IF0RAS: Foundation in Academic Skills

Module code: IF0RAS

Module provider: International Study and Language Institute

Credits: 20

Level: Foundation Level

When you'll be taught: Semester 1 / 2

Module convenor: Mr Matthew Tolley, email: m.tolley@reading.ac.uk

Pre-requisite module(s):

Co-requisite module(s):

Pre-requisite or Co-requisite module(s):

Module(s) excluded: IN TAKING THIS MODULE YOU CANNOT TAKE IF0ACA (Compulsory)

Placement information: NA

Academic year: 2024/5

Available to visiting students: No

Talis reading list: Yes

Last updated: 21 May 2024

Overview

Module aims and purpose

This module, delivered at the University of Reading, will provide students with the opportunities to develop the academic skills essential for success both on the Foundation Year and as an undergraduate. Course content will be delivered through a combination of guided online tasks and practical workshops. Students will be grouped according to their broad disciplines enabling the module to cover generic skills, while allowing for some differentiation in content and assessment tasks.

Aims:

• To provide guided practice in oral and written assessment
• To develop skills for finding and managing appropriate information
• To encourage a reflective approach to feedback and students’ own learning
• To develop awareness of assessment types, marking criteria and strategies for exam preparation
• To promote awareness of the expectations, responsibilities and conventions of academic culture
• To develop strategies for time management, independent study and working in groups

Module learning outcomes

By the end of the module, it is expected that students will be able to: 

1. Organise and present ideas effectively in a written or oral format while incorporating the ideas of others and referencing them correctly  
2. Reflect on their own learning and set targets for improvement  
3. Work effectively as a member of a group 

Module content

The course will cover the generic academic skills needed by Foundation students progressing to an undergraduate programme. These include finding and managing information, presenting ideas in written and oral formats following academic convention, referencing skills and avoiding plagiarism, approaches to different assessment types, revision and preparing for exams, reflecting on feedback and learning, time management, and working in groups and independently. Further content will be pathway-specific, including sessions on data handling, risk assessments for laboratory work, University of Reading Special Collections and Careers Advisory Service.       

This module is designed to be accessible to students who are not from a UK-based background and would like to transition to a UK Higher Education setting for undergraduate study.  

Structure

Teaching and learning methods

This module will be taught through guided online tasks followed by interactive workshops to enable students to put the skills into practise. Task-based and flipped learning will vary the interaction. Students will be encouraged to work either in groups or independently to complete a set of tasks. They will also reflect periodically on their learning and receive guidance on accessing appropriate university resources.

Study hours

At least 30 hours of scheduled teaching and learning activities will be delivered in person, with the remaining hours for scheduled and self-scheduled teaching and learning activities delivered either in person or online. You will receive further details about how these hours will be delivered before the start of the module.

Please note the independent study hours above are notional numbers of hours; each student will approach studying in different ways. We would advise you to reflect on your learning and the number of hours you are allocating to these tasks.

Semester 1 The hours in this column may include hours during the Christmas holiday period.

Semester 2 The hours in this column may include hours during the Easter holiday period.

Summer The hours in this column will take place during the summer holidays and may be at the start and/or end of the module.

Assessment

Requirements for a pass

Students need to achieve an overall module mark of 40% to pass this module.

Summative assessment

Penalties for late submission of summative assessment

The Support Centres will apply the following penalties for work submitted late:

Assessments with numerical marks

• where the piece of work is submitted after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): 10% of the total marks available for that piece of work will be deducted from the mark for each working day (or part thereof) following the deadline up to a total of three working days;
• the mark awarded due to the imposition of the penalty shall not fall below the threshold pass mark, namely 40% in the case of modules at Levels 4-6 (i.e. undergraduate modules for Parts 1-3) and 50% in the case of Level 7 modules offered as part of an Integrated Masters or taught postgraduate degree programme;
• where the piece of work is awarded a mark below the threshold pass mark prior to any penalty being imposed, and is submitted up to three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline), no penalty shall be imposed;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): a mark of zero will be recorded.

Assessments marked Pass/Fail

• where the piece of work is submitted within three working days of the deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline): no penalty will be applied;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline): a grade of Fail will be awarded.

The University policy statement on penalties for late submission can be found at: https://www.reading.ac.uk/cqsd/-/media/project/functions/cqsd/documents/qap/penaltiesforlatesubmission.pdf

You are strongly advised to ensure that coursework is submitted by the relevant deadline. You should note that it is advisable to submit work in an unfinished state rather than to fail to submit any work.

Formative assessment

Formative assessment is any task or activity which creates feedback (or feedforward) for you about your learning, but which does not contribute towards your overall module mark.

• Peer review: written assignment
• Peer review: oral assignment

Reassessment

Additional costs