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Share 3 challenges you may face during your studies and at least 1 strategy for each to show how you will overcome them.

MN1034 Academic Writing

Assessment Type: Portfolio

Weighting: 100%

Wordcount: 3000 (+/-10%) excluding references, appendices, charts, diagrams, etc.

Penalty

There will be a penalty of a deduction of 10% of the total marks available for this assessment for work exceeding the word limit. Assessments which are significantly below the word count are unlikely to answer the assignment criteria fully.

Academic Year: 2025-2026

Assignment Brief

We recognise you are at the start of your academic journey and want to help you to develop the academic skills you will require for the programme overall. We do not expect perfection here nor even a high level of skill as this module may be your first university level academic endeavour for many years or at all. However, we do want to see effort in the assignment as trying to do this well is how you will learn.

Your answers to all four portfolio exercises must be included and submitted together for your Academic Writing Skills assignment at the end of the module. Read the Further Guidance section of this document for important instructions on format and submission.

PORTFOLIO EXERCISE #1 – LEARNING REFLECTION (300 words)

This is the first portfolio exercise. This portfolio exercise will help you demonstrate the necessary understanding of the academic requirements for successful study at level 5. Starting a new programme can be very exciting. However, it can also be stressful and challenging. It is important to be able to identify some of the challenges you may face along the way and make plans for overcoming them to set yourself up for success.

Please share 3 challenges you may face during your studies and at least 1 strategy for each to show how you will overcome them. (Word limit: 300 words)

Please note: You can cut and paste this table into your overall assignment document or create a new one.

 

Challenge

Strategy for overcoming this challenge

1.

 

 

2.

 

 

3.

 

 

PORTFOLIO EXERCISE #2 – ACADEMIC SOURCING & INTERPRETING (400 words)

This is the second portfolio exercise. It is designed to encourage you to use the online library to search for sources, and to improve your ability to write about your knowledge and understanding of academic sources in a clear and concise way.

Step 1: Use the University of Leicester Library online facilities (https://le.ac.uk/library) to find and download the following journal article:

Wallo, A., Kock, H., Reineholm, C. and Ellström, P.-E. (2022), "How do managers promote workplace learning? Learning-oriented leadership in daily work", Journal of Workplace Learning, Vol. 34 No. 1, pp. 58- 73.

Step 2: Read the article by Wallo et al. Based on what you have read and understood from the article, answer the following:

  1. Identify the key themes in this article and summarise the main argument proposed by the authors. Assume that the reader of your summary has no prior knowledge of the theory. (200 words)

  2. What practical implications does the article have for training and employee development in organisations? (200 words).

PORTFOLIO EXERCISE #3 – DEVELOPING ACADEMIC DISCUSSION (1600-2000 words)

This task builds on the work you completed in Portfolio Exercise #2. In Task 2, you identified and summarised key ideas from an academic journal article. In this task, you will develop this further by using those ideas alongside additional academic sources to produce a structured academic discussion.

Assignment Task:

Using the article by Wallo et al. (2022) as a starting point, discuss how workplace practices (such as leadership, learning, employee development, or organisational culture) can influence how people learn and perform at work.

You should support your discussion using additional academic sources.

Guidance on Approach

This task is designed to help you develop your academic writing skills. You are not expected to have prior knowledge of business or HRM topics. Instead, you should focus on:

  • Using ideas from academic sources

  • Developing a clear and structured discussion

  • Beginning to compare and evaluate different perspectives

You should not repeat your full summary from Task 2. Instead, select and use the most relevant ideas from the Wallo et al. (2022) article to support your discussion.

Suggested Structure

You are advised to structure your work as follows:

  1. Introduction (200–300 words)

    • Introduce the topic of workplace practices and their importance

    • Explain what your essay will cover

    • Outline how your discussion will be structured

  2. Using key ideas from Wallo et al. (300–400 words)

    • Briefly introduce 1–2 key ideas from the article

    • Explain why these ideas are useful for understanding workplace learning and performance

    • Use your own words and support with appropriate citation

  3. Developing your discussion with additional sources (600–800 words)

    • Introduce at least two additional academic sources

    • Compare these sources with the ideas from Wallo et al. (2022)

    • Consider:

      • Do the authors agree or offer different perspectives?

      • Do they add new insights?

      • Are there any strengths or limitations in the ideas presented?

    • You are encouraged to begin showing critical thinking, for example by identifying similarities, differences, and limitations.

  4. Application (250–300 words)

    • Apply the ideas from your discussion to a simple context, such as:

      • a part-time job or work experience

      • university group work

      • a known organisation

    • This section should demonstrate how academic ideas relate to real-life situations.

  5. Conclusion (150–200 words)

    • Summarise the key points from your discussion

    • Restate your overall understanding of how workplace practices influence learning and performance

Source Requirements

You should use:

  • The Wallo et al. (2022) article (from Task 2)

  • You may (if you wish) include one additional academic source that you have identified independently using the University Library

  • At least two additional academic sources from the list below

The quality of your discussion is more important than the number of sources used.

Readings on Workplace Learning, Management, and Organisations (choose at least two from this list, all are available to download from University of Leicester Library online facilities (https://le.ac.uk/library)):

  1. Li, A.N. and Tan, H.H. (2013) ‘What happens when you trust your supervisor? Mediators of individual performance in trust relationships’, Journal of Organizational Behavior, 34(3), pp. 407–425.

  2. Anand, A., Centobelli, P. and Cerchione, R. (2020) ‘Why should I share knowledge with others? A review-based framework on events leading to knowledge sharing’, Journal of Knowledge Management, 24(9), pp. 1997–2020.

  3. Edmondson, A.C. and Lei, Z. (2014) ‘Psychological safety: The history, renaissance, and future of an interpersonal construct’, Annual Review of Organizational Psychology and Organizational Behavior, 1(1), pp. 23–43.

  4. Tian, A.W., Cordery, J. and Gamble, J. (2016) ‘Returning the favor: Positive employee responses to supervisor and peer support for training transfer’, International Journal of Human Resource Management, 27(2), pp. 199–223.

These articles have been selected to help you explore workplace learning and management practices from a range of perspectives. You may find it helpful to compare how they approach learning at individual, team, and organisational levels.

PORTFOLIO EXERCISE #4 – REFLECTION ON LEARNING (400 words)

This final task asks you to reflect on your development as a student over the course of this module and through completing this assignment.

Reflection is an important part of academic study. It helps you to recognise the progress you have made, understand your strengths, and identify areas for further development.

Assignment Task

Reflect on your development as a student during this module and in completing this assignment. In your reflection, you should:

  • Identify key academic skills you have developed (for example: academic writing, structuring an essay, using sources, referencing, or critical thinking)

  • Explain how you have applied these skills in your assignment (you may refer to specific parts of your work)

  • Discuss one or two challenges you experienced and how you addressed them

  • Identify at least one area for further improvement and explain how you plan to develop this in future modules

Guidance on Approach

Your reflection should be written in a clear and structured way, but it is more personal than an essay. You may write in the first person (e.g. “I found that…”).

You are encouraged to:

  • Be honest about your experience

  • Use specific examples from your work where possible

  • Focus on your development rather than simply describing what you did

Transferable Skills

Transferable skills are skills that are developed in one scenario and can be transferred to another, such as communication, teamwork or analytical skills.

The main transferable skill covered in this assessment is Problem solving and decision making

The following skills are also covered in this assignment

Communicating ☒

Team working ☒

Leadership & Supervising ☐

Researching & Analysing ☐

Problem solving & Decision making ☒

Planning & Organising ☐

Learning, Improving & Achieving ☒

Resilience, Adaptability & Drive ☒

Enterprising Skills ☐

Generative Artificial Intelligence

Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools have the capacity to support students in enhancing their own learning but should not be used to replace the learning, knowledge and understanding required to meet the learning outcomes of the module.

 

The use of Generative AI is allowed within this assessment, but any use must be cited in your work where appropriate.

This assessment tests your ability to critically reflect upon information, or to apply theory or knowledge to a range of situations. In this assessment Generative AI can be used as a tool to support the development and research phase of the assessment process but not the final submission. Remember there are limitations of AI generated content and therefore you need to use the skills developed through your degree programme to engage with the assessment.

Using AI tools when they are specifically not allowed is considered an academic offence in accordance with senate regulation 11.

Further Guidance 

Submission and Format Guidelines

  • Cover page: Utilize the cover page provided in the Assignments & Feedback section of Blackboard for your submission.

  • Word Count: 3000 words (+/-10%) excluding references

  • Format: Typed, double-spaced, 12-point Times New Roman or Arial font, 1-inch margins.

  • MS Word or PDF documents only

*Please note that you may lose marks if you do not follow these guidelines.

Marketing Criteria 

Criteria and weighting

Grade bands

First

02:01

02:02

3rd

Compensated pass

Fail

 

 

 

 

 

 

Scholarship (%)

Very good application of a rigorous and extensive knowledge of subject matter with very good application of concepts and the academic skills discussed in the module; demonstrates a critical appreciation of subject; displays detailed thought and consideration of the subject; reveals very good breadth and depth of understanding

Good, broad-based understanding of subject manner with good application of concepts and the academic skills discussed in the module; makes effective use of understanding to provide an informative, balanced argument that is focussed on the topic; reveals some attempt at creative, independent thinking; main points well covered, displaying breadth or depth but not necessarily both; broadly complete and relevant argument;

Some but limited engagement with, and understanding                         of, relevant material with some application of concepts and the academic skills discussed in the module; but may lack focus, organisation, breadth, and/or depth; relatively straightforward ideas are expressed clearly and fluently though there may be little or no attempt to synthesise or evaluate more complex ideas; exhibits               limited

independent   creative

thought;                      adequate analysis but some key points only mentioned in passing;         arguments satisfactory but some errors and perhaps lacking completeness and relevance in parts.

Minimum acceptable level of understanding; extremely basic and partial understanding of key issues and concepts and the academic skills with acceptable application of concepts discussed in the module; some material may be used inappropriately; uninspired and unoriginal; relies on limited knowledge; analysis poor or obscure, superficial or inconsistent in places; arguments incomplete, partly irrelevant or naive.

Inadequate knowledge of relevant material with inadequate application of concepts and the academic skills discussed in the module; omission of key ideas/material; significant parts may be irrelevant, superficial or factually incorrect; inappropriate use of some material; mere paraphrasing of course texts or lecture notes; key points barely mentioned; very weak grasp or complete misunderstanding of the issues; inclusion of irrelevant material; does not address the topic or question.

Displays a superficial appreciation of the demands and broad context of the question but is largely irrelevant, fundamentally flawed, or factually incorrect; inappropriate use of material with no or fundamentally flawed applications of concepts and the academic skills discussed in the module; mere paraphrasing of course texts or lecture notes; key points barely mentioned; complete misunderstanding of the issues; inclusion of irrelevant material.

Independent learning (%)

Work draws on a wide range of relevant literature: relevant module sources are applied, but literature may not be confined to

Relevant module sources are applied well. Beyond that, sources may range beyond textbooks and lecture material and   are   used

Relevant module sources are applied effectively. But even if sources may range beyond lecture material and textbooks effective engagement with and use of the wider

Sources restricted to core lecture material with no evidence of wider reading. Core module sources are applied, even if not always               effectively.

Restricted to a basic awareness or no awareness of course material, very meagre use of supporting material or unsupported assertions; use of irrelevant or unconvincing material. A

Relevant module sources are not or ineffectively applied. Restricted to a limited awareness of basic course material; unsupported

 

reading                    lists, textbooks or lecture notes.

effectively                     to illustrate points and justify arguments.

literature is limited.

applied          to                      an acceptable standard.

minimum of two textbook chapters were not applied or restricted to a basic awareness.

assertions; use of irrelevant or unconvincing material.

Writing skills (%)

Writing skills are very well developed; writing is clear and precise; arguments are logical, well-structured and demonstrate thorough understanding; arguments are coherent throughout the essay; conclusions are justified by evidence.

Arguments are presented logically and coherently within a clear structure and are justified with appropriate supporting evidence; arguments are mostly coherent throughout the essay; capably written with good use of English throughout; free from major errors; complex ideas are expressed clearly and fluently using specialist technical terminology where appropriate.

The question is addressed in a reasonably clear, coherent and structured manner but some sections may be poorly written making the essay difficult to follow, obscuring key points or leading                              to

overgeneralisation; arguments are reasonably coherent throughout the essay and competently written with a good use of English throughout (few, if any, errors of spelling, grammar                                 and

punctuation). Answers that have upper second-class qualities may fall into this category if they are too short, unfinished or badly organised.

Though errors may be few and generally insignificant, answer may be poorly focussed on the question, lack rigour and/or consist of a series of repetitive, poorly organised points or unsubstantiated assertions that do not relate well to one another or to the question although some structure and coherent argumentation discernible; borderline or poor competence in English (some problems of spelling, punctuation and grammar that occasionally obscures comprehension).

Unacceptable use of English (i.e. comprehension obscured by significant and intrusive errors of spelling, punctuation and grammar); poor and unclear, or totally incoherent, structure.

Answers that ‘run out of time’ or miss the point of the question may fall into this (or a lower) class.

Minimal and incoherent structure, though may only list key themes or ideas with limited comment or explanation.

Analysis (%)

Analytical steps carried out carefully and correctly demonstrating that it is based on a sound understanding.

Analysis is relevant to the problem and

Some minor slips in the steps of the analysis and some minor gaps in understanding of underlying principles. Analysis is relevant to the problem and mostly

Minor slips and occasional basic errors in analysis.

Underlying principles are mostly understood, but clear gaps are apparent. Analysis falls short of completeness and is a little irrelevant in place but a reasonable

Some knowledge of the analysis to be followed, but frequent errors. Some attention paid to underlying principles, but    lacking    in

understanding and frequently irrelevant. Some interpretation is

Erroneous analysis with mistakes. Very little attention paid to the underlying principles of the analysis. Far from complete with little relevance to the problem. Limited interpretation that reveals little, if anything, about the

Analysis has very significant omissions demonstrating little understanding of problem or underlying principles. Analysis may be ill suited to problem. Very little interpretation of

 

is complete and is placed in a clear context.

complete. A good interpretation which conveys most of its meaning.

interpretation which goes some way to convey its meaning

given, but it does not place the analysis in any real context

meaning

meaning of the analysis.

Plagiarism

Plagiarism is to take the work of another person and use it as if it were one’s own in such a way as to mislead the reader. Whole pieces of work can be plagiarised (for example, if a student put his or her name on another student’s essay), or part pieces, where chapters or extracts may be lifted from other sources, including the Internet, without acknowledgement. Sometimes plagiarism happens inadvertently, where students fail to read instructions about or do not understand the rules governing the presentation of work which require sources to be acknowledged. In such cases, the problem is usually identified very early in the course and can be put right through discussion with tutors. Deliberate attempts to mislead the examiners, however, are regarded as cheating and are treated very severely by boards of examiners. Any plagiarism in assessments which contribute to the final degree class are likely to lead, at the very least, to the downgrading of the degree class by one division. In the worst cases, expulsion from the University is a possibility.

Additional guidance on academic integrity is available at:

https://uniofleicester.sharepoint.com/sites/academic-skills-online/SitePages/Academic-integrity.aspx

Referencing

You are required to use the Harvard Referencing style for your work. Please ensure that you have read the advice on referencing which is available at:

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What Is the MN1034 Academic Writing Unit About?

The MN1034 Academic Writing module is designed to help students develop the essential academic skills needed for successful university study. Rather than focusing on a specific business subject, the unit teaches students how to find, evaluate, interpret, discuss, and reference academic sources correctly. It introduces key skills such as critical thinking, academic discussion, reflective writing, source evaluation, Harvard referencing, and structured essay writing. The module aims to build confidence in academic communication and prepare students for the written assignments they will encounter throughout their degree programme.

Why Do Students Struggle With This Assignment?

Many students assume this assignment will be easy because it focuses on academic skills rather than complex business theories. However, the portfolio requires students to demonstrate several different forms of academic writing within one assessment. Learners must summarise journal articles, compare academic viewpoints, develop structured discussions, apply theory to practical situations, and critically reflect on their own learning journey. Moving between these different writing styles can be challenging, particularly for students who are returning to education or experiencing university-level academic writing for the first time.

The largest challenge is usually Portfolio Exercise 3, where students must use the article by Wallo et al. (2022) alongside additional academic sources to build a coherent discussion about workplace learning and performance. Many students struggle to compare sources, evaluate different viewpoints, and demonstrate critical thinking rather than simply summarising articles. Referencing requirements, academic language, and balancing reflection with analysis often create further difficulties throughout the portfolio.

Common Challenges Students Face

  • Understanding what critical discussion actually means

  • Summarising academic articles in their own words

  • Comparing different academic viewpoints

  • Applying workplace learning theories to real situations

  • Using Harvard referencing correctly

  • Structuring academic discussions logically

  • Writing reflective sections with enough depth

  • Avoiding overreliance on article summaries

Need Help With MN1034 Academic Writing?

Academic writing is a skill that develops over time, and many students find the transition to university-level work challenging. Understanding journal articles, developing arguments, and writing critically can feel overwhelming when these skills are still new. This assignment requires students to demonstrate not only what they have learned but also how they can apply and communicate that knowledge effectively.

At Assignment Experts, students receive support with academic writing, literature discussions, reflective writing, source evaluation, Harvard referencing, and assignment structure. Whether you are struggling with critical analysis, article interpretation, or academic presentation, expert guidance can help you build confidence and produce stronger university-level work.