I'm going wrong somewhere (sob) I'd really appreciate some essay writing tips please (sob)

[belledechocolatefluffybunny]

I've already got a degree, it's in Law, I was 1 B- away from a 2:2 so I wasn't too bad at it, had a fair few B's.

I moved on from this and am now doing something else (radiography), I'm in the second year but I don't know why I'm bothering. I can't get above a D and have failed alot. I try to follow the criteria for the assessments but it makes no difference. I ask for feedback but it doesn't explain why my marks are so low. I use all the relevant tools, back up with journal references. Maybe I'm just not cut out for a science degree. I'd really love to do medicine but if I can't do the course I'm studying now I don't have a chance in hell. Is there a magic book that will point me in the right direction?

Fluffy - what do your tutors say is the problem? Is it structure or content? Or lack of research? Or (and this is a classic) are you failing to include basic information on the principle that the teachers know it already so why tell them?

You have to treat the people marking your work as though they need everything explaining from first principles - this is a must as you are demonstrating YOUR knowledge to them. Failure to do this will result in low marks. However, if you have requested detailed feedback, you should have got it.

If you'd rather email me than expose it on here, please do (as a uni-level lecturer I might be able to actually help decode their comments)

I'm waiting for feedback from the one I've just failed. I thought it was OK, looking back I don't think I fully fulfilled the criteria though. I had to reflect on two situations, one where I had improved since starting the course and one where I needed to improve and I thought I did this, I didn't pass it though. I'd really, really appreciate some help. I can't do anything about the ones I've got to repeat. I think I'm demonstrating knowledge, I'm also using references to support what I am writing about. They normally say I'm not following the criteria, I change a couple of things (as in 2 or 3) and it seems to make a huge difference to the mark/feedback. I'm confused, if it only needed a couple of things changing then why fail it in the first place

How about you send me the criteria of one of your assignments and I'll tell you my interpretation of the criteria - see if it matches with your interpretation. That would be a start, to see if you're interpreting it in the same sort of way.

They should be helping you with this properly though - you have legitimate grounds for complaint if you think they aren't.

I used to help studentst who were struggling with meeting criteria on our degree course, sometimes it's just a "can't see the wood for the trees" sort of problem.

Up to you - I'm happy to have a look for you.

hold on a moment.

Task:
You are required to reflect on how your professional and clinical skills have progressed since commencing the programme, relative to the HPC Standards of Proficiency for Radiographers. You are asked to reflect upon 2 events you have experienced during placement. One event must demonstrate an area where you have made good progress, the other must identify an area that you feel demonstrates you need further experience or support, and how you are planning to address this.

Assessment criteria:
The assignment should ?
? Relate directly to the HPC Standards of Proficiency for Radiographers document.

? Follow the appropriate academic conventions in terms of referencing and presentation (although as with all reflective work the use of the first person is acceptable)

? Show evidence of the use of a model of structured reflection related to two events from your clinical practice

? Show a balanced consideration to include professional and/or technical aspects of clinical practice

? Use a range of references pertinent to the subject matter and draw on the content from other stage 2 modules

Ok then.
The first criteria is very important - this suggests that you should be quoting the HPC Standards document wherever possible in relation to almost everything you did - so for every point of proficiency, you should have something to relate to it in your personal events, if possible.

The second one you say you have already covered

The third one - presumably you have a "reflective practice" model to work with - there are books on this, we used to suggest Reflective Practice in Nursing as being a good one, if you haven't sufficient notes to work with.

The fourth one - the trickiest to decipher, imo - I would say that it is asking for you to include a type of "pros and cons of what I did" thing as well as the personal reflective part, and that it should be possibly from a more objective pov rather than a personal one.

The fifth one I would think you have covered? Drawing on the content of other stage 2 modules is just demonstrating an overall understanding of everything you are covering at the moment.

Does that match up with your understanding? If not, then I hope I have helped - if it's what you already did then you need to go have a chat with a tutor and ask them to explain exactly what they expect of you. ASsignment criteria are meant to be transparent - if they aren't then it is up to the tutor to make them so.

I followed the first one, used the document to back up communication/parents etc. The standards are long though so I only used a few of them (the document has about 100 points)
I used the Gibbs reflective cycle, reflected on how and why I interacted with the child in a certain way. I don't think I went into the pros and cons though, just used refernences to back up why I asked parents to stay, why I used play etc. Other stage 2 modules are positioning/paediatrics/communication which were all covered.

I'll have to wait to see what she says. I have a proposal for an independant study due in on Wednesday. I can't sort this out until Monday. I need a 2:2 to get onto the medicine course, I have to do it.

How are you thumb?

I think, from what you have said, that you need to specifically address point 4 with your tutor then - see exactly what it is that they are wanting from you. Ask to see an example from a previous year for clarification if you can - it is their responsibility to help you pass as much as they can (without actually doing the work for you) - you should not be failing through lack of understanding of what is required.

I am not too bad - just trying to decide whether I am depressed or just lazy . I don't seem to want to do anything except sit on the sofa and MN or read, or watch tv with DS. I'll go out to playgroup and shopping and doing stuff with DH - but I don't want to do anything in the house. The washing took me a week to get organised last time (good job I have A Lot of vests for DS), a new problem - normally I'm quite good with the washing. I did make a pecan pie this week but it took me 3 days to get up the impetus to do it.

I can't just blame it on the cooling weather either, although that doesn't help - planting plants I've bought is less pleasant when it's cold and wet of course - I just seem to be turning into a lazy lump, getting steadily more overweight and not doing anything about it. And if DH ever says anything I just get really snarky with him, because I know he's right and he's prodding my guilt.

Maybe I do need more focus - perhaps a part time job would help, don't know. PArt of me fancies it but another part of me thinks "NOOoooooo! I don't want to spend less time with DS, he's so cute!"

I've asked to see the assignment of someone who has passed to see where I went wrong. I just don't know if it's me not reading it properly (thick).

Do you have things that you look forwards to? I think there's a difference between meloncholy and depression, meloncholy is the 'can't be bothered' rather then the depressive 'I just can't' IYSWIM. Depression is harder to overcome (without medication), meloncholy just needs a starter motor.

Could you do somthing from home?

I could do with a mentor

probably melancholic - I don't have depression but (as I keep pointing out on the threads about depression ) it is possible to be reactively depressed without it descending into full scale depression requiring drugs.

I can certainly help you out fluffy but do bear in mind that you are paying the Uni to do this for you as well - one of the things about having to pay fees now is that everything became more "customer-focused" so you have the right to demand they help you. Having said that, I am happy to do what I can for you (but am not a radiography expert!)

Sorry I had to go, the laptop started doing weird and wacky things.

I know what you mean, it can be really difficult to get motivated, it gets easier when you start though. I don't think I'm doing enough, I'm putting on weight aswell.

Some help to make sure I'm reading their outcomes would be brilliant. I will go and see them for a tutorial aswell, it would be nice to not look stupid when I do this.

Are there no nutrition places over there? You could volunteer for an hour or so a week??

well I have had a sort of job offer - all I need to do is produce a CV and I think I can start work in the local health food shop - just have to negotiate hours. Won't be much money but that doesn't really matter. Just got to get the CV done and go from there

I still have to decide whether or not I can bear to leave DS with grandma for longer times - she's a bit cavalier with his safety, sadly!

This sounds good. Maybe it's better for ds to start "mixing with other children" It'll be good to get out of the house and meet some people.I imagine it must have been really hard for you to move to a different country and start again. Even if you just work for a few hours (timed so dh can do the childcare), it's a start.

oh he already does mix with other children - we go to two different playgroups in a week, Tuesday and Thursday mornings. I'm getting to know the mums as well - even making friends, I think I am very lucky with the people I have met.

DH won't do it - even though he works from home, he's less trustworthy with DS on his own than MIL.

That's crap, he needs a rocket shoving up his *%$".

The playgroups sound good. I couldn't imagine moving to another country (although it would be nice). Tis a brave thing that you have done.

Well up to a point I agree with you but he is still on his 6m probation and he's taking it Very Seriously. DS is also quite demanding during the day and wouldn't take kindly to being left to get on with things by himself for hours at a time. If MIL came over here and looked after him here, it could work I guess - might be liberating for me to "let go" a bit, even though I don't like the feel of it one little tiny bit!

As I said, I think I have been very lucky - I know other expats have had a much harder time of finding new friends and acquaintance but I think because I am in a 'country' town rather than a major city, it is perhaps a bit easier here.

A couple of hours shouldn't make that much of a difference though should it? Could you set something up yourself? Something online maybe? then you can work from home.
It's hard to let go, ds is off on a residential trip for a few days tomorrow with the school, I'm happy for him and he'll have alot of fun but you still worry.

I expect I could set up something from home - a friend here has given me a web link to a company who specialise in offering work from home on a computer, I just haven't got round to looking at it yet. I have to say though that it could be quite difficult if it's something that has to be done during the day as DS gets very cross with the computer now - "puter AWAY Mummy" is often heard and he keeps interfering with at least one hand's typing. If it's something that can be done at any hour then that's easier.

I will look into it - but it wouldn't get me out the house and on my feet any more, so I'd still end up being even more of a lardyarse than I already am!

You're not a lardyarse! you have alot going on, it's still difficult adjusting, no matter how much meloncholy you have.

My neighbours are all out and about cleaning so I've made a start, I wouldn't want to lower the tone (any more then I do at the moment)

You're right, I'm not a lardyarse. It's all around my tummy - The Entity that lives above my waistline and demands wine and chocolate. It's starting to get in my way and is a lot more dangerous than a lardy arse (it's not like I don't know this stuff, it's just hard to give up my comfort blanket of alcohol and chocolate!)

I did some gardening today and some leaf sweeping so feel a bit more like I achieved something. But DH was here and it's always easier if we do things together. It's when he's not here that I sink into apathy again.

Hey ho - must stop being negative and think positive instead!

Think positive. What else do you have planned for the day? It's constructive to write a list, crossing things off as you do them is very therapeutic.

Tomorrow I have little planned apart from going to the computer shop and collecting the useless piece of junk that was my laptop, paying a pointless amount of money for nothing and being told that they couldn't retrieve any data off it at all (I'm assuming that last bit - that was the prognosis a few weeks back).

Plus I have some overdue library books so I'll take those back - and I might even go to the Salvation Army charity shop and see if anything good has come in - we got a great 8x6 rug from there for $40 - dark red Indian style, barely used but with a couple of marks on the dark red bits - amazing value! I'm looking for a chest of drawers for DS's bedroom - fingers crossed!

Do you not have an Ikea over there?

So sorry about your laptop

I think it's hard trying to motivate yourself, it's like abseiling though, the hardest part is starting off, once you get into the swing of things it's alot easier. The rug sounds good Do you meet up with any of the mums from the playgroup? Are you by a beach?

I quite like painting, I sit and do this occasionally (mumsnet is a terrible distraction)

I have a deeply ingrained loathing of IKEA and refuse to countenance ever going near one. Ever. It is here somewhere but I know not where.

There are cheapo places to buy stuff, it's not that hard - I just prefer to get a better piece of furniture cheaper if I can. In fact, I might tootle down to a place a few kms away that sells second hand furniturt (or preloved furniture, as it calls it) and see what they have if the Salvos come up blank.

I do meet up with some of the mums - the social side is picking up but sometimes it's hard to fit round their days if they work part time. We're not that close to a decent beach and it's getting too cold for that now - but we have a big enough garden for DC to play in if they come over here. Need to de-spider some of the toys again though - bloody redbacks!