I "may" have picked my articles for my OU essay can anyone comment on whether they are acceptable for acedemic work?

[KatyMac]

The firt is from OFSTED

& the second is here not sure what it i actually but I really like it

My question is

I have to place me & my organisation within it's environment & the issues it (& I) is/are facing
Then I pick 2 articles and use theories relate to the articles
Then I use those theories to relate back to where the organisation & I currently are

I think.....maybe?

Does it work?

which ou course are you doing? what level is it? doesn't assignment booklet give you detailed specific guidance??

OK.

Go into the Open library.
Find databases.
Select Academic Search Premier.

I think there is an option to select articles from peer reviewed journals. These are the good ones

Enter up to three key words for the topic you want. If you know any key researchers, then you can enter them using the author field (drop down menu next to where you enter the key word).

It will give you a list of results. You can choose which ones are likely to be useful by looking the titles, and then at the abstracts.

Have you had to work through a tutorial? Because on my courses we only had to do these searches after doing the groundwork.

There are real life librarians BTW

I don't know anything about the OU. Sorry.

The first assingment is normally designed to get you use to finding the info. Go through the assignment requirements and see if the info you have fills them. An acceptable site is one from the government or something reputable (not wilkapedia I've been told or something someone's made from home). Journal articles are very good, aim for 3+, books are good as long as they are less then 10 years old (I use less then 8). Look for articles/books written by people who are experts in the field and have a researchable history so you can trace them. I was told to find articles/studies that can easily be replicated.

Is it level 2 or 3? They don't expect you to go mad at level 2.

And do be careful that you are answering the question set. If nothing is relevant, then I wonder if you are going out a bit too far on a limb.
It might be worth running things by your tutor before you get too far.

I hope it was a typo, Katy, but it's academic.

how kind.

I did the first bit of work which was working through a book Q&A

This is the first essay - no discussions about using the library at the tutorial, I have emailed the tutor to ask if the bits I found were acceptable, but i am guessing he is going to say no

the OU librarian - I am searching like you suggested

tell us the essay title and what it says under suggested reading in assignment booklet...

Level 1

Typo - but possible miss-spelling I am useless at it/borderline dyslexic/dispraxic - tested for both and told 'She'll manage' which I do

It's 3 paragraphs so it will take a while to type

What level is it Katy? Because if it is not level 3 then I doubt very much whether they are expecting you to find your own supporting articles for your first TMA. They will be expecting you to use the course resources well.

But of course check with your tutor, as my knowledge is really limited to the psychology courses...

I'm pretty sure at level 1 you are not expected to do a full literature search for your first TMA.

Following you instructions TheFallonMadonna - & I have what looks like a card index - how do I read it?

agree with tfm katy, for a level 1 course i'd be amazed if you were expected to hunt down your own original research material... could you be overcomplicating this?? like tfm, only know about ou psychology though

Question
"Task 1
Using the concepts, theories and models from Part 3 Topic 1 ?Strategy and the organisation? as a framework for your thinking, write a description of your organisation in its environment, and the issues that are important to it at the present time.
Specify your work role and indicate how it relates to the purpose of the organisation as exemplified in its stated ?mission? or ?vision?.
Say what area of management knowledge you think it would be most appropriate for you to study, given your work role and where the organisation is at present.
Give your reasons for your choice. If this is not the area that you chose in Task 2 of TMA 01, give reasons also for your change of mind.
Use around 2000 words (plus diagrams) to complete this task.
40 marks
Task 2
Take the two appropriate pieces of writing that you selected as part of Activity 4.6 in the Study guide. These could have come from the collections in the Course Reader and the Course Resources, or you may have found them yourself from other sources. [Please note that ?Assertion and argument? by Hanfling, which you read in Activity 4.3, is not an appropriate piece of writing for this Task.]
If you are working with material you have found yourself, please enclose copies with your assignment.
For each piece of writing:
. Give a precise reference for it.
. Then write a brief summary of what it is about, and the key points you take from it.
. Next, say how this piece of writing relates to the management topics that you studied in Part 3 of the course. Give examples of where the concepts, theories and models you studied in Part 3 have been used or extended in the piece of writing you have chosen. Identify any ideas that are new to you.
30 marks
Task 2 and Task 3 together should be no more than 3000 words in total.
Task 3
Begin Task 3 by explaining why you thought that each of the pieces of writing you described in Task 2 would be appropriate to assist your workplace understanding and development.
Then go on to examine your organisation and/or your own workplace practice in the light of the content of your two Task 2 pieces:
. to what extent do the concepts, models and theories in your chosen pieces of writing apply to your workplace?
. to what extent can you use them to explain what happens (or predict what will happen) in your organisation?
Draw some conclusions about your workplace and/or practice in the light of the concepts, models and theories you have taken from your pieces of writing.
Draw some conclusions about the usefulness of the pieces of writing you chose to increase your knowledge and understanding of your workplace, or to become more competent in practice."

"Managing in the Workplace"

I think I am enjoying it but the move fro NVQ level 3 to Degree is hard plus my business does not fit within traditional business models

blimey, that does sound challenging! but are you sure you wouldnt be better using two articles from the materials provided.... then no dilemmas about if they're ok / referencing etc??

HAve finished controlfreaky! Did DSE212, ED209, SD226, DD303, DD307. Finished in Octover and feel strangely bereft.

Katy - before you go further, I do think you need to speak to your tutor about what you are planning to do, because I do worry that if the course materials don't apply to your chosen topic, then you might not be anwering the question the way they want.

As you are doing something about management, are you supposed to be focusing on key theories which are generally applicable? Do you think you might be focusing on the specifics setting at the expense of management theory?

Do ask your tutor.

Well they are - but I would really have to jump through hoops to make them meet my setting

The titles are
1 Globalisation, by Anthony Giddens
2 Daniel Bell and the information society, by Hugh Mackay, Nick Heap and Ray Thomas
3 When markets fail, by John Sloman and Mark Sutcliffe
4 The diversity of capitalisms, by Will Hutton
5 A framework for developing a quality strategy in a customer processing operation, by Robert Johnston
6 Relationship marketing, by Francis Buttle
7 Frameworks for understanding business process re-engineering, by Steve Childe, Roger Maull and Jan Bennett
8 Work organizations, managerial strategies and control, by David Dunkerley
9 Beyond organisational structure:the end of classical forms? by Christopher Mabey, GraemeSalaman and John Storey
10 Assertion and argument, abridged from Oswald Hanfling
11 Contracts and roles, by The Open University
12 Defensive and supportive climates,by The Open University
13 Markets, hierarchies and networks,by Walter Powell

& they are not really about childcare

I want to link it to Maslow & also to enpowerment with Kinlaw? and look at monitor & evaluation and control loops?

But the reasoning behind how these theories work in childcare setting is quite different to a manufacturing plant or 'an office'

Does that make sense - the motivation is completely different for a childcare worker to a civil servant

But they don't have to be about childcare really. Obviously I've not read them, but some of those sound like they are general management topics, applicable to a variety of settings. It sounds to me from the question you've posted that they are really looking to see how well you understand the management topics in part 3 of the course. Your own workplace is just a hook to hang that on. They want you to talk around the theories and models and link in the articles you've chosen.

I think the idea is that theories such as Maslow's hierarchy of needs (all I can remeber about him!!) would be generally applicable. How you achieve each level - that might be different.

He said at the tutorial that treating the 3 tasks as separate questions was not the way to approach it & that without linking it into our organisation we would get a very low mark

Hopefully he will answer my question soon but I am wasting time

I think I will start task 1 tomorrow & see how it goes, I really wanted to summarise the articles first

Well yes - you can link it to your organisation though. The defensive and supportive climates one - that would work for your setting? How about the Dunckerley one?

Definitely not the "Work organisations managerial strategies & control" - that would work for the civil service I think

The Defensive/supportive one would - I could do the control loops but that's all