Task
Some people think that universities should provide graduates with the knowledge and skills needed in the workplace. Others think that the true function of a university should be to give access to knowledge for its own sake, regardless of whether the course is useful to an employer.
What, in your opinion, should be the main function of a university?
Candidate’s Answer
This is written by a candidate who achieved a Band 5.0 score.
What knowledge and skills should universities provide has been argued for many years. Some people think that the true function of universities is to provide knowledge for their own purpose, but nowadays, more and more people point out that universities should provide graduates with the knowledge and skills according to the workplace.
The first reason for universities to provide these knowledge and skills is the students’ needs. Obviously, the most of the students go to university with the purpose of getting some knowledge and skills which could make them have the ability to get a job. If a university does not provide these knowledge and skills, the students might not get a job and they would be very disappointed. As a result, the university would lose its students.
Moreover, providing knowledge and skills needed in the workplace masks a university’s progress. The new skills and information always are initiated in the workplace, so focusing on the needs of the workplace, the university could get sound strategies to do research and make it more modernization.
Lastly, providing these knowledge and skills could benefit our country which usually gives financial support to universities. Having these knowledge and skills, students are more easily able to get a job, and this can make our countries’ economy strong.
In conclusion, it can be said that providing the knowledge and skills which the workplace needs is every university’s basic function.
Examiner’s Comment
This answer is less than 250 words and it does not address all parts of the question, so it loses marks. Nevertheless, some relevant ideas and a position on the issue are presented. Ideas are organised and the structure of the answer is clearly signalled. Paragraphing is not always logical, however. There is some good use of linkers, but there is also a lot of repetition due to inadequate use of referencing and substitution. The high level of repetition[‘knowledge and skills’ is repeated nine times] also indicates limitations in the range of vocabulary although, apart from language given in the rubric, there is just sufficient additional vocabulary for the task. The answer includes attempts at complex sentence forms, but these are generally awkwardly phrased and tend to require some re-reading to understand. Nevertheless, there are examples of accurate complex structures.
