum.
Content
(Is the content
relevant to your
topic?)
Yes the content is
relevant since it captures
the impacts and
consequences of Brexit as
a dissatisfaction of the
market fundamentalists
who believed in a unified
European Union
The content of the resource
is helpful since it traces the
history of Brexit from the
time when Britain held the
first referendum to leave
the EU in 197
The resource focusses on
how the UK will suffer
from the effects of Brexit
on globalization. This is
due to the friction on the
limitations that the
country will receive from
other European countries.
Brexit will kill globalization
and any other benefits
that are related to it.
Accuracy
(Are any facts & ideas
supported with
evidence?)
Yes the article traces the
Brexit journey from the
financial house cards that
started being played from
2006, which later led to
The resource is accurate
since it covers the
fundamental change in the
parameters that led to the
UK-EU relationships since
The special paper is
relevant to the topic since
it focusses on the benefits
that the new world order
through the EU had
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unfettered financial and
trade flows that
eventually led to the
referendum.
1975 the time for the first
referendum and the facts
that led to the need for a
new referendum to pull out
of the EU.
brought to the countries
affiliated to it. However,
Brexit is seen as the
beginning of new
problems for both the EU
and UK.
Audience
(Who is this text
written for?)
The article addresses
those who do not
understand the impact of
Brexit on globalization
and may be sympathizing
with the UK for pull
The paper was presented
at the Jackson Hole Symposium
on August 25th 2017.
Further notes/
comments
The article concludes that
the consequences of
Brexit will affect both
Britain and Europe in
general. However, the
vote is seen as a
dissatisfaction of
globalized and
marketwise society.
The article targets the
global audience as a way of
enlightening them to
understand how left wing
politics led to the 1975
referendum failing and how
their influence has changed
today since they have been
integrated into the
neoliberal globalization.
The author argues that
the UK is now a chaotic
state since the fruits of
economic growth that
came as a result of
globalization have been
distributed in the country.
However, the growing
inequality in the country is
the reason why the lower
level of the population
voted for exit.
SECTION A: PORTFOLIO EVIDENCE
Task 2: Presenting & analysing data (to be completed in week 6)
(Word recommendation: at least 300 words)
Part I: Presenting data
Cut and paste the graph you used in the tutorial here and give it a title. You can find it on the Academic
Skills page on GSM Learn. Remember to write a full Harvard or OSCOLA reference for it and add a title.
Title:
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Graph:
Reference:
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Part II: Analysing data (approx. 300 words) – Compulsory in-class task (ACSK tutorial, week 6)
Write a handwritten paragraph in your week 6 tutorial class (approx. 300 words) addressing the areas
in the box below. Remember to refer to the graph/chart using correct OSCOLA or Harvard style in-text
citation.
1. A description of your data (What is it? Where does it come from? What area is
it focussing on?).
2. A summary on what the data shows in general.
3. One or two areas of the data looked at in detail and an explanation of why you
think they are significant.
4. The important trends and differences/comparisons in the areas you have
chosen.
5. Possible explanations for what the data is showing (remember to reference
wider research to back your ideas up).
6. A recommendation for further action that could arise from this data.
1. (COMPULSORY TASK, to be completed in-class): Paste a picture of the handwritten paragraph you wrote
in-class, with your tutor’s signature, here. Please do NOT type the paragraph.
Note: If you could not attend your week 6 tutorial class, please e-mail the module leader.
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2. (OPTIONAL TASK, to be completed independently): Re-write the paragraph you wrote in-class, making
improvements. Type your improved paragraph below.
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SECTION A: PORTFOLIO EVIDENCE
Task 3: Presentation (to be completed in weeks 7 - 9)
(Word recommendation: at least 200 words)
You will deliver a 10-minute presentation (7 minutes delivery + 3 minutes for questions) to other students in your
tutorial class in week 9. You should base your presentation on one key point (one main section/paragraph) from
your report/essay using the following structure for guidance with suggested timings:
 Title page (your name and a title for your presentation)
 Overview of what your 7-minute presentation will cover (30 secs)
 Introduction: Identify one point from your assignment and say why it is important (1minute).
 Briefly describe how leaving the EU will impact on this (1 min 30s)
 What is one potential opportunity it could create? (1 min 30s)
 What is one possible problem? ( 1min 30s)
 What can you conclude from this? What are the implications/ your recommendations? (1min)
 Reference list
 You should refer to evidence/ research throughout your presentation (in-text citations on slides).
 Be prepared to answer questions (3 mins) at the end of your presentation.
Part I: Presentation planning (slides or notes / weeks 7-9)
Provide evidence here to show that you have planned your presentation. This could take the form of a
detailed plan or your PowerPoint slides (no PDF files). If you copy your slides here, please make sure
that they are legible.
Impact of Brexit on globalization
I nt rodu c t ion /o v erv ie w
• This presentation focusses on the effects of the Brexit referendum on
globalization.
• The role of the EU in globalization was establishment of free trade and movement
of people and resources within the EU without restrictions or tariffs (Reenen
2017, p. 2).
• This is the main intention of globalization where the world is
connected.
• The role was to increase trade between countries by removing any
legal barriers that may hinder trade.
How leaving the EU will impact
• Leaving the EU means that the UK is separated from the rest of the EU countries and will
have to operate on different terms unlike in the past(Reenen 2017, p. 4).
• The benefits that the country and its citizens were enjoying will no longer be
available.
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• Free movement of goods and people will be restricted thus making it difficult for the
UK to operate independently (Reenen 2017, p. 7).
• The country will have to set tariffs for all goods that enter while at the same time this will be
done by other countries too.
One potential opportunity it could create?
• One potential opportunity that UK will get from Brexit is the ability to set its own
terms of trade.
• In the EU the terms of trade are set by the regional block thus forcing all countries to
comply even if they are not comfortable.
• Secondly, the open system of trade means that goods and services are done on the EU
platform and not allowing the UK to enjoy the benefits of setting its own tariffs and terms of
trade (Pettifor 2016, p. 129).
• Brexit may thus be an opportunity for addressing these political and economic barriers.
One possible problem
• Despite the benefits of Brexit to the UK, trade relationships and benefits received from the
EU will end thus experiencing harsh terms of trade from other EU countries.
• When the UK establishes its own tariffs, the EU will impose similar tariffs in other
countries thus making it difficult for the UK to trade within the region (Pettifor 2016, p.
130).
• Tariffs and other restrictions will affect both trade and movement of
human resources.
Conclusion
• The decision of the UK to leave the EU offers mixed reactions on both the benefits and
shortcomings that the country will receive.
• However, the UK can establish other trade allies in regions like Asia, America and Africa
without necessarily relying on the EU.
• If the political and economic elites of the country strategize well, Brexit can be
beneficial to the UK.
• However, if a proper plan is not executed, then the benefits of the EU that the country was
receiving and currently missing will tear the country apart.
References
Pettifor, A., 2016. Brexit and its Consequences. Journal of Globalization, 14(1), pp.
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127-132.
Reenen, J. V., 2017. Brexit and the future of globalization?, s.l.: Special Paper No. 3.
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Part II: Post-presentation reflection (week 9)
Using the table below, write notes about your presentation. You should make notes of:
a. Your group’s comment about your presentation.
b. Your reflection on your presentation.
c. What you could improve in future presentations.
You should include any points of interest in your reflective writing task in section B.
Your groups’ comment about your presentation
Content
(How clear, complete and informative
was the presentation?)
Audience Engagement
(How enjoyable / interesting did the
audience find it?)
Organisation
(How well-structured was it? How
well did the visuals support it?)
Professionalism
(How slick and professional was it?)
Your reflection on your presentation
Content
(How clear, complete and informative
was the presentation?)
Audience Engagement
(How enjoyable / interesting did the
audience find it?)
Organisation
(How well-structured was it? How
well did the visuals support it?)
Professionalism
(How slick and professional was it?)
Action Points
(What could you do better in future presentations?)
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SECTION B: WRITING TASKS
Writing Task 1: REPORT (all students except law) or ESSAY (Law
students)
(Word count: 900 words)
Write your report or essay here (please do NOT insert PDFs or screenshots). You can find your specific question
related to your subject area on the Academic Skills page on GSM Learn in the assessment section. You must
choose a different sub-topic from the one you may have chosen in a previous attempt.
Guidelines for reports:
You do NOT need to include a table of contents in this
report. Your report must include the following:
1. A title
2. A clear subject related focus
3. Clear sections, including an introduction,
discussion of one or two points and a conclusion
4. A clear, well written and academic writing style
5. Features of report writing such as headings
6. Correct Harvard style in-text citation
7. A correct Harvard style reference list
Guidelines for essays:
Your essay must include the following:
1. A title
2. A clear subject related focus
3. Clear sections, including an introduction,
discussion of one or two points and a conclusion
4. A clear, well written and academic writing style
5. Features of essay writing such as well-developed
paragraphs
6. Correct OSCOLA style footnotes
7. A correct OSCOLA style bibliography (optional: please
note that a bibliography is part of the OSCOLA referencing system,
but at this level, we focus on footnotes)
All students are reminded that Plagiarism, Collusion and Ghost writing are forms of cheating which will be investigated in accordance with GSM’s Academic Misconduct
Regulations.
Law students with a proven academic offence (as outlined above) are reported to the Solicitors Regulation Authority and The Bar Council, which can prevent a student from
being admitted into the legal profession.
Title: the possible impact of the result of the referendum that took place on 23rd June 2016
in the UK on globalisation
According to Reenen (2017, p. 1), globalization is the interconnectedness of the world into
what is called a global village. When EU countries came together to work together as a regional block,
the intended benefits were not only trade but the extended benefits of a globalized world that
allowed people and goods to move freely from one country to the other (Pettifor 2016, p. 129.
However, Felbermayr, et al. (2017, p. 4) add that the Brexit referendum was termed as the beginning
of an end to these dream since it will polarize the EU and create barriers within countries thus killing
the dream. This essay highlights the effects of Brexit on globalization.
Fotopoulos (2016, p. 30) suggests that Brexit proponents see the EU as a zero sum game
where the country locals lose while foreign exporters and immigrants benefits more. It is a regarded
as an abuse to nationalism where foreign elites take advantage to exploit other countries and locals
(Brakman, et al. 2017, 60). The fact that Brexit has led to revolts in other countries like, Hungary,
France, Germany and even the US with Trump it means that the fundamentalist dream of a globalized
economy in the EU is farfetched and this is the end of globalization. According to Wincott, et al.
(2017, p. 431) states that the populist wrath is gaining momentum while at the same time pointing
out the challenges that globalized economies have led to such revolting countries. In the UK, the
lower class are the ones who voted for exit against elites who have been benefiting from
globalization benefits (Sampson 2017, p. 167). This attributed to lack of a better system for
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redistributing the benefits realized from globalization thus leading to discontent among the poor
locals.
In addition to that Bachtler & Ian (2017) states that those who supported the Brexit decision
argue that globalization is a utopian dream of economists, politicians and policy makers who were
market fundamentalists of the benefits that globalization will bring. Globalization is seen in the
inflows to and from the city of London which have been declining recently (Zollen 2016, p. 6). This
decline will become more when the effects of Brexit are felt across the EU. Since the city of London is
at the centre of everything, then what happens when the UK leaves without proper trade
agreements. This is interpreted as a blow to the world trade that has slowed recently due to
reregulation of the global economy to favour title-holders of money. From this O'Reilly, et al. (2016,
p. 809) add that this indicates that the single market phenomena is not an option to globalization
since the restrictions that were introduced have made it difficult for none title-holders to benefit.
Since protectionists and nationalist movement are increasing in other EU countries, it means that
globalization is under attack and new terms will have to be put in place to determine how a
globalized economy will operate (Ford & Goodwin 2014, p. 8). When nationalist and protectionist
states like the US and others rise to join the UK, then there will be a major challenge in managing
globalization since nation states are focusing ln ensuring that there people benefit adequately from
the resources within their country.
Despite the benefits that the EU and other regions have reaped from a globalized world.
Management of the benefits from globalization has been a problem thus leading to increased
dissatisfaction across the globe. Ebell & Riley (2017) add that nationalist fundamentalists from the UK
took advantage of this and pushed for the need to manage resources from within. If the UK manages
to survive any challenge that it faces due to Brexit and then manages the available local resources
well, then it means that this will be the end to globalization. However, Arnold & Binham (2016, pp.
2)add that if the UK fails to manage the redistribution process and then people feel like leaving the
EU was a mistake then the globalization journey will still be on. Therefore, the real effects of Brexit to
globalization are yet to be felt and will depend entirely on how the UK and other remaining EU
countries manage the process to address the challenges that exist.
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SECTION B: WRITING TASKS
Writing Task 2: Reflective summary
(Word count: 300 words)
In both academic and professional settings you’ll often be asked to reflect on your learning and/or work
experience.
Write a 300-word reflective summary (using Gibbs’ reflective model to help guide you) about your
experience of the Academic Skills module and what you have learned.
Your summary should include 2 paragraphs on:
 Your experience of working with a (study)
group in an academic context. You should
include something you learned from the post-
presentation reflection here (150 words).
 One key academic skill you have developed as
a result of taking this module (150 words)
The task entailed working in a group where we were to assign tasks to each other and ensure that the
whole task is done accordingly and everyone is given a chance to participate. At first I thought that
the work may not go down well since we had never worked together and each member was strange
to another thus requiring time to build rapport between us. In my opinion, the task was done well
since the group was coordinated by one member whom we had chosen as the leader. This was
achieved through proper coordination and teamwork process that allowed every member to
participate and raise any issues that we felt required the support of other members. However, some
members had the problem of communication since they were interjecting others even when it was
nit their time to speak. This calls the need for proper communication skills development to improve
their listening skills and at the same time ways of working with others. This can be achieved through
a short course on group work and how to handle the dynamics that relate to the group.
One key academic skill that I developed is the use of team work to carry out tasks. With this group, I
realised that team members had different abilities and areas of interest that they can really do well.
By understanding the potential of each member and allocating the group members based on their
abilities, the team can come up with excellent results can benefit all the members. Further, this
allows members to learn from others and address gaps in the areas and fields that they have lesser
knowledge and have little understanding. Group work can only work well if the members form a team
that is clearly coordinated and has shared responsibilities among members by focussing on exploiting
the abilities of each member for the greater good of the group. For example, the Brexit debate elicits
mixed reactions from people, thus gathering the views of those who support and those for against
can be used to draw a conclusion on whether Brexit works well for globalization or not.
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References
Arnold, M. & Binham, C., 2016. UK financial sector targets Swiss-style deal for EU market access.
Financial Times, 18 August.
Bachtler, J. & Ian, B., 2017. Cohesion policy after Brexit: the economic, social and institutional
challenges. Journal of Social Policy, 3(3), pp. 1-18.
Brakman, S., Garretsen, H. & Kohl, T., 2017. Consequences of Brexit and options for a ‘Global Britain’.
Regionaal Science Association International, 97(1), pp. 55-72.
Ebell, M. & Riley, R., 2017. Introduction: Globalisation: Local and Sectoral Impacts. National Institute
Economic Review, 242(1).
Felbermayr, G., Fuest, C., Grosch, J. & Stohiker, D., 2017. Economic Effects of Brexit on the European
Economy , s.l.: Encopol.
Ford, R. & Goodwin, M., 2014. Revolt on the Right: Explaining Support for the Radical Right in Britain.
London: Routledge.
Fotopoulos, T., 2016. Brexit, Globalization and the Bankruptcy of the Globalist “Left”. The International
Journal of Inclusive democrac, 12(1), pp. 26-58.
O'Reilly, J. et al., 2016. Brexit: understanding the socio-economic origins and consequen. Socio-
Economic Review, 14(4), pp. 807-854.
Pettifor, A., 2016. Brexit and its Consequences. Journal of Globalization, 14(1), pp. 127-132.
Reenen, J. V., 2017. Brexit and the future of globalization?, s.l.: Special Paper No. 3.
Sampson, T., 2017. Brexit: The Economics of International Disintegration. Journal of Economic
Perspective, 31(4), pp. 163-184.
Wincott, D., Peterson, J. & Convery, A., 2017. Introduction: Studying Brexit’s causes and consequences.
The British Journal of Politics and International Relations, 19(3), pp. 429-433.
Zollen, Z., 2016. Impact of Brexit on Public Services in Wales. Cardiff: Wales Publishers.
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