Study Skills: Information Resources, Note-Taking, And Academic Writing

Task 1 Complete the attached recording sheet

Task 2 How I went about it! 

Consider how you applied your understanding of study skills when completing recent assignments.  You must make sure you:

a)            Explain the use of electronic learning resources  (AC 1.3 part)

Answer 

The e-learning is gaining mass popularity in the modern day scenario because this is a very modern and a very less time-consuming aspect.  This helps in making the students get the information through the scientific and the digital sources. Nowadays the students believe in learning through the digitalized and the online sources. Often they are enrolled in the distance learning courses so they have to attend the class online. They can also learn by using the devices like laptops, I pads, mobiles and other such objects. These devices are portable and the students can easily carry them from one place to the other. CD is also a good learning system nowadays.

Students can use the CD to attach and store some educational television programme. They can also exchange notes or study materials through the CDs.

Them learning or the mobile learning is also used as students also download many study materials from the internet on their phones.  The other sources are like the moodle and the learn hub sites on the net. These are very student friendly as they can create their profiles and use the same for exchanging information with all other students across the internet.

b)            Evaluate the merits of different sources of information and resources that have supported your learning process (AC 1.4 part)

Answer

My learning process has been enhanced by the primary and the secondary sources of information. The primary sources like the face to face interviews with the people, have helped me to get the exact and the authentic information who have been witnessed the situation or have been part of that situation.

For an instance it can be a case on any historical event or any scam or scandal that have taken place within any company, In such cases, taking the interviews with people involved in that situation or collecting information from statistical data. It can also be the diary or the document of any individual who has left his or her opinion and thoughts on a certain subject. For an instance, while wringing any assignment t on history, for an instance a travelogue one can take the help of a primary source like the travelogue account by a y famous traveler. A manuscript or any kind of speech is also a good primary source. The secondary sources like the journals and books are also very good source o information.

c)            Explain the repertoire of reading and note-taking skills and techniques that you used (AC 2.1 part)

Answer

The techniques that I used for taking the notes in the class are staying attentive, keeping a pen and a paper ready. I also kept in mind that I have to use the short forms while jotting down all the important things that after being said by the teacher in the class. I kept this in mind that I have to take all the important notes and that too within a very short period of time. I have to keep a pen and a paper ready so that I will be able to make sure that I am not missing out any important points. I tried my level best to pay full attention to the tea her and the chapters that he is dealing with. I also practiced the habit of taking dictations. This has really helped me a great deal. I have been able to take the notes and make sure that I have all the notes ready at my hand before the beginning of the exam.

d)      Evaluate the different forms of communication you have used in the academic process (AC 2.3 part)

Answer

The nonverbal and the nonverbal methods are important in the communication system. The nonverbal methods have been helpful for me while writing some emails or some important notes. Even my teachers have used the nonverbal system of communication for sending the soft copies of some chapters or the soft copies of some notes as well. I have used this medium of communication to share my notes with some of m y friends as well. This has enhanced the peer to peer learning process. Some friends love at a distance and could not attend classes so the class notes have been shared with them through the mails or through the class notebooks as well. The verbal mode has been used when the teachers have been teaching us. The verbal mode has been used while giving dictations or teaching and explaining any chapters.

They have also used the eye contact method to maintain a very positive and healthy relationship with the students.

e)            Explain different forms of plagiarism and unfair academic practice and their seriousness (AC 3.1)

Answer

The plagiarism is a very essential and a very important tool. This is such a tool that must be used right from the initial stages when a student is writing academic papers. I remember that when we first started writing the academic papers for our courses. We were taught in our school that the plagiarism tool must be used at the stage of proofreading so that we are able to produce the exact authentic information before the final submission. This is because often we are in the habit of pasting the data directly from the internet.

This is wrong and this, in turn, can turn out to be a serious crime in the professional lives. The clients will be paying money to get the exact information so as professionals we have to keep in mind that we are providing them the exact information that is not a copied or pasted directly from the internet. However, it is tough to go through the entire work and find the plagiarized content manually. It is a very hectic and time-consuming job. It was for this reason that we always used the plagiarized tool for the seeing any plagiarized content was found in the assignment. As a result of which were write those parts again with fresh and authentic content. Even if we are taking information from the internet we must paraphrase it with our own ideas.

f)             Explain the Harvard referencing system that you have used (AC 3.2 part)

Answer

The Harvard referencing system is a particular type of referencing system that is used in many of the assignments. I have been using this type of referencing system in the assignments. This has assured me that the references that I am using a very authentic source of information. These references are usually used by the students of the University of Harvard. The references are used both in the reference list and in the text as well. In other words, I have used the information from the authentic sources and then used the same in the assignment. This is an easy, good and very commonly used system of referencing.

g)            Evaluate the anti-plagiarism software that you have used (AC 3.3 part)

Answer

I use some of the anti-plagiarism tools like the Dupli checkers and the copy leaks as well. They are very helpful as they have helped me to find out the plagiarized content from my work and rewrite it with some very fresh and creative content that is totally authentic. The advantage of the Dupli checker software is that it is free of cost and it is also very easily used. It also allows about 50 plagiarisms check per day to the users that are registered. So, it is one of the very easy and handy techniques for getting the assignment checked properly before finally submitting it to the university or to the teachers.

(i)         Explain what you understand by independent learning and time 

       management skills(AC 4.3 part)

Answer

I feel that it is a kind of learning system where the student learns all the academic sources himself or herself without asking for help from the teachers or any other private tutors at home. In the modern day scenario, it is a very important and common method of lea ring where the students are not restricted to any strict code of rules made by the teachers. They can use the different resources like the book, journals, speeches and many other such sources that will help them to gather the information and then study as per their own will. This will help them to study on their own terms and thus prepare a chart that will also help them to develop a proper time management skill.

Task 3 – Reflective learning

Reflective learning encourages continuous development of study skills.  You should now reflect on your learning through the following tasks:

a)            Carry out a SWOT analysis on yourself.  You may wish to ask for feedback from others (AC 4.2 part)

Answer

S-I think that my strength is that I am very hard working. I make sure that I am putting in all my efforts into doing any work that comes in my hand. I am a perfectionist by nature So I make sure that I am doing each and every work in a perfect manner.

w-I think that my weakness is not being able to control my anger. This is because I have to deal with each and every aspect with a lot of patience.

O- The opportunity that I have is to use my hardworking and dutiful nature. This will help me to gain success in all the future endeavors.

T- The threat that I have is my anger and my kindness as well. People can often take undue advantage of the kind nature. If I cannot control my anger then my juniors or other colleagues can escalate against me and this will turn out to be very bad for my future.

b)         Use this SWOT analysis to develop SMART personal learning objectives (AC 4.2 part)

Answer

Smart objectives

s-this objective is very specific in nature. I want to work on my weakness and become very calm and organized. This goal is very important because this will help me in becoming a good employee and also a very good manager in the future.

m- This is also much measurable in nature. However, I cannot measure it in the unit but I will make sure that this goal can be properly accomplished. I will measure it through the changes in my behavior and will also make sure that I am taking a feedback from my friends and colleagues.

a-This goal can also be accomplished within a good period of time. Controlling the anger is not really an easy job but I will try and do it within a span of about six months.

r- This is also a very relevant goal as I need to keep a right temperament in the professional life as well.

T- This is also time bound in nature. I will be requiring a span of about 6 months.

c) You now need to apply your personal learning objectives.  Keep a log of your progress towards achieving these objectives identifying what is going well and what you need to do to improve. (AC 4.2 part)

Answer

Explain the concept of reflective learning and how it has (or will) help your personal development. (AC 4.1)

I feel that the concept of reflecting learning is very essential as it helps in learning through own experiences. I think that this type of learning s very essential as it helps to learn the positive and the negative aspects of the self-experiences. This also depends on the recollection of memories. I will also be able to understand what went wrong during that experience. I will also get the idea of the other things that would have done to take the actions in a different way. Self-reflection learning helps in spotting the errors and also finding the means of solving them properly.