Look I am bloody desperate so you edumecated lot need to help me!!

[OhDoAdmitMrsDeVere]

Restarted my OU degree last year after a long break. I stopped when DD got sick and it took me four years to get back on with it.
So last year was ok. I managed to get an average pass. It was a subject I am very familar with so was able to wing it to some extent.

I am on a new course and its hard and I have an essay to write and I am totally stuck.

I KNOW you cant write my essay for me and I dont do want you to but could you just help me please?
I know you all went to university and are all clever and I left school when I was 15 (sob sob) and whilst you lot were living it up getting your degrees I was paying taxes so in a way you all actually owe me (ok ok I am getting desperate now).

I am a week late because I had flu last week and I really want to get started but I am stuck as the stuckest thing you can think of.

Please give me some advice (apart from get off MNs). And no snarkiness, I will refuse to engage, just helpful, wise and academic advice from you brillant women.

Structure, tips, whatever you can think of please, please, please, please.

I can usually write quite okish but this is a Law based course and its all new to me.

The essay titlel (for information, I am honestly NOT trying to get anyone to do it for me) is 'The Law Supports Social Work Values - Discuss'

You can do this it is not beyond you - now have you got that? So let's get going!

You need a blank piece of paper - turn it landscape and then put the question in a bubble in the middle. Then draw a line straight down the middle. On the left head it arguments for and on the right arguments against. Write down your main points for each side of the argument with an example/point of law if you can.

Go and make a cup of tea.

Form each point into a short para or combine with their counter-argument.

Go and make another cup of tea.

Then you need a summary at the end which will come easily enough when you've got the bulk done.

Go away from it for a few hours. Leave it alone and then come back to it and give it a polish.

This method of breaking each step down and giving yourself breaks along the way has worked for me through a degree and two professional qualifications.

But most of all YOU CAN DO IT.

Just remember you don't have to agree with the statement as long as you can back up your argument.

Not nice, just honest.

Will be back later.

For someone as as smart and articulate as you (only judging from your posts), all you have to do is put the knowledge you've accumulated down on a piece of paper.
As long as you know your subject, you can't fail.
Said from someone that doesn't have a degree BTW.

tethers is spot on re the turning it into a question - so does the law support social work values?
Then break it down - what are social work values? Identify them clearly. Then examples/cases where you can show that the law did or did not support Value X while it did support Value Y, or that it did support all of the values, or was completely shite on the supportive front.
Then the "Tell them what you've said" bit - overall, do you agree that the law is supportive? How could it get better?

I was a big believer in essay plans back when I had a brain - a sentence summarising each para - or at least what you think might be in each para. You'll follow a logic - so if I say this then next I need to address that. Often it's easier to do the "Tell them" bit before you do the "Tell them what you're going to tell them/have told them" bits.

OK, lots of more qualified people than me have given the essay-expert advice, but I am a world expert in procrastination so, FWIW:

-do all the online research and download / print what you need

then

• pick a time when the excuses for procrastination are at a minimum (no impending school runs, etc)

• turn the network off, in such a way that it is a real PITA to "just turn it back on for a moment" - that way MN all forms of online procrastination are out of reach

• shut a door between you and the washing up/laundry/housework/bills/whatever

• just write. stream of consciousness. Don't worry about typos, or whether it makes sense, or is in the right order, or anything else. Just write.

then

• go back to the essay plan all the clever people have made you do, and start editing your stream of consciousness into some form of structure

(alternatively, put your essay plan into a document as a series of bullet points, and go through expanding each one into a paragraph. Both approaches have worked for me in the past (with customer proposals, not essays - I don't write those cos I am not clever enough too lazy)).

Title: The Law Supports Social Work Values

Introduction (about paragraph, say what you will discuss in this paper)

Chapter 1: Relevance of this topic, some examples in the press/news dealing with this, why it is important

Chapter 2: The Law supports Social work Values in the Following ways;
1.) How criminal law supports these values, cite relevant case law
2.) How UK employment law etc. etc.
2.) How private Law supports these values. cite relevant case law
3.) How European and International Law support these values (or not), cite case law.

Chapter 3: How the current situation could be improved (your opinion on this, based on what you know, and have put in previous chapter)

Conclusion: The Law is currently inadequate in supporting social work values and needs improvement especially in the International employment law area. As the case of Walters vs Shilley shows (European Court, case 123456), there is an urgent need for lawmakers to fill the legal gap support Social Work Values. bladidbla

the end

(PS , I know nothing of the subject! Making it all up. I just find a clear structure really helps)

You can definitely do it!

I think people have said most things so I just have a couple of suggestions that work for me:

• Remember, the person reading doesn't necessarily think the way you do. So you need some signposting of your thought process. Clunky (but IMO acceptable) ways to do this include sentences such as 'In order to assess the effect of [whatever] on [whatever else] we must first define [whatever]' or 'To summarize, then, ...'

Some people hate pointers like this, and they are not especially elegant, but I am bad at structuring, and they really help me explain to the person marking what I was trying to argue, so that even if I don't get everything right, they know what I was trying to do.

So if structure is a bugbear, this may help. Obviously, writing these pointer sentences also forces you to think harder about what you actually are using this paragraph for and how it moves your argument along!

• These pointer sentences can also help you avoid the 'blind panic' stage. It's really scary when you don't know where to start. But it's usually possible to work out at least one or two simple points that you just know you will have to cover - so you can start by drafting those, then move on to the scarier bits. Sometimes that helps reduce the fear a bit.

I am sure you will get there, good luck!

I knew I said I wouldnt come back till later but I am just having a peek.

You lot are brill.
Thanks.
Off to make dinner now.

I don't know if anyone has mentioned it, but a couple of drops of rosemary oil (aromatherapy) on a tissue to sniff or into an infuser of some sort really helps with concentration. Our old english teacher (now an aromatherapist) gave us that trick and I still use it a lot. Helped me write a LOT of essays!!

Remember you are writing this essay because YOU sought ought the mental challenge. I've read many of your posts and you are more than capable of writing a superb essay.

'sought' not 'ought'

I have HUGE respect for you and anyone with or working towards an OU degree. No one else is any cleverer than you - they've just got good at bluffing (I should know I've got an Oxbridge degree and honestly know very little - I just work hard with the bit I've got).
My best bit of advice is don't write the introduction until you've written the rest of the essay. Then you can describe what you're going to cover in the rest of the essay (like you're meant to) because you'll know as you've already written it!
Stick at it. Just make yourself do it and focus on how great it'll be when it's done.
Lots of luck and huge respect fro me.

Off the top of my head from my law degree - 2 landmark cases re care homes and the HRA: Aston Cantlow and Leonard Cheshire. I'll have a flick through my notes for more (cases/info) if I can find them.

Update.
I have got some words down.
I am trying to illustrate using three cases. One disablity, one mental health and one child protection.
Disability I am using McDonald V Kensington and Chelsea
Mental health I am using Mental health Act 1983 and ECHR art 5. no case law but looking at conflict between promoting independance and maintaining trust v over riding client's wishes by requesting section.
Child protection - havent got there yet but I want to use more case law.

It all seems a big old mess at the moment though
I cant do anything more now. I lose the abilty to think at this time of night.

Thanks for all your help. I am trying. It just seems like a load of old crap though.

Will do some research tomorrow but wont be able to do anymore writing till tomorrow eve due to work.

Can't help with content, as waaaaaay out of my league, but I am a demon proofreader, so bung it my way when you are done and I will sprinkle some colons, phrases in apposition and apostrophes where they ought to be.

Good luck.

I have no idea how to help on the subject matter, but wanted to send you some encouragement .

My two top essay tips are:

1. Leave time for re-drafting at the end, preferably leaving a bit of time for it to 'rest' before you do so, even if this is only while you go to the loo for a walk (although overnight is better). For now, just write. It may end up too long and will be messy, but it's easier to generate text and ideas first and then chop them around afterwards
2. Plan for the unexpected to happen before your deadline (you know, you suddenly get struck down with vomiting or something), and build yourself in a bit of 'spare' time just in case

It sounds like you've made a great start. Keep going!

I was always told to write the middle first then come back the introduction and conclusion later. I also used to write short sentences on post it notes and stick them on the wall and re-arrange until they started to look like a coherent argument et voila, essay sort of done.

Oh how I luffs you all.
Ever so.

reference as you go
reference as you go
reference as you go

even if you end up chopping loads out at the end.

foot noted mrs

yay :) good luck !

I find one of the biggest problems is getting started, and end up with 'blank piece of paper syndrome' where I just stare at the blank screen/piece of paper and just can't start. I find it helpful to just write and write and write (whatever comes to mind for whatever paragraph) without worrying about whether it is sounding how you want it to sound, or what order you are writing it in. It is much easier to chop 5000 messy words down to 1000 than it is to write 1000 good words straight away (or whatever numbers you need). Split the essay into achievable sections and attack each bit like that, then edit again to piece the whole thing together.

Good Luck!

Excellent advice MrsJoeDuffy
WRT references make sure you are consistent, with the rules eg italicise the same part, use commas in the same place. Find out which system you should use (Harvard perhaps) and stick to it.
Are you looking at the tensions between the law and people getting support from social services? How can you reconcile social work ethics with the law?
Don't worry about structure and style at the beginning, sort out the content and then make it look 'pretty'.
Good luck.

You have had great advice on this thread, I am going to forward it to beloved DN who is doing her dissertation on women and madness in literature so that she can see how others approach the planning part! And that she is not the only procrastinator!!

Someone mentioned Rosemary oil, can I suggest Basil oil on a burner in the room for focus and clarity.
I used to put one drop on a tissue for exams.
Also taking a moment to breathe deeply a few times before starting seems to give me a natural pause
And subdues the panic a little.
Good luck

I bloody did about bloody 500 words at work today during my break. I really got a lot sorted in my head.

Then I bloody lost the bloody lot.

GAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHhhh!

At least I have a bit more of a plan. I am using a care case and a cp case.
Got two judgments linked to them. Both illustrate the tensions between using the law to support values and how the law can be used to do things that appear to be at odds with social work values.

So am a bit further foward. I want this finished by tomorrow. I want to knit some squares for the MN blankets and I want to go on the March on Sat (OMG I am so Mumsnet).

Anymore ideas would be most welcome.