Report: Student Skills Development at University - Goals and Skills

This report delves into the crucial aspects of student skills development within a university setting. It begins by highlighting the primary motivations for pursuing a degree, emphasizing the opportunities for career advancement, subject specialization, and personality development. The report then identifies and elaborates on core academic skills, including learning styles, paraphrasing, academic writing, and note-taking, underscoring their significance in academic success. A key component of the report is the detailed study plan, which outlines both short-term and long-term goals for skill improvement, suggesting methods and resources to achieve these objectives. The report concludes by summarizing the importance of these skills and the value they bring to a student's overall growth and experience, offering a comprehensive guide for students aiming to excel in their academic journey.

STUDY
SKILLS

Contents
INTRODUCTION........................................................................................................................ 2
MAIN BODY............................................................................................................................... 2
Main reasons for studying a degree at university............................................................................2
Core academic skills that can be developed and their importance.....................................................3
Study plan including short term and long term goals.......................................................................4
CONCLUSION............................................................................................................................ 6
REFERENCES............................................................................................................................ 8

INTRODUCTION
Student skills are an important part of any student life which helps it in achieving growth
and development in real life. The report for this purpose will focus on main reasons for studying
for a degree in a university. It will add the academic skills that a student can develop to achieve
success and enhancing personality. At last it will depict study plan of skills that can be developed
in long and short term.
MAIN BODY
Main reasons for studying a degree at university
It is considered very important to study for a degree at University as it is the next step to
pursue the desired career and make a living out of that career. There are multiple reasons for
studying a degree at University.
● Choice of subject - The degree gives the opportunity to choose and learn the subject
which interests the candidate or student most. The student can pursue its career in the
field of its choice (Assiter, 2017).
● Higher Education - Future employers will find a candidate with a degree more
preferable than a candidate which lacks a degree. The degree represents the higher level
of education the student has completed. It also shows the hard work desire to learn and
grow more which is preferable quality which the employers look for within the students.
● Job - Higher education and completion of a degree at a University signifies the skills and
academic level of the students which makes him/her more desirable for employers and
similarly more job opportunities are available for such students. The improvement in
skills and the skills learned help in achieving the eligibility for jobs.
● Personality Development - Studying at the University for a degree also help in one’s
personality development. It provides a platform to learn new skills, sharpen old ones and
introduces to new interests (Blickenstaff and et.al, 2015). It also provides independent
development in living skills as for the first time the student lives on his own.
● Opportunities - A degree at University opens the doors for several opportunities in terms
of career which the student can pursue with his interest and choice. The University also

sets bar to face new challenges, new activities and interest which all result in learning and
growth of the student.
Core academic skills that can be developed and their importance
Learning Style - The way a student can learn a new skill or gain knowledge is known as
learning style. It varies from student to student and also varies with skill to skill. As to memorize
something it requires practicing, reciting and visualizing the information again and again so that
it gets stuck in the head. While some information require deep understanding of concepts which
is required to understand and use that knowledge.
Paraphrasing - It is a skill which shows the understanding level of the students who
learned the information and how he is able to express it in his own terms (Ruge, 2017). It shows
how much of the information has been absorbed and how well the student is able to regurgitate
that information in a meaningful manner.
Academic writing - Itis a way to communicate for students. Writing in your own words
and expressing an understanding of the topic learned is visible in the academic writing of the
student. It displays a clear understanding of a particular subject and how the student has
expressed it in his own terms.
Note taking - It is an important skill in the process of learning, as while a student takes
notes of the subject or topic he/she is studying it clears the understanding level; of that student.
This process of note taking involves segregation and noting down the important significant
information from the narration of information or while studying on own (Ahmad, 2018).
Study plan including short term and long term goals
Skills to be improved Methods to be taken Resources Time taken
Learning styles ● Visual
Learning- It is
the most
common way
to improve
your learning
style, it
requires visual
By natural trial and
error method. Making
multiple attempts to
learn in different
ways and choosing
the most efficient
one.
3-4 months (short
term goal)

memories to
be created
based on the
information
required to be
learned
(Ahmaed,
2018).
● Repetitive
Recitation -
Another way
to memorise
something by
hard is to
recite it again
and again
until it gets
memorised
extensively in
your brain's
memory as an
instinctive
memory.
Paraphrasing ● Re-Reading
the
information
and
understanding
the concept
behind the
information is
key while
paraphrasing
(McCarthy,
2017).
● Explaining the
information
paraphrased
back to
someone can
help to gain
knowledge of
the extent to
which the
concept and
Tips by teachers,
discussion with
classmates, online
tips, trial and self
testing.
4-5 months (short
term goal)

meaning
behind the
original paper
is understood
by the student.
Academic Writing ● Create an
abstract of the
topic on
which you are
going to write.
It will give
you periphery
in which you
need to write
(Chernyshenk
2018).
● Understanding
grammar and
punctuation is
an important
part while
writing a
meaningful
essay.
● Improving
your
vocabulary
and using
appropriate
words to
describe the
zest of the
topic is very
important.
By reading literature
novels, reading news,
reading research
papers and practicing
on them.
1.2 years (Long term
goal)
Note taking ● It is important
to understand
the brief of the
topic and
noting down
only the key
aspects of the
information
received
(Thompso.,an
Taught by professor,
practising on
informatic materials,
online tips, improving
listening skills.
3-4 months (short
term goal)

d et.al., 2018).
● Organizing
the notes is
also important
as well
organised ,
numbered ,
labeled notes
are easier to
understand.
● Writing in
brief words
while
covering over
the topic with
as few words
as possible
while keeping
the meaning
intact should
be the aim of
note taking.
CONCLUSION
The report concluded about student skills in which it showed the reasons that for what
factors individual joins university. Further it showed different academic skills that are need to be
improved in a student for further development. At last the report summed up with long and short
term study plan that will ultimately increase the growth and experience if an individual.

REFERENCES
Books and journal
Ahmad, S., Li, K., Amin, A. and Faheem, M.Y., 2018, July. Simulation of Student Skills: The
Novel Technique Based on Quantization of Cognitive Skills Outcomes. In 2018 IEEE 17th
International Conference on Cognitive Informatics & Cognitive Computing (ICCI* CC)
(pp. 97-102). IEEE.
Assiter, A., 2017. Transferable skills in higher education. Routledge.
Blickenstaff, S.M., and et.al., 2015. College of agriculture faculty perceptions of student skills,
faculty competence in teaching areas and barriers to improving teaching. NACTA Journal.
59(3). p.219.
Chernyshenko, O.S., Kankaraš, M. and Drasgow, F., 2018. Social and emotional skills for
student success and well-being.
Coffman-Wolph, S., Gray, K. and Pool, M., 2018. Work-in-Progress: Research Plan for
Introducing Problem Solving Skills through Activities to an Introductory Computer
Science Course.
McCarthy, C. and French, K., 2017. Student perceptions of online video cases to promote
helping skills training. The Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision. 9(2). p.4.
Ruge, G. and McCormack, C., 2017. Building and construction students’ skills development for
employability–Reframing assessment for learning in discipline-specific contexts.
Architectural Engineering and Design Management.13(5). pp.365-383.
Thompson, L.M.,and et.al., 2018. Development of quantitative research skills competencies to
improve doctor of philosophy nursing student training. Journal of Nursing Education.
57(8). pp.483-488.
Online
Study skills, 2019. [Online]. Available through : <https://www.educationcorner.com/study-
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