English for Academic Purposes: Portfolio Report and Academic Tasks

This report presents an English for Academic Purposes (EAP) portfolio, focusing on self-evaluation, literature research, and academic writing. The report begins with a self-evaluation checklist assessing skills like time management, critical thinking, and research. It then includes a literature review ...Read More

ENGLISH FOR
ACADEMIC
PURPOSES

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
SECTION 1: PORTFOLIO EVIDENCE........................................................................................1
Self Evaluation Checklist............................................................................................................1
Literature Research.....................................................................................................................1
Self Assessment..........................................................................................................................2
Reflection....................................................................................................................................3
SECTION 2: WRITTEN TASKS....................................................................................................3
Academic Writing.......................................................................................................................3
Academic Reflective Writing......................................................................................................4
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................5
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................6

INTRODUCTION
Academic purposes such as academic writing requires a specific set of skills as well as
regular self evaluation in order to excel in the use of English language for these purposes (De
Wit, 2017). It is a crucial practice which allows individuals and learners in excel in academic and
professional writing through detail literature researches and self-reflection. The following report
is based on preparation of portfolio booklet for academic purposes. It includes creation of
portfolio evidence through a self evaluation checklist, literature research as well as self
assessment. Further, the report includes academic text and challenges faced through higher
education.
SECTION 1: PORTFOLIO EVIDENCE
Self Evaluation Checklist
It is essential for a detailed and planned growth, that regular self evaluation is performed
in relation to appropriately analysing presence of current skills and competencies. Following is
the self evaluation checklist for higher education:
SKILLS/COMPETENCIES I II III IV
Time Management ✓
Critical Thinking ✓
Effective Research ✓
Written Communication ✓
Problem Solving ✓
Literature Research
According to Ali, A., 2019, America as well as the United Kingdom have strongest as
well as most effective higher education system in the world. This has been evident after inclusion
of Continental Europe into the Higher Education System Strength (HESS) Rankings. These
rankings are circled around four criteria, like system strength, access, flagship institution and
economic context. All these elements are weighted equally to determine the most effective
countries based on education. As for the UK, with Asian universities gaining pace, the nation's
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higher education system needs to attract talent as well as investments at a global level in order to
keep its position intact and strong in the field of education.
There are several benefits of higher education in the UK which provides learners with
several opportunities for career as well as professional growth. As per the report by British
Council, the nation offers its national as well as international students with utmost professional
experience where students get quality education for their career development (Why study in the
UK?, 2019). Moreover, the education within the UK use innovative and advanced processes to
teach their students and provide education about several relevant subjects which help them lead a
better professional life. Furthermore, UK has renowned and top ranked universities at global
level, such as, University of Oxford as well as Cambridge. Moreover, the standard of education
which is provided by these universities is monitored by government and its various departments
such as The Register of Regulated Qualifications and Scottish Credit and Qualifications
Framework. With such structured system, it could be claimed that the country's higher education
is very much effective for quality standard education and career development of students.
However, academic writing in higher education is very important. As per the views of
Nixon, 2019, this skill is very much important for a student to learn. There are several points
which reflect to importance of academic writing in higher education. The first and foremost point
for the same is that, it helps in development of several skills such as analytical thinking. Further,
it allows the learners to be effectively professional in communicating through writing. In
addition to this, there are several techniques which could be learnt through academic writing,
which is essential for learners to adapt, in order to appropriately enhance the scope of
professional success.
Self Assessment
As for higher education, there are various skills, in my opinion, which are required to be
adopted and learnt to enhance the scope of effectiveness and progressive growth. As per the self-
evaluation checklist, almost all the areas of competencies and skills are required to be enhanced
in relation to ensure growth and success in higher education. However, a brief attention is
necessary to be given at problem solving, critical thinking as well as research capabilities. It is
because all these elements proved challenging to me while writing the literature review and thus,
to further perform literature review in a better manner, it is crucial that these skills are effectively
developed.
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Reflection
Self-evaluation is very important practice which according to me, must be regular to
ensure personal development for higher education. In addition to this, it also requires to be
checked and modified as per development in skills. As for mine, certain competencies like
problem solving and research are important for me to develop to ensure growth in my academic
writing skills for higher education. Self-evaluation checklist helped me determining the areas
which needs work and attention.
As for literature review, it helped me in gaining an insight related to the higher education
in United Kingdom. The references which I chose to include while conducting the review are
very precise and offer accurate information which made me choose them to back up the
information.
However, since it is yet a need to develop research capabilities and problem solving
skills, the literature review was quite complex for me. Furthermore, however, I could undertake
several training sessions and could attend seminars to develop these skills. Moreover, acquiring
feedbacks from tutors and fellow classmates would help me in determining ways which could be
used by me to excel in these skills.
SECTION 2: WRITTEN TASKS
Academic Writing
Time Management is one of the biggest challenges which is faced by students in relation
to higher education. Different groups of students find it complex to manage time throughout their
term. According to Stone and O'Shea, 2013, both full as well as part-time students face this
challenge of managing time. However, this intensity of this challenge is more on part-time
students than on full time. The reason for the same is that they are required to effectively
maintain a balance between various other activities and their education. In comparison to this,
full time students could easily manage and devote their time towards their higher education. This
is because, there is a wide variety of part-time students, having diverse reasons for their chosen
pattern of study and thus, time management forms as a challenge for them in comparison to full-
time pupils. This challenge further gets serious when an individual is part-time employee and
part-time student. In that case, establishing the balance between their education and employment
is quite very complex. Their class timings might clash with their office hours. As for full-time
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students, time management could get tough in case they wish to balance their education with
their extracurricular activities (Brubacher, 2017). These activities are also necessary and crucial
as education. These activities help in shaping up the students and develop their overall
personality which is also a crucial part of adulthood. However, in comparison to part-time
students, these extra curriculum activities could be easily controlled and managed to support
education.
Another challenge which is faced by these student groups is funding and financial issues.
According to the views of Robotham, 2012, these issues are evident in higher education,
moreover, are consequences for part-time students. However, both these groups face financial
and funding challenges for higher education. Where full-time students are concerned, they might
have to go through a series of departments and documentations to apply for student loan to
acquire funds for education. This is quite challenging despite the changes being made in the UK
education system regarding provision of funds to students. Furthermore, as for part-time
students, if they are employed, it is still complex for them to fund their education along with
maintenance of their basic amenities. Another challenge which full-time students face is that
with absence of adequate financial resources, it might get tough for them to make a balance
between providing facilities to their families or fund their own education. However, if compared
to part-time students, full time students could easily be supported by their families unless they
are facing financial downfall. As for part-time students, this challenge is perhaps one of the
biggest challenge they face in higher education as there are several tasks in their daily lives
which require money to be used, which increases the issue of supporting their education (Fenton-
Smith, Humphreys and Walkinshaw, 2017).
Academic Reflective Writing
As per the challenges faced above, there is a wide impact of both the challenges as far as
personal experience is concerned. As far as finance and funding are concerned, this challenge
was not severe for me as my education has been well planned. However, there are still instances
where it requires me to participate in certain event and I turn short on finance. This turns quite
challenging for me as I have no other source for acquiring funds and thus, it sometimes deprives
me from performing a little more effectively in the activities related to my higher education.
Where time management is concerned, this aspect is very challenging for me as I find it
very hard to manage time for my studies along with my daily routine. It has a wide impact on me
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and has started to reflect on my education and performance. Its effective development, it is
essential that I prioritise each activity in alignment of my education to give proper time to my
studies and develop my skills for higher education. Further, performing tasks within due time
would help me focus on my skills and competence and develop them effectively to ensure a
progressive growth and success in my academic career.
CONCLUSION
Thus, it is concluded that higher education is very important for personal and career
development. Self-evaluation, self-assessment and reflection allows in analysing the skills and
competencies related to higher education. Moreover, it also helps in determining aspects which
requires attention and how best could this be achieved. Lastly, it is essential to determine impact
of various challenges on different student groups as well as on self to identify best methods to
overcome them.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Brubacher, J., 2017. Higher education in transition: History of American colleges and
universities. Routledge.
De Wit, H., 2017. Global: Internationalization of Higher Education: Nine Misconceptions:
International Higher Education, Summer 2011, Number 64. In Understanding higher
education internationalization (pp. 9-12). Brill Sense.
Fenton-Smith, B., Humphreys, P. and Walkinshaw, I., 2017. English medium instruction in
higher education in Asia-Pacific. Springer International Publishing.
Robotham, D., 2012. Student part-time employment: characteristics and consequences.
Education+ Training. 54(1). pp.65-75.
Stone, C. and O'Shea, S.E., 2013. Time, money, leisure and guilt-the gendered challenges of
higher education for mature-age students.
Online
Ali, A. 2018. US and UK have the world’s strongest higher education systems, say QS rankings.
[Online] Available Through: <https://www.independent.co.uk/student/study-abroad/qs-
higher-education-system-strength-us-and-uk-have-the-world-s-strongest-higher-
education-systems-a7036086.html>
Nixon, Z. 2019. Academic Writing and Its Importance. 2019. [Online] Available Through:
<https://writingcooperative.com/academic-writing-and-its-importance-5-things-you-
should-know-about-c95ad2e2d2b5>
Why study in the UK?. 2019. [Online] Available Through:
<https://study-uk.britishcouncil.org/discover/why-study-uk>
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