Reflect on how your research skills have developed over the course of this module, incorporating appropriate feedback from
others, and develop an action plan explaining how you will further progress and apply your research skills following completion of this module.
How to approach the task
Throughout the module, you will have been given opportunities to reflect on your research skills. Look back over these reflections, and review the self-
evaluation questionnaire you completed at the start of the module, and compare this to the self-evaluation towards the end of the module.
Make notes that address the following questions:
How have your knowledge, skills, attitudes and behaviours changed over the course of the module?
How confident are you about various aspects of research now?
What feedback have you received about your work? - this could be from academic staff, your fellow students, work colleagues, family/friends, etc.
Take an overview of your research skills: what are your areas of strength, and where can you still make improvements?
Try some 'forward reflection’ – predicting how you would respond to situations in your future academic work and/or professional practice where
research skills would be needed (or useful) - e.g. in a job or role that you aspire to hold in the future. How might your response might be affected by
what you have learned in this module
What are your goals for further development of your research skills? What improvements do you want to make over the next 2-3 months (short-term
goals) and 6-12 months or more (long-term goals)?
What are your next steps in relation to research? What actions do you need to take to achieve your stated goals? How will you know if you have been
successful in improving your skills to achieve these goals?
Use these notes to help you think about how your research skills have developed. Try to take a holistic approach that considers all the different aspects of
research skills - most people will have areas of strength and other areas that they find more difficult - what are these areas for you?
Advice on writing up this patch
As this patch is a piece of personal reflective writing, it is acceptable to write in the ‘first person’ (I think this …, I felt that …, I need to … etc) – and we
encourage you to do so. Focus mainly on reflecting and evaluating your learning, not just describing what you did or what happened.
You have 1250 words for this patch. Whilst you are free to present the work in whichever way you wish, we recommend the following structure:
Reflection - summarising your reflections on the key 'incidents' and experiences you have had during the module, how well you completed the various
tasks during the module, feedback that you received, etc (approx 500 words)
Synthesis - explain the development of your research skills during the module, evaluating your chief areas of strength, potential areas where further
improvement or development may be useful, and considering any underlying or 'cross-cutting' issues that are influencing your research skills. Draw this
together by identifying achievable goals for the short-term (e.g. next 2-3 months) and long-term (next 6-12 months or more). (approx 500 words)
Conclusion and action plan - how will you achieve your goals? Based on your reflection and synthesis, present your action plan explaining how you
will further develop and use your research skills in your future academic work and/or professional practice. Be specific about what you are going to do,
why, how and when, and what support systems are available that could help you (through Cardiff Met or other organisations). (approx 250 words)
References using the Harvard system: not included in the word count. We think you are unlikely to have many references for this patch as it has a
personal focus.
Marking criteria
Your final patch will be marked using the following marking criteria, which draw upon the skills identified in the Research Skills Development
Framework:
Criterion
Marks
available
(total 25)
Reflect - evaluate and reflect on your knowledge, skills, attitudes, behaviour, experiences and performance during the module, including
constructive incorporation of feedback 10
Synthesise - draw together the key issues arising from your reflections, evaluating the major developments in your skills and where you can
make further improvements, setting achievable research skills development goals 10
Apply - apply your learning to develop a clear action plan for the further development and use of your research skills 5