Unit rationale, description and aim

Academic communication skills are essential for success at university. This unit enhances students’ ability to engage with complex academic texts, discussions, and tasks. It aims to refine students’ receptive and productive capabilities in an academic context, enabling them to apply these skills in diverse situations and communicate ideas effectively. The unit deepens students’ understanding of academic conventions and expectations, with a focus on advanced writing techniques such as critical analysis, argumentation, and the integration of sources. A key emphasis is placed on academic integrity and research skills, equipping students to critically and ethically evaluate sources. The unit also fosters collaboration through peer review and group activities, supporting the development of reflective and responsible learning practices. This unit is designed to advance students’ academic study skills in preparation for undergraduate studies. It focuses on the application of integrated theoretical concepts across a range of contexts and the development of specialised knowledge and skills to produce clear and well-structured academic texts. Additionally, students will enhance their capacity to critically evaluate and differentiate between academic and non-academic sources. The aim of this unit is to develop students’ independent academic skills to a level sufficient for successfully commencing further university studies.

2026 10

Campus offering

No unit offerings are currently available for this unit.

Prerequisites

Nil

Incompatible

FSAS003 - Academic Communications Skills 3, FSIE002 English for Academic Success , FSTL003 - Tertiary Literacy

Learning outcomes

To successfully complete this unit you will be able to demonstrate you have achieved the learning outcomes (LO) detailed in the below table.

Each outcome is informed by a number of graduate capabilities (GC) to ensure your work in this, and every unit, is part of a larger goal of graduating from ACU with the attributes of insight, empathy, imagination and impact.

Explore the graduate capabilities.

Utilise a range of study skills to facilitate and ...

Learning Outcome 01

Utilise a range of study skills to facilitate and support learning
Relevant Graduate Capabilities: GC7, GC8, GC9, GC10

Apply an appropriate level of university English e...

Learning Outcome 02

Apply an appropriate level of university English expression across language modes in a range of academic tasks
Relevant Graduate Capabilities: GC11, GC12

Create academic work independently and collaborati...

Learning Outcome 03

Create academic work independently and collaboratively that aligns with the level required for undergraduate commencement
Relevant Graduate Capabilities: GC4, GC7, GC9, GC10, GC11, GC12

Content

Topics will include:

  • Explore support services available to students
  • Developing data collection techniques and recording methods
  • Interpreting and displaying data
  • Strategies for effective collaboration and group work
  • Critical use of appropriate processes, tools and services for university study
  • Effective self-editing & peer review skills
  • Making impactful contributions to classroom discussions
  • Constructing shorter and longer pieces of text with a high-level of accuracy
  • Reflective practices that promote heightened learning and improved outcomes

Assessment strategy and rationale

A range of assessment procedures are used to enable achievement of the unit learning outcomes and as preparation for comparable assessment tasks in university degrees. Assessment tasks are broken down into easily manageable and understandable key tasks. This demystifies the university assessment process for students and develops their competence in understanding expectations of them in further study. To this end, all aspects of assessments from prompts to rubrics are explicitly taught in the various classroom settings.

The first assessment is an investigation of student support systems at ACU. This assessment has the dual purpose of developing primary and secondary research skills in a collaborative environment and using discovery-based learning principles to develop understanding of supports that are available to all students at the university. The second assessment provides a vehicle for students to demonstrate their English proficiency and understanding of academic skills and conventions taught in the unit in written contexts. This assessment also provides the opportunity for students to familiarise themselves with their future field of study and professional context. The third assessment is an examination that assesses students’ readiness for the linguistic and academic skills-based demands of university study. 

Overview of assessments

Assessment 1: Student support systems investigati...

Assessment 1: Student support systems investigation

Students will investigate solutions to, and support systems for, common problems faced by students in first year university study.

Weighting

25%

Learning Outcomes LO1, LO2
Graduate Capabilities GC7, GC8, GC9, GC10, GC11, GC12

Assessment 2: Writing task Students will write a...

Assessment 2: Writing task

Students will write about contemporary issues in professional contexts relevant to their intended field of study utilising academic strategies, conventions and language taught in the unit and share these ideas within a community of learners. 

Weighting

35%

Learning Outcomes LO1, LO2, LO3
Graduate Capabilities GC4, GC7, GC8, GC9, GC10, GC11, GC12

Assessment 3: Examination Students will be asses...

Assessment 3: Examination

Students will be assessed on their level of academic language, concepts, strategies, and skills covered during the semester. 

Weighting

40%

Learning Outcomes LO2, LO3
Graduate Capabilities GC4, GC7, GC9, GC10, GC11, GC12

Learning and teaching strategy and rationale

This unit comprises weekly workshops delivered primarily in face-to-face or online sessions. These workshops provide students with clear, scaffolded learning tasks and individualised support. Students have dedicated class time to prepare for assessments and complete performance tasks, creating a structured cycle of instruction, guided practice, assessment, review, and reflection.

Students will begin by reviewing foundational academic skills before extending their capabilities through further exploration of academic communication in a supportive yet progressively independent learning environment. They will work independently and in small groups to solve problems related to university study, such as identifying available support services and utilising primary and secondary research to enhance their learning. Students will also explore a range of tools and resources to assist with their academic style and skills, including online platforms, university tools, and peer and self-review processes. Continual formative feedback will be provided as part of workshop activities.

By the end of the unit, students will have developed the competence and skills necessary to commence a range of university degrees at ACU.

Representative texts and references

Representative texts and references

Australian Catholic University. (n.d.). Academic Skills Unit. https://www.acu.edu.au/student-life/student-services/academic-skills-development/academic-skills-unit

Brick, J., Herke, M., & Wong, D. (2020). Academic culture: A student’s guide to studying at university (4th ed.). Macmillan International Higher Education.

Davis, C., Lawson, K. & Duffy, L. (2025). Academic literacy in enabling education programs in Australian universities: a shared pedagogy. Australian Educational Researcher, 52, 539–561. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13384-024-00729-w

Folse, K. S., Solomon, E. V., & Clabeaux, D. (2019). Great writing 3: From great paragraphs to great essays (5th ed.). National Geographic Learning/Cengage Learning. 

Folse, K. S., Solomon, E. V., & Muchmore-Vokoun, A. (2019). Great writing 4: Great essays (5th ed.). National Geographic Learning/Cengage Learning.

Grellier, J., Goerke, V., & Fielding, K. (2022). Communications toolkit (5th ed.). Cengage Learning Australia.

Hochman, J. C., & Wexler, N. (2017). The writing revolution: A guide to advancing thinking through writing in all subjects and grades. Jossey-Bass.

Hopkins, D., & Reid, T. (2018). The academic skills handbook: Your guide to success in writing, thinking and communicating at university. SAGE Publications.

Kift, S. (2015). A decade of transition pedagogy: A quantum leap in conceptualising the first-year experience. HERDSA Review of Higher Education, 2, 51–86.

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