How To Complete Your Portfolio: Academic Writing

Section 1: Portfolio Evidence I

Self-evaluation checklist

Skills

Do not know about this

Find this difficult/ can’t do this

Can partially do this

Can do this well

Looking for information

Identify which books/journals/websites to use

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Yes 

Select relevant parts of a text

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Yes 

Using sources

Acknowledge sources of information

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Yes 

Avoid plagiarism

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Yes  

Planning/ writing

Brainstorm ideas

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?

?

Yes  

Plan written work

?

?

?

Yes

Link ideas effectively

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?

?

yes

Paraphrase & summarise ideas

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yes  

Write an introduction

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yes 

Write a conclusion

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yes

Personal study

Work independently

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?

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Yes

Manage my time

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Yes    

Oral presentation

Discuss written work in a tutorial

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?

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Yes

IT

Access the internet

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Yes 

Use search engines

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?

?

Yes

Create word documents

?

?

?

Yes

Section 1: Portfolio Evidence II

Summarising (recommended word count: 100)

PART 1:

Text 1:

University fees in England

Text 2 (paste your text below):

University fees in Nigeria

“niversity tuition fees in England will rise to £9,250 per year from 2017 and the increase could apply to students who have alreUady started courses. The inflation-linked rise represents a 2.8% increase and if that continued would mean fees rising above £10,000 in the next few years.  Universities face the dilemma that under consumer protection requirements they will need to announce the £9,250 fee before the beginning of the next application cycle in early September. However, until formally changed by Parliament, universities are not allowed to charge a fee higher than £9,000, which is the current limit.

The government says the increase can apply to students who have already begun courses – but this will depend on the terms of student contracts in individual universities.  The fees will increase in subsequent years. Royal Holloway and the University of Kent have to still to decide on whether to charge higher fees for current students, but expect to apply them to new students starting in 2017, if the fee limit increase goes ahead. The University of Surrey will not increase fees for its current undergraduates, but fees will increase each year for students starting in 2017.

Universities minister Jo Johnson has published a statement setting out plans to link higher fees to better teaching. Liberal Democrat university spokeswoman Baroness Lorely Burt said: “Linking fees to teaching quality in this way is unacceptable. Enabling any university that scrapes a ‘meet expectations’ rating to increase fees by 2.8% shows that this isn’t about teaching quality at all. If universities need further support then let’s have a proper discussion about where that money comes from, rather than pretending that this is somehow a quid pro quo for providing the quality of teaching students should already be able to expect”. Sir Peter Lampl, chairman of the Sutton Trust education charity, said the fee increase will add to student debts that we have shown to be by far the highest in the English-speaking world. A real concern is that the removal of maintenance grants will almost certainly deter poorer students, who now face debts of over £50,000 on graduation”.

From: Coughlan, S. (2017). University tuition fees rise to £9,250 for current students –BBC News. [online] BBC News. Available at:https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-36856026 [Accessed 19 Jan. 2017].

“No fewer than 38 universities across the country have increased their tuition fees as a result of poor funding by the Federal and State governments. The Chairman of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), University of Ibadan Chapter, Dr Deji Omole, made this known in a statement made available to newsmen in Abuja on Monday. The statement which assessed the two years of President Muhammadu Buhari in office, lamented that the current government had made Nigerians poorer. Omole said that the public education was not taken seriously because most children of the rich and those in high offices do not attend school in Nigeria. “The latest increment might be attributed to poor funding by the federal and state governments as ASUU poorly rated the President Muhammadu Buhari in the area of funding of university education. ASUU also noted that it would be difficult for any Nigeria university to effectively compete globally with the inadequate allocation of budgetary funding as prescribed by UNESCO to fund education. News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that University of Lagos (UNILAG) which was paying N14, 500 would now pay N63, 500 as tuition fees. Other institutions that increased their fees include, Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), from N27, 000 to N41, 00; University of Nigeria (UNN), from N60, 450 to N66, 950; Obafemi Awolowo University, from N19, 700 to N55,700. Others are Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK), from N20, 100 to N65,920; Bayero University, Kano, from N26,000 to N40,000; University of Abuja, from N39,300 to N42,300 and Usman Danfodiyo University, from N32,000 to N41,000. National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN), from N36,000 to N41,000; University of Benin (UNIBEN), from N12, 000 to N49,500; University of Ilorin, from N16, 000 to N75,000 and Federal University of Technology, Akura (FUTA), from N13, 560 to N83,940. Also in the list are: Federal University, Minna (FUTMINNA), from N20,000 to N37,000; University of Calabar, from N30,500 to N42,750 and University of Uyo, from N71, 000 to N84, 250. Federal College of Education (Technical), Akoka, from N16,000 to N40,000; Osun varsity, from N95,000 to N135,500; Anambra State University, from N76,000 to N139, 000 and Lagos State University, from N96,750 to N158,250. Ibrahim Badamosi Babangiga University, Lapai, from N25, 000 to N52, 000; Imo State University, from N120,000 to N150,000; Plateau State University, from N50,000 to N100,000 and Moshood Abiola Polytechnic, from N57,000 to N75,000. Others are: Ibadan Polytechnics, from N30,000 t0 N50,000; Abia Polytechnics, from N56,550 to N61,000; Auchi Polytechnic, from N14, 800 to N28,000 and Ondo State University of Science and Technology, Okitipupa, from N70,000 to N80,000. Enugu State University of Science and Technology, N104,900 to N124,900; Kwara Polytechnic, Ilorin, from N28,000 to N44,000; Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), from N65,000 to N72,500 and Tai Solarin University of Education, from N66,500 to N76,500. Afe Babalola University, from N675,000 to N1,075,000; Igbinedion, from N540,000 to N820,000; Crawford university, from N400,000 to N600,000 and Redeemers University, from N545,000 to N605,000. Also in the list are Covenant University, from N774, 500 to N814, 500 and Benson Idahosa University, from N284, 300 to N1, 150,000.”

From: Leadership.ng 2018. 38 Nigerian Universities Increase Tuition Fees. [online] Leadership Nigeria Newspapers. Available at: https://leadership.ng/2017/06/26/38-nigerian-universities-increase-tuition-fees/ [Accessed 28 Mar. 2018].

Notes (Text 1):

Notes (Text 2):

· The universities might need to make an announcement regarding the increment in the fees of the university that is scheduled to take place in the next academic cycle.

· The increment of the tuition fees might also affect the students who have already been involved in the educational cycle.

· The students of the various universities are assured by the government on the fact that the increment of the tuition fees would depend on the contracts that the students might have entered into at the time of the enrolment at the universities.

· Debates surround the relationship between the quality of the education that is imparted and the tuition fees that need to be paid by the student.

· Poor fund allocation of the various universities by the concerned state and national governmental bodies.

· A sudden increment in the tuition fees of almost 38 universities in the country that might have been a result of the lack of funding on the part of the government.

· Decrease in the quality of the education that is imparted to the concerned students.

· This might lead to the Nigerian students lacking the skills that might be needed for staying put in the competition with their global counterparts.

PART 3:

What are the similarities and differences between universities in England and Nigeria in relation to tuition fees? Why are they important? 

The universities of both the countries tend to depict certain similarities in their funding and the sudden increase in the same.
The English universities tend to put forth the fact that they had been planning an increment in the tuition fees of the concerned universities. The universities have suggested that the increment of the fees would affect both the students who would enrol themselves and those who have already enrolled themselves in the various courses that are offered by the universities of the country. the government however tends to assure the students that the tuition fees levied on them would depend on the contracts that they did sign during the time of the enrolment to the concerned course. The various news reports however suggest that the quality of the imparted education might be related to the tuition fees that is levied on the students.
On the other hand, the Nigerian educational institutions are hugely funded by the various governmental institutions. Therefore, it is clearly evident that the decrease in the amount of the aid received might lead to the reduction in the educational standards of the company, which might be a hindrance in the development of the country.

Section 1: Portfolio Evidence III

Outline (recommended word count: 200)

TITLE

The tuition fees of English and Nigerian universities – A comparison

INTRODUCTION

Background Information:

Universities are the institutions that offer the concerned students with the opportunity to continue with their educational careers in the respective fields of interest.

Thesis Statement:

The following essay deals with the comparison between the fees structure and the increase in the same in the universities of England and Nigeria.

MB Paragraph 1

Paragraph Focus: Funding

Country A: England

Country B: Nigeria

· Implementing the fee hike irrespective of the enrolment status of the concerned students.

· Necessary intervention of the government in fee hike implementation.

· Budget allocated for the educational industry is lower than the one that is allocated by the UNESCO.

· Lowering of the governmental aid in matters of the university funding has led to the hike in the fees.

MB Paragraph 2

Paragraph Focus: Quality

Country A: England

Country B: Nigeria

· Disparity exists among the various universities on the quality of the imparted education.

· The variation of the quality of the imparted education on the basis of the tuition fees is debatable.

· The relocation of the Nigerian students to foreign locations for the pursuit of educational careers.

· Decline in the quality of the education that is imparted to the students.

CONCLUSION

Summary of main points

Increment of the aids from the governmental bodies of Nigeria.

Recommendations/suggestions/predictions

Consideration for the students who are already enrolled at the various universities of England.

Section 1: Portfolio Evidence IV

Paragraph structure (recommended word count: 300, including notes)

Topic sentence:

RED

Country A (England):

BLUE

Country B (Nigeria):

GREEN

Concluding sentence:

ORANGE

In-text reference:

PURPLE

Write your paragraph here. Then, colour the different parts.

The high amount of the educational fees that are implemented at the various universities might pose to be a huge amount of concern for the concerned students who have been pursuing the various courses at the universities. The tuition fees that have been levied upon the students tend to go through a huge hike which might affect the students who are enrolled at the various universities of England. The students who have already been enrolled at these universities might also have to bear the brunt of the change in the fees structure of the concerned universities (Boliver 2013). The students might heave a sigh of relief due to the fact that the implementation of the proposed revision on the implementation of the fees might require the intervention of the government of the country. The Parliament of the country must approve of the amendment of the educational fees so that the universities might implement them in their academic cycles. However, the report also suggests that the students might need to undertake the tuition fees that are in accordance to the contracts that they had put forth during their enrolment at the concerned university. On the other hand, the Nigerian universities tend to be heavily dependent on the governmental aids that are allocated to the same for the educational purposes. The governmental aids towards the concerned universities might help in the lowering the range of the tuition fees that need to be paid by the concerned students in order to continue with the education in the concerned universities (Akinyemi 2013). The fee hike has led to the lowering of the number of the enrolments in the Nigerian universities. This might lead to an adverse effect on the economic conditions of the country. Thus, it might be inferred that the fee hike might be responsible for the degradation of the number of the enrolments in the universities in the country.

Section 1: Portfolio Evidence V

Essay self-assessment form (recommended word count: 100)

Type a few comments below in relation to how well you have addressed the following criteria in your essay.

ESSAY STRUCTURE

A. Has a clear structure including an introduction, body paragraphs, conclusion & bibliography.

Yes

B. Has a clear thesis statement that states the sub-topics and position.

Yes

C. Has clear topic sentences in each main body paragraph.

Yes

D. Has features of an essay not a report, i.e. no headings, no bullet points etc.

Yes

CONTENT

E. Has compared directly between the two countries in each paragraph.

 Yes

F. Has commented on what we learn from the comparisons.

 Yes

G. Has included suitable background information in the introduction.

 Yes

H. Has included a suitable summary and position in the conclusion.

 Yes

I. Has written 750 words (+/- 10%).

 Yes

USE OF SOURCES AND REFERENCING

J. Has a minimum of 2 sources per paragraph.

 Yes

K. Has in-text citations which follow Harvard style. E.g. (Coughlan, 2014).

 Yes

M. Has avoided plagiarism.

 Yes

USE OF ENGLISH

N. Writes accurate sentences.

 Yes

O. Spells and punctuates accurately.

 Yes

P. Uses a range of language.

 Yes

Q. Writes in an appropriate academic style.

 Yes