Study Notes: ENG1512 Portfolio of Evidence Examination (May 2026)

Institution: University of South Africa (UNISA).
Course Code and Name: ENG1512 - English for Economic and Management Sciences.
Examination Type: Portfolio of Evidence Examination Paper.
Semester: Semester 1, 2026.
Examiner Panel: * First Examiner: Dr NE Mohale. * Second Examiners: Dr BM Thoka, Ms. R Naidu, and Dr J Chokwe.
Total Marks: 100 marks.
Time Duration: 63 hours.
Key Dates and Times: * Opening Time: Wednesday, 13 May 2026, at 8:00 AM. * Closing/Due Time: Friday, 15 May 2026, at 11:00 PM.
Total Page Count: The examination paper consists of 5 pages.

Question Structure: This question paper contains ONLY one question.
Critical Evaluation Areas: Candidates must pay specific attention to the following aspects when answering: * Content. * Structure. * Language and style. * Citations and referencing.
Submission Sequence Requirements: * The completed checklist and the signed declaration must be copied and pasted at the beginning of the script. * The final portfolio must be submitted as a single PDF file.
Submission Platform: All work must be uploaded via the myModules platform.
Academic Integrity Policy: * Cheating or plagiarism will result in no marks being allocated. * No late examinations will be accepted under any circumstances. * Incorrect file submissions will be awarded a mark of 0.
Communication: Students are advised to monitor their email addresses for urgent announcements from the university during the examination session.

Students must verify and initial the following requirements before submission:

Identification: Inclusion of student name(s), surname, and student number on the cover page.
Originality: Confirmation that the work is original and includes the provided plagiarism declaration.
Formatting for Typed Submissions: * Font Type: Arial. * Font Size: 12. * Line Spacing: One and a half (1.5) line spacing.
Formatting for Hand-written and Scanned Submissions: * Ink Color: Blue or black ink. * Legibility: Writing must be neat and legible. * File Format: All pages must be scanned into one PDF file in the correct order.
Content and Structure Checklist: * Essay must include an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. * Inclusion of a citation list and a list of references. * Mandatory use of ALL THREE provided citations. * Reference style: Harvard style.
Final Review: * Confirmation that the work has been edited several times. * Document converted to PDF with all password protection removed.

Task: Write an Argumentative Essay regarding socioeconomic strategies in South Africa.
Length Constraints: * Length: 500 words (approximately 1 ½ to 2 pages). * Exclusion: The reference list does not count toward the 500-word limit.
Contextual Prompt: South Africa faces ongoing challenges related to poverty, inequality, and youth unemployment. Two commonly proposed strategies are improving financial literacy among young people and increasing social grants.
The Essay Question: "Do you believe that improving financial literacy and increasing social grants are sufficient strategies to address poverty, inequality, and youth unemployment in South Africa?"
Required Components: * Stance: Take a clear position (agree or disagree with the statement). * Reasons: Provide at least three well-developed reasons. * Support: Use in-text citations from the three provided source files. * Terminology: Accurate use of Economic and Management Sciences (EMS) concepts and terminology. * Paragraphing Technique: Each paragraph must feature a clear topic sentence, well-developed supporting sentences, and a concluding sentence. * Academic Standards: Focus on academic language, tone, cohesion, and coherence.
Source Constraints: * Use ONLY the provided articles: ARTICLE ONE.pdf, ARTICLE TWO.pdf, and ARTICLE THREE.pdf. * Paraphrase and quote from these sources. * DO NOT refer to external sources not provided in the exam materials.

Candidates must sign a declaration containing the following verbatim statements:

"I declare that this ENG1512 examination is my own original work."
"Where secondary material has been used (either from a printed source or from the Internet), this has been carefully acknowledged and referenced in accordance with departmental requirements."
"I understand what plagiarism is and I am aware of the pertinent policies in this regard."
"I have not allowed anyone else to borrow or copy my work."
"I have acknowledged the use of artificial intelligence."

Total mark is determined by Content (40%), Language (40%), and Presentation (20%).

Excellent understanding/knowledge of the topic; insightful and original with a clear stance.
Well-conducted appraisal; highly selective supporting details; captivating introduction.
Correct grammar/punctuation; mastery of the genre register; correct and varied sentence structure.
Logical flow of ideas; very clear structure with defined introduction and conclusion.

Sound understanding; convincing presentation; concerted effort at originality.
Relevant supporting details; research-based argument (though perhaps not perfectly substantiated).
Very good command of grammar; wide range of vocabulary and linking devices.
Well-structured essay with clearly defined paragraphs and easy-to-follow flow.

Some understanding; reasonable development of ideas; stance hardly discernible.
Occasional flawed sentences; correct but unvaried sentence structures.
Appropriate word choice/diction; reasonably good presentation; a few poorly structured paragraphs.

Unsatisfactory handling of the topic; irrelevant/repeated information; flawed by generalizations.
Vague writer stance; limited vocabulary; poor punctuation and sentence construction.
Inconsistently defined paragraphs; progression of ideas hard to follow.

Little or no evidence of understanding; fragmented or muddled ideas.
Muddled stance; poor command of vocabulary and grammar.
Cluttered presentation; illegible handwriting; numerous errors that impede meaning.
Poor knowledge of genre conventions.