English for Academic Purposes 2 (EAPB3017) Portfolio: Skills and Essay

This EAP 2 (EAPB3017) portfolio, submitted on August 24th, 2017, encompasses various tasks designed to enhance academic skills. The portfolio includes a 'Where are you now?' self-assessment, a Personal Development Plan (PDP) outlining strengths, weaknesses, and SMART goals, and exercises on organizing ideas, assessing source reliability, and taking notes. The central component is an argumentative essay on the privatisation of the NHS, supported by an outline of arguments for and against privatization. The portfolio evaluates skills such as research, note-taking, essay writing, and critical thinking, culminating in a final argumentative essay of approximately 900 words, and aims to track the student's progress throughout the course. The student reflects on their abilities, identifies areas for improvement, and sets specific goals for skill development, including enhancing patience, learning new software, and increasing language knowledge through online tutorials.

English for Academic Purposes 2
(EAPB3017)
Name:
Student Number:
Tutor name:
This is your English for Academic Purposes 2 e-portfolio which you must submit on Thursday
24th August 2017 by 2pm via the Student Portal. This should be completed throughout the
course and you must make sure you save your work regularly (e.g. on your computer, on a
USB stick, on email or on the Cloud drive). Please refer to suggested word counts for each
task included within this portfolio.
Assessed Learning Outcomes:
1. Produce elements of a cohesive and coherent researched essay
2. Listen to an academic lecture whilst taking coherent notes
3. Read, compare and summarise a number of written academic texts.
Week Table of Contents Pag
e
Learning
Outcome
Completed?
()

Portfolio Tasks
(These tasks
should be
developed
throughout the
term but
completed by
Thursday 24
August 2017 by
2pm)
1 Where are you now? 2 LO 1, 2 & 3 ☐
1 Personal Development Plan
[suggested word count: 100 - 150] 3 LO 1, 2 & 3 ☐
2 – 9 Organising your ideas
[suggested word count: varies per task] 4 LO 1 & 3 ☐
6 Making notes with confidence
(200 words) 6 LO 2 ☐
3 – 8 Developing your arguments
[suggested word count: varies per task] 8 LO 1, 2 & 3 ☐
6 – 9 Writing your argumentative essay
(900 words) 10 LO 1 & 3 ☐
10 Getting a First! 11 LO 1 & 3 ☐
2

Total word limit:
Final task: Argumentative essay (900 words) (+/- 10%)
Track your progress by ticking off each task as you complete it, in the final column
PORTFOLIO TASK
Week 1: Where are you now?
Below is a list of the skills you will need when working on extended pieces of writing during your university
career. Using the list from EAP 1, put a cross (X) in the same boxes for each skill in the first column, and tick ()
the appropriate box for each skill in the second column, according to how well you think you can do this now.
You should refer to the checklist throughout the course and decide whether you have made any progress with
these skills.
Skill This is new for
me
I need to
develop this
skill
I can improve
this skill
Looking for information
Identify which book / journals/ websites
to use ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐
Select relevant parts of a text ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐
Using sources
Acknowledge sources of information ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐
Write a reference list correctly ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐
Avoid plagiarism ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐
Planning/Writing
Brainstorm ideas ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐
Plan written work ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐
Link ideas effectively ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐
Paraphrase & summarise ideas ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐
2

Write an introduction ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐
Write a conclusion ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐
Personal Study
Work independently ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐
Manage my time ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐
Oral Presentation
Brainstorm ideas with peers ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐
Discuss written work in a tutorial ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐
IT
Access the internet ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐
Use search engines ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐
Create word documents ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐
Use PowerPoint ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐
PORTFOLIO TASK
2

Week 1: Personal Development Plan (PDP): Specific – Measurable – Achievable – Realistic – Timescale [SMART]
2

You are required to develop a Personal Development Plan (PDP), which includes goals for the development of
your academic skills after the completion of the module. This should include skills we cover on this module. To
help you, write down the strengths and weaknesses you listed in EAP 1 in the box below, which can also be
from your feedback. Use complete sentences.
Strengths
In order to take advantage of self capabilities it is very necessary that an
individual is aware about his personal qualities so that according he can use same
in their daily work. There are different areas in which I am good at which are given
below in detail:
 I am good at influencing other to follow what I am saying as I can motivate
others to do a particular task
 I have patience and can listen to what the other person is saying without
losing interest in the subject matter.
 I am confident and keep positive attitude towards every situation
Weakness
No person is perfect and lacks at some areas same is the case with me. I
also have various weaknesses like I am not good at learning new things. I take
time to understand a basic matter.
Now think about what you would like to improve. Be specific when describing your goals and how you will
achieve and measure them. (100 – 150 words)
Target Goal Action Success Criteria
e.g. To have clear paragraphs To produce an outline before writing The reader can identif
topic/ideas of those
paragraphs
1 Developing patience I need to be self controlled. I will try to reduce
my total mistakes
by working
on them.
2 Understanding fresh skills I will go through various online sites to
discover new software and will learn to
operate same.
Will try to learn
Java.
3 Increase language knowledge Through tutorials on net I will learn French. Will complete
learning French in
six months.
PORTFOLIO TASK
3

Week 3: Organising your ideas: Are my sources reliable?
2

Look at the table below. Using the sources you have found (not from GSM Learn or the reading list), answer
the questions below to determine if they are reliable. Make notes.
Source 1 Source 2
Who wrote/said it? Friends Family
Are they qualified to speak on this topic? Yes No
Do they have a personal interest in that
issue?
Yes No
What type of source is it? Primary Primary
Has it been verified in any way? Can it be
proved?
No No
Is there evidence to support this claim? Yes Yes
Was the source created to persuade, sell,
entertain, inform or for another
purpose?
Entertain Asked about my weak points
Is the content relevant to your research? Yes Up to a limit
When was it published/last updated? NO NO
Does this impact its relevance or
objectivity?
No No
Give the full references of both your sources here in Harvard Style:
To format the text, highlight the word(s) or line of text you want to change and select the required formatting
option (colour change, bold, italics etc.).

PORTFOLIO TASK
Week 4-9: Organising your ideas: Noting down the main points
In the space below, create an outline for your essay by making notes about any information you find from class
or reading list sources and from the two sources you found. Use bullet points and not full sentences. Include
in-text citations where necessary. You should add to this throughout the course. (150 – 200 words)
Essay Question:
Should the NHS be privatised?
Arguments in Favour (Yes) Arguments against (No)
Economic
It should not be privatised. Given below
are few statements in support of my
choice:
It is observed that in private clinics
doctors do not get time to give training
to the interns who are practising with
them in order to gain knowledge as their
main motive is to earn profit and more
emphasis is done in increasing total
revenue instead of giving learning to
those who are working under them. On
the other hand as in government
hospitals daily footfall of patients is
more it increases the pressure of
increasing the total services which
provide a good platform for new
trannies to enhance their knowledge.
It is the combination of all those factors
which are influenced by any change in the
existing economic status of society as the
external environment is dynamic in nature
and can not be controlled by any individuals.
As the cited sector need to be developed
effectively it is important that much
investment is done in acquiring the best
technology. Initially it was started with the
view of providing free or reduced price
services to the clients and therefore if the
whole department is given under the control
of different private individuals than it will be
a fear of loosing principle motive of giving
the low income group people equal
advantages of using the same medical
facilities.
On the other hand it is observed that those
services which are given by the central body
are more cost effective and also their scope of
operations are wide as funds are available in
huge quantity. The most positive point of
having the control of government in the
health services are this way everyone will be
treated equally and no discrimination will be
done on the basis of status caste or
favouritism as noticed in the private sector.
Social
Providing different individuals with
effective quality services is a major concern
in health care department. Who so ever is is
engage in this sectors needs to ensure that
no compromise with the patients life is
done by doing careless acts or keeping the
primary motive as profit earning. It is
observed in many cases that even if the
diseased person is not suffering from much
severe ill health he is asked to go through
various tests just to increase the total bill. It
is an exploitation of society and this way
people start loosing trust from various
service providers.
Apart from this it is also noticed that many
times the private hospitals do manipulations
in giving their products to the clients. High
cost is charged by them and patients made
bound to buy those from their retail outlets
only which is also a major social cause as
Contradict to this all the work related to the
government bodies are done at reduced price
and only the minimum amount is charged
against the service given. This way society
development is done as everyone is provided
with the required resources and facilities
which are needed in order to sustain good
health. Before few years it was detected that
private hospitals are engage in practices like
keeping dead bodies in the ICU and not
informing their families about the same. This
was done in order to increase the total bill so
that profitability can be raised by them which
is the ultimate goal of any private business.
On the other hand it is found difficult to get
beds in the government hospitals as they
provide the same treatment to patients at very
reduced cost and hence they are not at all
involved with any chat acts.

this way the patients need to pay high for
the same services which can be procured
even at low cost.
PORTFOLIO TASK
Developing your arguments: Paraphrasing/Summarising
Choose one aspect (e.g. Economic or Social) and summarise and/or paraphrase the main points you noted in
the outline on page 5. Use complete sentences and include in-text citations where necessary. (150 - 200
words).
Arguments in favour (Yes):
Government sector are more responsible and take care of society. Their prime aim is not profit earning but to
do the overall betterment of the economy and human beings.
Arguments against (No):
Private sector exploit the common men and so activities which are not in the favour of society.

PORTFOLIO TASK
Week 5: Developing your arguments: Combining sources
Using the summaries you wrote in the previous task, combine them below to create the first body paragraph
of your essay. Use the guide below to help you and highlight each part with the same colour. (250 – 300
words)
Body paragraph 1
Say why this is a key issue (e.g. Economic/Social)
(this is your topic sentence)
What is the counter-argument of this issue?
(this is the opinion you do not agree with)
What is the main argument if this issue?
(this is your opinion)
Why is your argument stronger than the counter-argument?
What evidence/examples do you have to support this?
What can you conclude from this? What are the implications?
You should use at least 2 sources in this paragraph.
It is a sensitive topic as related to the health care of general public. It is important to disscuss the subject
matter as it has major effect on the status of the society.

PORTFOLIO TASK
Making notes with confidence
This is an in-class activity. Please upload a photo of your notes here.