English for Academic Purposes 2 Portfolio: NHS Privatization Essay

This EAP2 portfolio, completed in Summer 2017, presents a comprehensive analysis of the NHS privatization debate. It begins with a personal development plan outlining the student's academic skill goals, including referencing and paraphrasing. The portfolio progresses through tasks that involve organizing ideas, evaluating source reliability, and creating an essay outline with in-text citations, focusing on arguments for and against privatization. The student summarizes and paraphrases key points from their research, then combines these into a body paragraph for an argumentative essay. The essay explores the economic and social implications of privatization, citing sources from the British Medical Association, BBC News, and The Medic Portal. The student argues against privatization, highlighting concerns about affordability, access to care, and the doctor-patient relationship. The portfolio demonstrates the student's ability to research, synthesize information, and construct a well-supported argumentative essay, meeting the assessed learning outcomes of producing a cohesive essay, taking coherent notes, and summarizing academic texts.

Summer 17
English for Academic Purposes 2 (EAPB3017)
Name:
Student Number:
Tutor name:
This is your English for Academic Purposes 2 e-portfoliowhich you must submit on Thursday 24th August2017
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.
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Week Table of Contents Page 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 ☐
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
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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
I can do this
well
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 ☐ ☐ ☒ ☐ ☐  ☐ ☐
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 ☐ ☐ ☐  ☐  ☐ ☐
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PORTFOLIO TASK
Week 1: Personal Development Plan (PDP): Specific – Measurable – Achievable – Realistic – Timescale [SMART]
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
 I can do research and find reliable sources.
 I am committed and reliable
 I ask questions and analyse material
Weakness
 Read the criteria carefully and follow instructions so I will stick to the word count in my assigments.
 I need to improve referencing and citations
 Paraphrasing
 Organise my work
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 Completed by?
e.g. To have clear paragraphs To produce an outline before writing The reader can identify the topic/ideas of
those paragraphs
June 2017
1 To work on referencing I will book an appointment in the library to
go to a workshop on referencing.
I use citations correctly in my essay and I will
avoid plagiarism.
Week 3
2 To improve my paraphrasing Find a video on youtube on how to
paraphrase, do some practice and show it
to my lecturer.
I will paraphrase correctly in my essays and I
will avoid plagiarism.
Week 3
3 To organise my work in my computer. I will create specific files for my modules and
I will up date them every time I work on it. I
will also delete unnecessary work.
It will be easier for me to submit the correct
document at the end of the semester.
Week1
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PORTFOLIO TASK
Week 3: Organising your ideas: Are my sources reliable?
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? British Medical Association Medical portal
Are they qualified to speak on this
topic?
Yes, because they are the
medical professionals
No because the facts were biased
Do they have a personal interest in
that issue?
Yes, because they are against
privatilisation
Yes because they are not in favour
of privitalisation
What type of source is it? It is a report from the BMA
found in a website
It is an article
Has it been verified in any way? Can it
be proved?
Yes,because there is reference
at the end of the report
No because there are no refrence
Is there evidence to support this
claim?
Yes as the percentae data and
examples to show how
privatisation is taking place
Yes, he presented data to support
his view aginstprivatalisation
Was the source created to persuade,
sell, entertain, inform or for another
purpose?
To inform and persuade
privatilisation
Topersuadeaainstprivatiliation but
also to inform
Is the content relevant to your
research?
Yes yes
When was it published/last updated? 2017 2016
Does this impact its relevance or
objectivity?
Yes because the information is
up to date
Yes because the information is up
to date
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.).
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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
 £30bn ap in NHS budget by 2020.
 Gov added £10bn with the deficit.
(BMA,2017).
 Better value for money from
 The NHS should be sustainable and
affordable (BBC News, 2014) (Cathy
Corrie from The Think Tank)
 Competition will inprove the
quality of care, (Cathy Corrie, Think
Tank, BBC News, 2014)
 However, from those £10bn the
private sector is getting £5.5bn
leaving the NHS with only £4.5bn
(BMA, 2017)
 The amount of NHS funding going to
private sectors has increased by 27%
from 2013 – 2016. (BMA 2016).
 No evidence that competition will
improve quality of care(Dr Wrigley,
BMA,(BBC News,2014)
Social
 Privatiation will give patients more
choice to be treated. (The Medic
portal, 2017).
 Privatisation will reduce waiting
list. (The Medic portal, 2017).
 It will give doctors extra income
which prevent doctors from leaving
the UK. (The Medic portal,2017)
 As privatisation is done through
taxation, it will bring more income
to the NHS (The Medic Portal,2017)
 Privatisation will benefit mainly those
who have money. (The Medic
portal,2017)
 If insurance is compulsory only rich
 Those with chronic illnesses will be
largely disadvantaged. (The Medic
Portal,2017).
 The relationship between doctors
and patients will be affected as it will
be driven by money. (The Medic
Portal,2017)
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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):
The social aspects for the privatization of the NHS includes the benefits to the people belonging to the upper
middle class (Almeida, 2017). The privatization will ensure that the patients ill have choice to be treated in the
hospital of their own choice. This will also reduce the list of waiting among the patients, since the cost of the
healthcare will increase and the people with less affordability will not be able to avail the best healthcare
facilities. The doctors will also be facilitated by the privatization. They will get chance to earn more money with
the privatization of the NHS (Powell & Miller, 2016). Moreover, with the privatization, the donations and
charities will also increase in the NHS, thus increasing the income. The healthcare facilities are likely to be
improved, as there is high competition in the private sector. With privatization, the healthcare facilities will
vary with the profit earned by the healthcare organization. Thus, with privatization the healthcare facilities will
improve, along with increase in the cost of healthcare services.
Arguments against (No):
The privatization of the NHS will benefit only those who belong to the upper middle class and the rich people.
Moreover, the discrimination against the people with less affordability will be causes as a result of
privatization (Johnstone, 2016). People suffering from chronic diseseas will be facing disadvantages, as the cost
of treatment will be risen due to privatization. The relation between the doctor and the patient will decline,
since it will be solely driven by money.
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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 bodyparagraph 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.
The healthcare facilities are likely to be improved with the privatization, due to high competition (Nuffield
Trust 2016). However, with the increase in the cost of the healthcare facilities, the people with low
affordability will be restricted.
This argument against privatization of the NHS is stronger since the healthcare facilities should be availed by all
at the lowest price, such that it is affordable by all (Almeida, 2017).
The social factors play a major role in decising whether privatization of the NHS should be implemented or not.
With privatization, the income of the NHS is likely to be increased since private organizations are dependent
on donations and charity (Davis et al., 2014). However, with the increase in the price of th healthcare facilities,
the social burden on the people will increase. Lack of transparency is also withnessed with the privatization of
the NHS. This argument is stronger since the discrimation of the people on the basis of their affordability in the
healthcare sector is not acceptable (Pollock, 2014).
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PORTFOLIO TASK
Making notes with confidence
This is an in-class activity. Please upload a photo of your notes here.
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Write a summary about what you have just listened to.(No more than 100 words)
Thus, though the privatization of the NHS is important, yet it is likely to affect the healthcare sector adversly.
From the discussion it could be concluded that the cost of the healthcare facilities are likely to increase with
privatization thus creating discrimination among the people of various status in the society.
Write a response to the opinions given.(No more than 100 words).
Thus, the NHS should not be privatized, in order to ensure that the basic needs of the people are met. Most
people are of the opinion that the NHS should not be privatised.
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PORTFOLIO TASK
Week 7-9: Writing your argumentative essay
Using the same process you did for the first body paragraph, complete your essay below.
(900 words: +/- 10%)
The NHS should be privatised. Discuss
The healthcare sector is one of the most essential sectors (NHS, 2016). The NHS and its privatization is an
important topic on which people all over the world has been debating. The privatization of the NHS has both
positive and negative effects. In this essay, arguments against the privatization of the NHS has been given.
The economic as well as the social factors are essential for the healthcare facilities. Since healthcare facilities
are the basic needs of all citizens, hence, low cost healthcare facilities needs to be given to all. However, with
privatization, the cost of the healthcare facilities will rise making it difficult to be borne by all the citizens
(Almeida, 2017).
Reference List
Almeida, Á. S. (2017). The role of private non-profit healthcare organizations in NHS systems: Implications for
the Portuguese hospital devolution program. Health Policy, 121(6), 699-707.
Davis, K., Stemikis, K., Squires, D. & Schoen, C. (2014) Mirror, mirror on the wall: how the performance of the
U.S. health care system compares internationally. Available at:
http://www.commonwealthfund.org/~/media/files/publications/fund-report/2014/jun/
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