Report on Academic Skills ASS1031: COVID-19 and Student Experiences

This report, focusing on academic skills (ASS1031), investigates how the COVID-19 pandemic has reshaped the experiences of university students. It explores changes in study habits, academic performance, and future employment expectations, referencing various sources and employing the CRAAP test for source evaluation. The report discusses search strategies, key terms, and the use of online articles, journals, and data to support its findings. It also analyzes how the pandemic has impacted students' academic and social lives, including the effect on their study time, job prospects, and overall well-being. The conclusion highlights the importance of academic skills in individual growth and development, emphasizing the pandemic's influence on students' experiences and expectations, and the use of an action plan for skills development.

Introducing Academic
Skills ASS1031

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
Theme/Section 1..........................................................................................................................3
Theme/Section 2..........................................................................................................................3
Theme/Section 3..........................................................................................................................4
CONCLUSION ...............................................................................................................................6
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................7

INTRODUCTION
Academic skills refers to the strategies, abilities and habits which can help learners in
terms of succeeding into the academic setting. They generally build on the students mastery of
literacy and technical subjects. There are certain examples of academic setting which include
academic writing, referencing and presentation skills as well.
Theme/Section 1
According to this portfolio, it has been find out that the main question is more focused on
this parameter that how the pandemic situation has shaped the experience of university students.
It can be interpreted that the study hours has increased into positive manner and after when the
effect got slower down then the study hours get reduced on a larger scale(Merola and et.al.,
2022). There are certain key concepts which have been included within the essay which is related
to the pandemic situation. According to the CRAAP test, it is easier to justify the sources and
evidence also act as the parameter for justifying the matter. CRAAP is basically act as a acronym
which denotes for relevance, currency, accuracy, authority and purpose. It is about the
timeliness of the information where the essay is published on the online basis and also the essay
is old around two years. It is a kind of evidence which proves the matter into real terms.
According to second parameter of this test it has been observed that the information is very
relevant because it is related to the real life situation and also about the practical life situation.
The third parameter of this test is about the authority
Theme/Section 2
The search strategy refers to an organised structure of key terms which has been used in
order to search the database. The main key words which has been used basically include
COVID-19, university students, experience etc. These boolean operators also help the individual
in terms of finding out the right and authentic sources of matter. Delimiters also gives the idea
about how to find out the information into positive manner(Farris and et.al., 2021). There are
mainly five sources which can be used in terms of making the matter more relevant and to the
point as well. These sources basically include online sites, journals, articles, image, graph.
According to the search, it has been find out that online articles act as important parameter in
terms of justifying the information. On the basis of online, the matter becomes relevant and

authentic when it is supported by graphs, tables and data due to which it becomes easier to trust
on the matter.
Every source have their own significance and relevance. The main authority of this essay
is form the writer who have written this essay. The main author of this essay are Esteban M.
Aucejo, Jacob French, Basit Zafar. The second last parameter is related to the accuracy level and
it can be proved through when the essay has mainly depicted through bar graphs and tables as
well(Openo., 2020). The last parameter of this test is the purpose where the essay has mainly
depicted through the real life situation which students have faced at the time of pandemic
during the time of learning. That's why its very important that to have this understanding that
why the essay has been written and the purpose behind it. So this test act as the important
parameter in order to fulfil the requirements and needs of the essay.
How has the response to the COVID-19 pandemic shaped the experience of University
students
According to the source, Merola and et.al., 2022, it clearly shows that the information is
current and relevant. In context to How has the response to the COVID-19 pandemic shaped the
experience of University students, this information is relevant because the selected sources
mainly are from the books, journals and online articles as well. The given information is from the
source which is related to the pandemic situation which has shaped the experience of university
students and also it is the reason there is use of authority being done. The information is
accurate because it comes from an authentic source and also it has proper evidence for it as well.
The main purpose of this source is that to evaluated the pandemic situation which has shaped the
experience of university students.
This source Farris and et.al., 2021, was published in the year of 2021 which shows that it
is current and relevant as well. In context to the topic, this information is relevant because the
selected sources mainly are from the books, journals. The given information into the source is
related to the pandemic situation which has shaped the experience of university students and also
it is the reason there is use of authority being done. This information is accurate because it has
relevant sources and also shows authentic level as well. The main purpose of this source is that
to evaluated the pandemic situation which has shaped the experience of university students.
According to the source, Openo, J., 2020, it clearly shows that the information is current
and relevant. According to the topic the information is relevant because it is from the journals.

The given information is from a particular source which is related to the pandemic situation and
it has impact on the university students so the information is relevant. The given information is
from the source which is related to the pandemic situation which has shaped the experience of
university students and also it is the reason there is use of authority being done. This
information is accurate because it has relevant sources and also shows authentic level as well.
The main purpose of this topic is that to create an understanding about the impact of covid 19
and how it shaped the experience of university students.
This source Farris and et.al., 2021. was published in the year of 2021, that shows it is a
current information. In context to How has the response to the COVID-19 pandemic shaped the
experience of University students, this information is relevant because the selected sources
mainly are from the books, journals and online articles as well. The given information is from the
source which is related to the pandemic situation which has shaped the experience of university
students and also it is the reason there is use of authority being done. The information is
accurate because it comes from an authentic source and also it has proper evidence for it as well.
The main purpose of this source is that to evaluated the pandemic situation which has shaped the
experience of university students.
According to the source of Vaterlaus and et.al., 2021. it clearly shows that the
information is current. In context to the topic, the information is related to the topic and the
main audience is the general public but mainly focused on the university students, that's why the
information is relevant. The main authority of this source is the Vaterlaus who has their own
credibility into the market. This information is accurate because it comes from a proper source
with the right kind of approach. The main purpose of this topic How has the response to the
COVID-19 pandemic shaped the experience of University students
Theme/Section 3
The chosen topic is how has the response to the COVID-19 pandemic shaped the
experience of university students. The disruptive effects about the pandemic situation have
impacted all sectors of the society where higher education is not only the exception. Within the
essay, the discussion is about the impact of COVID-19 on the students of college. The analysis is

more about the academic performance, study and social habits, current labour market and
expectations about the future employment(Farris and et.al., 2021).It is also about that in which
manner these effects differ along the existing socio economic divides and whether the pandemic
has exacerbated the existing inequalities.
There are certain sources through which matter have been collected or essay has been
analysed into positive manner. These sources basically include online sites, journals, articles,
image, graph. According to different sources, it has been find out that the data act as the
important role in terms of doing the survey. There are different kind of samples which help the
sources in becoming more relevant and to the point as well.
There are certain similarities which contrasts about the perspectives between different
sources. According to different resources it has been find out that the matter is almost very
similar in every kind of resources and it has also been find out that the matter is almost available
on the online basis. From the perspective of authentication part, these resources can be used in
order to prove the point and also shows that the information provided is into the genuine terms.
It has been find out that the matter on the online basis with support of graphs and table
gives the more relevant information due to which people can trust on it into easier terms. From
the theme two, it has been find out that the information is taken from the mentioned sources such
as journals and books which act as relevant parameter in order to justify the topic into
appropriate manner. So this is the main evidence who has background from the online basis so
they have more convincing evidence in order to satisfy the audience into positive manner.
According to the conclusion, it has been find out that the essay is majorly focused on the
impact of COVID-19 on student expectations and experiences. From the essay, it has been find
out that they have majorly surveyed around 1500 students at one of the largest public institution
in the United States (Vaterlaus and et.al., 2021). According to the data it has been find out that
there are thirteen percent students who have delayed the graduation and forty percent have lost
their job, internship offer. It has been find out that there were one quarter students who have
increased their study time by more than four hours per week due to COVID-19. In the further
quarter the time has been reduced by more than five hours per week. So in the overall manner,
health and economic shocks have been induced by the pandemic situation vary systematically
through socio economic factors. It also constitute the the key mediators in explaining the large
effects of the pandemic.

Theme/Section 4
Four point action plan and reflection
I have learnt various kinds of skills during this portfolio which include reading skill,
communication skill, analytical skill and critical thinking skill as well (Stamatis and et.al., 2022).
For developing the skills it is very important that to have an action plan where this action plan is
divided into different time period of goals. It includes short term goals, medium term goals and
long term goals.
Short term goals: These are the goals which can be achieved into shorter period of time and it
include reading skill.
Medium term goals: I have developed analytical and critical thinking skill under medium term
goals.
Long term goals: I have developed communication skill under long term goals.
I have developed various range of academic skills where these skills act as base for
understanding these type of essay(Fowler-Watt and et.al., 2020). These skill help me in terms of
developing my personality and also generate the higher level of confidence level as well. So
these are the skills which are very important for me from the point of view of academic and
professional point of view.
CONCLUSION
The above stated report concludes that academic skills play a very significant role in
terms of individual growth and development as well. It has been concluded that the essay is more
focused on the pandemic situation due to which it impacts the experience of university students.
It has been determined that there are certain strategies which can be used in terms of making the
matter more relevant and to the point as well. It has been observed that for justifying the matter it
is very important that to use the proper evidence for it. The essay has given the lot of learnings
due to which the individual can grow into positive terms and also there is requirement of action
plan as well so that they can perform into proper manner. That's why it is very important that to
learn academic skills into appropriate terms so that in future it act as the base for further
development and growth.

REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Merola and et.al., 2022. Through the Looking Glass: How the COVID-19 Pandemic Changed
International Branch Campuses’ Academic Experience and Home Campus
Relationship. Journal of Studies in International Education, p.10283153211070112.
Farris and et.al., 2021. A qualitative study of COVID-19 distress in university
students. Emerging Adulthood, 9(5), pp.462-478.
Openo, J., 2020. Education's Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic Reveals Online Education’s
Three Enduring Challenges. Canadian Journal of Learning and Technology, 46(2).
Farris and et.al., 2021. A qualitative study of COVID-19 distress in university
students. Emerging Adulthood, 9(5), pp.462-478.
Vaterlaus and et.al., 2021. College student interpersonal and institutional relationships during the
COVID-19 pandemic: A qualitative exploratory study. The Social Science Journal,
pp.1-14.
Stamatis and et.al., 2022. A longitudinal investigation of COVID‐19 pandemic experiences and
mental health among university students. British journal of clinical psychology, 61(2),
pp.385-404.
Fowler-Watt and et.al., 2020. Reflections on the Shifting Shape of Journalism Education in the
Covid-19 pandemic. Digital Culture and Education, (June 22).