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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to get the best mark ever on this homework despite failing the course anyway?

140 replies

KatyMac · 27/03/2011 09:36

So can you all nag me to make me work?

I got a 29% while on drugs (legal ones) & the lecturer said I might just scrape a pass on the EMA

So I need to blast it; I have today to do 2500 words

So nag me please?
TIA

OP posts:
SnapFrakkleAndPop · 27/03/2011 13:21

Fabby I don't do activites either. Only the ones which are necessary for tutorials! Also just aiming to pass....

Snorkie what's your DS doing?

Original poster
KatyMac · 27/03/2011 13:26

My courses are on post at 10:40

I have failed this unit unless they accept my PT39 or let me have another go

Umm I have
120pts level 1
90 pts level 2

I am/was studying 90 pts level 3 (but I have failed the 30 pts)

So I don't know what I need now

OP posts:
FabbyChic · 27/03/2011 13:26

That's me too Snap, just happy to pass. I could do better, but what degree you get I believe is based on your Level 3 marks, so I shall work real hard on those.

Original poster
KatyMac · 27/03/2011 13:27

Fabbychic
What is the same = compare
What is different = contrast

Remember why is important

OP posts:
FabbyChic · 27/03/2011 13:27

Katy, don't they let you resubmit on a failed paper? But a different subject matter?

Original poster
KatyMac · 27/03/2011 13:27

Nope

OP posts:
SnapFrakkleAndPop · 27/03/2011 13:34

2 approaches to compare and contrast

1: this is approach a/theory a, this is approach b/theory b, these are the areas of similarity, these are the areas of difference

2: this is concept 1 from approach a, similarly approach b however approach b is different because xyz, this is concept 2 from approach a etc

Depends how big the ideas you're dealing with are and how much the depend on their constituent parts to make sense. I prefer method 2 but it's easy to omit things from the concept you're using as a comparison, however with multiple concepts it does mean you can say 'I am going to examine these theorists' views on the following areas... area 1: a says, likewise b says, however c disagrees preferring this view'

Original poster
KatyMac · 27/03/2011 13:38

She's so much better than me

OP posts:
SnapFrakkleAndPop · 27/03/2011 13:40

Difference is your post takes 10 seconds to write and says exactly the same thing as mine, which took ages and doesn't really say anything more than talk about what's the same and what's different!

Or did you mean I'm better at procrastination masquerading as helping others?

FabbyChic · 27/03/2011 13:41

I understand the concept but I can't seem to write a compare and contrast Essay, I passed but the mark for me wasn't high enough. I guess I just have to read up on it it's at least ten months before I have to do another one.

Is there part of the site here that people use for support?

I won't post on the OU forums.

SnapFrakkleAndPop · 27/03/2011 13:46

There's sort of student parents. Ish.

I don't like the OU forums either (and my tutor group are mean and wouldn't give me any crowdsourced feedback even though I made an effort to comment on other people's!) - not that I was the only one not to get feedback but I did make an effort to help others out and add stuff before the deadline which some people didn't.

What did your tutor say fabby? Were the problems to do with structure or content?

Original poster
KatyMac · 27/03/2011 13:50

I have big issues hitting the word count Sad

OP posts:
FabbyChic · 27/03/2011 14:00

Snap - They just said I didn't grasp what compare and contrast meant. Said I should have read his stuff on the forums!

Katy, me to, I find I could write it in a third of the words, but then supposedly you haven't written enough if you can do that, seems to be so little information really in a chapter to take the information from.

Ive a CiMa to do 16th April which I have done no work for.

Im real lazy, I look at the TMA question and read the relevant chapter! Its all the reading I do!

Bad me.

Original poster
KatyMac · 27/03/2011 14:18

"moves the burden of evidence to XXX"

is XXX realtime or daily or immediate or 'now' time or something else?

OP posts:
heliumballoons · 27/03/2011 14:19

Well considering I was doing psychology and couldn't do the level 1 bit fabby I'm not sure I'm much help. Grin (I'm not doing it anymore!!)

If you have 'failed' 30pts katy you should be able to do a 30pt course/ module to make up your marks.

It is scores from level 2 and 3 that count towards the final degree score - hence why level 1 I just did the TMAs iyswim. Now I actually have to put the work in Grin. I have completed the TMA section of a level 3 course with 78.2% overall - I only needed to get 65% or above on my ECA to maintain the score. Even if I got over 85% (honours mark) I would still only have got a pass 2 for that module. Sometimes its not worth the extra effort for no gain. Wink Grin

snorkie · 27/03/2011 14:46

Ds is doing a physics unit, so no essays thankfully. The TMAs are a nuisance in that they need to be typed up and it's very fiddly to input all the diagrams and formulae, so he finds that quite time consuming. His main problem is that the exam falls in the middle of his AS level ones, so he has to prioritise those really and probably won't get as good a mark as he might otherwise, but he's enjoyed the course and found the material interesting.

I have nothing but admiration for all you lot though.

Hope they will make allowances for you KatyMac - what's a PT39? No don't answer that, just get on with it!

ilythia · 27/03/2011 15:08
Original poster
KatyMac · 27/03/2011 15:19

Another output done

Only 1 left (apart form the 5 I can't do/don't understand)

PT39=I had problems while I did my TMA form

OP posts:
Original poster
KatyMac · 27/03/2011 15:58

Small break for chopping onions for tea

Yum

Back to work

I have 100o word plan & 2500 word report to go

OP posts:
heliumballoons · 27/03/2011 16:13

your keeping going though which is fab. Can you get an extension if you asked?

midtowner · 27/03/2011 16:24

I'm another one who needs to get on with some OU-ery, having successfully avoided it all weekend Grin. Keep going everyone!

Original poster
KatyMac · 27/03/2011 16:31

Nope no extensions allowed

Made a lovely sausage casserole tho'

Yum

Have my headings sorted

OP posts:
SnapFrakkleAndPop · 27/03/2011 16:57

Okay I've had a break and called parents and DH, now I have 3 hours until DH arrives at his next destination to get at least 750 more words written.

I have lots of bullet points but no actual text. This could be a problem....

Original poster
KatyMac · 27/03/2011 16:58

58 words Grin

OP posts:
risingstar · 27/03/2011 17:21

dont know if this will help today/ in the future/never but in my experience assignments are best tackled by
1 deciding what your conclusion will be before you start
2 writing a storyboard of what your assignment will look like
3 writing an executive summary
4 all reading to be done for the assignment, type out references intot the relevant section as you go, then build the paragraphs around them.

this may not get you top marks, but it will get you a pass. as one of my lecturers said "if it looks like an assignment and sounds like an assignment and there is some evidence of proper reading (hence the references) you are unlikely to fail".

also, have an opinion- don't pussy foot around!

nb- me and a college friend both knocked out our dissertations (15000 words) for an MBA in 3 weeks using this method. if using examples from your business etc just make it up and make it fit.

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