# Can we have an OU thread?



## radio_atomica (Jan 11, 2012)

Is anyone else OU-ing this year?  Care to join me on this thread?


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## Yetman (Jan 11, 2012)

No I am not! I am a respectable man!! As I'm sure is he 

Bin this filth immediately


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## quimcunx (Jan 11, 2012)

Yetman said:


> No I am not! I am a respectable man!! As I'm sure is he
> 
> Bin this filth immediately



The lady doth protest too much, methinks.

I'm feeling quite tired after a mega essay session yesterday/early hours.


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## Cid (Jan 11, 2012)

Just got the first course materials for law...


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## pseudonarcissus (Jan 11, 2012)

I'm glad some one is still doing OU since the fees went up, it looks like my dad, along with the rest of the part time staff, will be getting the chop as student numbers are down significantly. He's a bit upset, having worked for them since 1974


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## quimcunx (Jan 11, 2012)

It's a cunt.

I'm on the old fees though.


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## Cid (Jan 11, 2012)

I run my own business and therefore don't make enough money to have to pay fees. Yet. It will be a problem if/when I have to as law is not cheap. Should be able to keep earnings down by reinvesting in the business mind you (aka buying lots of expensive tools).


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## radio_atomica (Jan 11, 2012)

Cid said:


> Just got the first course materials for law...



Me too! They came today.  Are you doing W100?


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## radio_atomica (Jan 11, 2012)

pseudonarcissus said:


> I'm glad some one is still doing OU since the fees went up, it looks like my dad, along with the rest of the part time staff, will be getting the chop as student numbers are down significantly. He's a bit upset, having worked for them since 1974



I'm also on the old fees.  Started looking into it just as the fee arrangements were annouced, so lucky really, as this is essentially my last ever chance to get a degree now, although if I'd been able to choose I would have waited til next year as I'd actually have some childcare for both kids from that point, but its not the end of the world.  Sometimes, if you want to do something, you have to ditch watching corrie in favour of studying for a year


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## Orang Utan (Jan 11, 2012)

If only someone _was_ doing OU


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## Thora (Jan 11, 2012)

What are the old fees compared to the new fees?

I just got my course materials too.  Unfortunately Mr. Thora hadn't done his tax return for last year  so I couldn't get all the evidence for financial support done in time and had to pay for it myself.


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## Cid (Jan 11, 2012)

radio_atomica said:


> Me too! They came today. Are you doing W100?



Yeah!


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## quimcunx (Jan 11, 2012)

Thora said:


> What are the old fees compared to the new fees?
> 
> I just got my course materials too. Unfortunately Mr. Thora hadn't done his tax return for last year  so I couldn't get all the evidence for financial support done in time and had to pay for it myself.



A degree will cost about £15k instead of maybe £5k.


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## stuff_it (Jan 11, 2012)

pseudonarcissus said:


> I'm glad some one is still doing OU since the fees went up, it looks like my dad, along with the rest of the part time staff, will be getting the chop as student numbers are down significantly. He's a bit upset, having worked for them since 1974




The whole place seems a bit of a shambles this year, seeing as there haven't really been any cuts yet I put it down to stress and bad feeling amongst the staff. Fair nuff I guess I'd be pissed off too.

I'll be doing it until October then more than likely going to a physical uni - there is no way in a million years that I could have got to the point where I'd have got on the course I wanted anywhere decent without the help from the OU and I know lots of people who have gotten degrees over the years in spite of their circumstances wrt finances, family arrangements and work commitments. It's a real shame that the fees are going up.

Just think I was taking the mick out of someone years ago for _volunteering_ to do math in their spare time, now I am that person.  Thanks OU (I think  )




quimcunx said:


> A degree will cost about £15k instead of maybe £5k.



Still cheaper though, I expect to rack up at least £12k a year of debt over the next few years.

The people who will miss out most I think are those studying just for their own edification. People who see it as a career boost will still see it as a cheaper more flexible option to 'normalty' uni.


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## Red Cat (Jan 11, 2012)

What you doing r_a?

I still fancy doing the childhood studies MA but need to do something that I can actually get a job with.


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## stuff_it (Jan 11, 2012)

Red Cat said:


> What you doing r_a?
> 
> I still fancy doing the childhood studies MA but actually need to do something that I can actually get a job with.


This is what I'm on about - with doing engineering I'm a lot less concerned about being able to afford to pay the money back than most, then again in the current job market I am virtually unemployable in any but the most menial jobs despite years of experience in several non-graduate areas.


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## Thora (Jan 12, 2012)

quimcunx said:


> A degree will cost about £15k instead of maybe £5k.


I think I must have got in on the old fees then - £700ish for a 60 credit module.  I need to do one more 60 credit module either in October 2012 or February 2013 so hopefully I'll stay on the lower fees for that?


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## Thora (Jan 12, 2012)

Red Cat said:


> What you doing r_a?
> 
> I still fancy doing the childhood studies MA but need to do something that I can actually get a job with.


I'm doing the Childhood BA, well the final year of it.


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## radio_atomica (Jan 12, 2012)

Thora said:


> I think I must have got in on the old fees then - £700ish for a 60 credit module. I need to do one more 60 credit module either in October 2012 or February 2013 so hopefully I'll stay on the lower fees for that?



I think as long as you complete a 60 credit module this year, you will be 'in' on the old fee structure.  It is quite clear and easy to understand (there's a flowchart) if you look at the FAQ on fees.


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## radio_atomica (Jan 12, 2012)

Red Cat said:


> What you doing r_a?
> 
> I still fancy doing the childhood studies MA but need to do something that I can actually get a job with.



I'm studying law.  I decided I had to do something that would allow me to get a proper job after I've finished, but that would also be interesting and suit my skills.  I would love to study things like literature, theology, philosophy, sociology one day, but for now I am essentially taking something from my family (my time that will be spent studying and luckily, only a small amount of money) so I figure it needs to be so I can give something back to them once I've done it.


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## Cid (Jan 12, 2012)

It's a good choice anyway I reckon, one of the reasons I took it is that most of my mates in the more esoteric disciplines have tended toward applied fields when they specialised... For my own part I see it as a very good generalist degree from a humanities perspective as well as one that opens up opportunities in both academic and professional work. I'm also very interested in the formation of laws from an anarchist perspective, but that will have to wait a bit. I take it you're aiming for the qualifying law degree as well?

Actually I'm not 100% sure if I'll carry on with it as it would be far more sensible for me to take engineering and specialise in material technologies (what with working in design), but it's what interests me at the moment and a I need something a bit different from what I do all day.


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## radio_atomica (Jan 12, 2012)

I agree with all of your first paragraph.  I am aiming for the QLD, this is my only chance to do a degree, and I have literally no other qualifications (not even a GCSE) so its really important that I use the opportunity to open doors for me workwise.  Even the things I am interested in I approach in a very 'right then, how does this work? what are the systems? what are the nuts and bolts? how did that happen?  why does that work?  what's wrong with this? point of view, and I think law suits that quite well as a subject.


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## ViolentPanda (Jan 12, 2012)

Thora said:


> I think I must have got in on the old fees then - £700ish for a 60 credit module. I need to do one more 60 credit module either in October 2012 or February 2013 so hopefully I'll stay on the lower fees for that?



Yes, as you were already working toward a specific award before the new fees came in.


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## ViolentPanda (Jan 12, 2012)

Cid said:


> It's a good choice anyway I reckon, one of the reasons I took it is that most of my mates in the more esoteric disciplines have tended toward applied fields when they specialised... For my own part I see it as a very good generalist degree from a humanities perspective as well as one that opens up opportunities in both academic and professional work. I'm also very interested in the formation of laws from an anarchist perspective, but that will have to wait a bit.



The other point being that while it's a Humanities degree, it's not regarded as a Humanities degree by the more ignorant employers (you know, the ones who believe a BA means you're intellectually inferior to someone with a BSc).


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## Red Cat (Jan 12, 2012)

radio_atomica said:


> I'm studying law. I decided I had to do something that would allow me to get a proper job after I've finished, but that would also be interesting and suit my skills. I would love to study things like literature, theology, philosophy, sociology one day, but for now I am essentially taking something from my family (my time that will be spent studying and luckily, only a small amount of money) so I figure it needs to be so I can give something back to them once I've done it.



Good on you r_a! That's great


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## quimcunx (Jan 12, 2012)

Thora said:


> I think I must have got in on the old fees then - £700ish for a 60 credit module. I need to do one more 60 credit module either in October 2012 or February 2013 so hopefully I'll stay on the lower fees for that?


I'd check. I got this email recently.



> Changes to higher education funding
> As you may be aware, the Government is changing the way it funds higher education and this will lead to important changes for OU students in England with effect from October 2012.
> 
> Fees for most current undergraduate students won’t change significantly. This is because transitional arrangements will be in place to enable the majority of students to continue studying under the OU’s current fee levels and funding options. However, it is important to understand the action you need to take to secure and maintain your eligibility to pay the transitional fee as you continue with your studies.  This is explained on the Fees 2012 website, www.open.ac.uk/fees2012, and further information is available on our FAQ sitewww.open.ac.uk/studenthelp/fees2012/England.
> ...


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## Cid (Jan 13, 2012)

stuff_it said:


> This is what I'm on about - with doing engineering I'm a lot less concerned about being able to afford to pay the money back than most, then again in the current job market I am virtually unemployable in any but the most menial jobs despite years of experience in several non-graduate areas.



Oh yeah, meant to ask - what were your maths skills like when you started?


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## stuff_it (Jan 13, 2012)

Cid said:


> Oh yeah, meant to ask - what were your maths skills like when you started?


I scraped a C in GCSE Maths. I did part of a Nursing DipHE at some point years ago so it's not like I'd misplace the decimal point but certainly not up to speed and didn't use maths beyond day to day office work for years.

I did a short course (Maths for Science) followed by the min requirement for a BEng (Using Mathematics), again I scraped through but mainly because most of my assignments were done in a day or two between fraught hospital appointments several times a week with my mum getting sicker and sicker (couldn't breathe, couldn't swallow, beginnings of incontinence, etc).

I full expect I will have to pull my socks up wrt maths in September but I also am fairly confident I would have gotten if not 'good' marks then certainly better ones.  I'm hoping having tutors on hand to ask and having more than a few hours in some cases to complete the assignments will help a bit - certainly it has given me the confidence that if I can do that well under very difficult circumstances I will probably be fine.


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## BoatieBird (Jan 13, 2012)

Cid said:


> Just got the first course materials for law...





radio_atomica said:


> Me too! They came today. Are you doing W100?



I did W100 a couple of years ago and really enjoyed it.
I'm aiming for a pick-n-mix open degree rather than an LLB though.
Currently doing W224 - Relationships, families and the law.


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## BoatieBird (Jan 13, 2012)

stuff_it said:


> The whole place seems a bit of a shambles this year, seeing as there haven't really been any cuts yet I put it down to stress and bad feeling amongst the staff. Fair nuff I guess I'd be pissed off too.



They know the cuts are coming though so staff numbers are down - in some departments by 20%.
They did a big push on early retirements last year and there isn't much recruitment going on at the moment.


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## BoatieBird (Jan 13, 2012)

Thora said:


> I think I must have got in on the old fees then - £700ish for a 60 credit module. I need to do one more 60 credit module either in October 2012 or February 2013 so hopefully I'll stay on the lower fees for that?



Yes, new fee structure takes effect for new students from September 2012.
If you've already started your studies then you should be able to finish them on the lower fees.


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## Cid (Jan 13, 2012)

Hmm... Might look at maths contributing to law then. Give me an idea of whether I want to get back into something maths related (far more interested in maths than I was at school, but tbh lost a lot of specific knowledge). Law looks good at the moment though - kind of tempted to try and do both as I can write engineering off against tax, but that's probably hubris. Would help if they weren't both courses with a large amount of compulsory modules or restrictions on what you can take. Mainly I might be able to get started on engineering before course fee increases, but need to check up on how that will work properly.

eta: ah, be too late for that by the looks of it.


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## BoatieBird (Jan 13, 2012)

BoatieBird said:


> Yes, new fee structure takes effect for new students from September 2012.
> If you've already started your studies then you should be able to finish them on the lower fees.



ETA: I've just read Quimcunx's post above and I think you need to ensure that the modules you're studying are linked to a qualification rather than 'stand alone' modules.


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## stuff_it (Jan 14, 2012)

Cid said:
			
		

> Hmm... Might look at maths contributing to law then. Give me an idea of whether I want to get back into something maths related (far more interested in maths than I was at school, but tbh lost a lot of specific knowledge). Law looks good at the moment though - kind of tempted to try and do both as I can write engineering off against tax, but that's probably hubris. Would help if they weren't both courses with a large amount of compulsory modules or restrictions on what you can take. Mainly I might be able to get started on engineering before course fee increases, but need to check up on how that will work properly.
> 
> eta: ah, be too late for that by the looks of it.



You just said. Now you have to do engineering as you can write it off against tax. 

No idea if you can blag the system by starting a short course this year in something you can link to the degree you want to do and work around it that way. You should ring them. Short courses start at least another time before the end of this academic year and most if not all the degrees Will let you count it towards a qualification. Dunno if it would work wrt fee structures though.


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## hegley (Jan 14, 2012)

stuff_it said:


> No idea if you can blag the system by starting a short course this year in something you can link to the degree you want to do and work around it that way. You should ring them. Short courses start at least another time before the end of this academic year and most if not all the degrees Will let you count it towards a qualification. Dunno if it would work wrt fee structures though.


Have to be doing at least 60 points (not sure if 2*30 counts).


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## stuff_it (Jan 14, 2012)

hegley said:


> Have to be doing at least 60 points (not sure if 2*30 counts).


Ah, didn't know that bit. I've always done over 60 points.


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## Cid (Feb 11, 2012)

Had first tutorial today, tutor seems nice, pretty basic for this one, just covering intros and stuff... People seem nice, although - this being law- some of them may be on a slightly different bit of the political spectrum from me. We shall leave that for now though...


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## radio_atomica (Mar 9, 2012)

Cid said:


> Had first tutorial today, tutor seems nice, pretty basic for this one, just covering intros and stuff... People seem nice, although - this being law- some of them may be on a slightly different bit of the political spectrum from me. We shall leave that for now though...


 
Most of the people on my first tutorial seemed to have chosen law because 'it seemed like a good idea at the time'.  I had to do the ice breaker task with a guy who works in financial services.  Needless to say, while everyone else was chatting away for half an hour we had 5 minutes of stilted conversation and then looked at our shoes.  Have you had your TMA01 back yet?  Mine just came through, I scored 67, which I think is okay.  But upset with the comments because they just keep saying 'refer to your assesment guide if you're not sure how to do this bit' when I was referring to the assessment guide and (trying) to do what it said but I was clearly just a bit too thick to manage it.


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## Cid (Mar 9, 2012)

Just got it, 78 which I'm fairly happy with... technical errors and some missed opportunities for going over extra points. My feedback was good, told me exactly where I went wrong etc - be happy to send you a copy if you want. Do you like your tutor? I understand you can change, and this early in the course would probably be a good time if you don't feel the feedback is adequate.


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## radio_atomica (Mar 9, 2012)

Cid said:


> Just got it, 78 which I'm fairly happy with... technical errors and some missed opportunities for going over extra points. My feedback was good, told me exactly where I went wrong etc - be happy to send you a copy if you want. Do you like your tutor? I understand you can change, and this early in the course would probably be a good time if you don't feel the feedback is adequate.


 
I don't know what to do tbh.  The tutor I had on the openings course was really helpful and friendly and this one seems to be totally different.  I don't want to change though because it will feel like being at school again and having to explain myself to teachers.


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## radio_atomica (Mar 9, 2012)

Okay, I've re-read the feedback she gave me, and the tma questions and worked out where I went wrong.  In the questions it says if they _have_ committed an offence, clearly identify the sections and sub-sections etc.  I took that to mean that if they haven't committed an offence, you have to say that and say why, but specifically referencing the sub-sections etc was not required, so I didn't go into as much detail where offences were not commited, as where they were.  This is the bit that she hasn't given me credit for.  Fucks sake   The only bits where I was marked down on my openings course were where my answers deviated from the exact wording of the questions (e.g. addressing points in the question in a different order) so I was really careful to do exactly what the question said.


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## Cid (Mar 9, 2012)

Edit: missed last post.

Hmm... That's actually perfectly valid criticism, I think the main reason for these questions is to get you used to framing legal answers clearly and fully, making absolutely sure you always give equal weight to any argument you make.

I'd talk it over with her though, I mean you have to forget about the whole pupil-teacher relationship, one of the main points in a university education is (or should be) to move you from rote learning into self-directed study and to get you used to analysing work critically (especially with law). That means discussing things with your tutor, having the confidence to explain any problems you think you're having etc. It can be hard, but you're there to learn and in order to do that you have to get as much out of your tutor as you can.


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## radio_atomica (Mar 9, 2012)

Cid said:


> Edit: missed last post.
> 
> Hmm... That's actually perfectly valid criticism, I think the main reason for these questions is to get you used to framing legal answers clearly and fully, making absolutely sure you always give equal weight to any argument you make.


 
That's fair enough, but what is annoying me is that all my notes, my essay plan, the process through which is answered the question and my first draft used that process and if the question had been worded along the lines of 'whether or not an offence has been commited, cleary identify the relevent sections and subsections etc etc' then my answer would have been the one they wanted.  I only changed it on the final draft so as to be in line with the actual wording of the question, because in my openings course I was told to be very specific to the wording of the question.

It was not obvious to me that I'd left something out that was supposed to be there because my word count was within 10% of the maximum, and she says on the feedback 'good use of word count', so if I have made a glaring error and clearly left something out, it wasn't a good use of word count, because I've obviously put something else in that doesn't need to be there in order for the word count to be near enough correct anyway.


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## Cid (Mar 9, 2012)

Yeah, I think the assessment guide is pretty badly worded at times... I think I ended up talking through all the non-crimes simply because I was nowhere near the word count. Also the first question kind of sets you up to the idea that you'll have to do that. Since any reference to an act has to be done in full (our tutor stressed this a fair bit), that's what I did. The next question (which we can't discuss) is utterly bizarre in some ways - 'answer this question with examples, but don't make any reference to work outside the units and don't quote from them'.


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## radio_atomica (Mar 9, 2012)

With regard to word count, our tutor indicated at the first tutorial that word counts were set to allow people who are very succinct, and people who like to waffle to all have the same chance at getting a good mark, so not to worry too much if you know you're quite succinct and your word count is on the low side.


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## ViolentPanda (Mar 9, 2012)

radio_atomica said:


> Okay, I've re-read the feedback she gave me, and the tma questions and worked out where I went wrong. In the questions it says if they _have_ committed an offence, clearly identify the sections and sub-sections etc. I took that to mean that if they haven't committed an offence, you have to say that and say why, but specifically referencing the sub-sections etc was not required, so I didn't go into as much detail where offences were not commited, as where they were. This is the bit that she hasn't given me credit for. Fucks sake  The only bits where I was marked down on my openings course were where my answers deviated from the exact wording of the questions (e.g. addressing points in the question in a different order) so I was really careful to do exactly what the question said.


 
I used to be terrible for this, until a tutor said to me "sit down, look at the question, then on paper break it down into the components, noting what they refer to, then, if you're still a bit unsure, ask me, but usually if you unpick the question it'll all make sense and you won't have to". He was right. I haven't done it once in the ensuing decades. 
Don't be mad at yourself. It's a new subject, and for a first assignment, 67 is entirely respectable, given that 40 is a bare pass and 85+ is a distinction, and you're far nearer the latter than the former. Oh, and use the OU's online forums, if for nothing more than reassurance that yes, there *are* other people (in fact often the majority of students!) who've made the same small error that you did!


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## ViolentPanda (Mar 9, 2012)

Cid said:


> Yeah, I think the assessment guide is pretty badly worded at times... I think I ended up talking through all the non-crimes simply because I was nowhere near the word count. Also the first question kind of sets you up to the idea that you'll have to do that. Since any reference to an act has to be done in full (our tutor stressed this a fair bit), that's what I did. The next question (which we can't discuss) is utterly bizarre in some ways - 'answer this question with examples, but don't make any reference to work outside the units and don't quote from them'.


 
Simply means "don't use material from outside the course materials for your examples, and don't *directly* quote from the course materials. In other words, paraphrase but still attribute. Something like this - "Smith mentions the effects of chronic masturbation on criminality in the course reader" (Smith _et al_, p.213. 2001), IYSWIM.


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## Cid (Mar 9, 2012)

Yeah, I thought it would be something like that... They don't really make it very clear though. I suppose it's just because I find it a bit odd referencing from a course rather than directly fro texts... Been a while since I did that too. Will be sure to badger you in future.


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## Thora (Mar 9, 2012)

radio_atomica said:


> With regard to word count, our tutor indicated at the first tutorial that word counts were set to allow people who are very succinct, and people who like to waffle to all have the same chance at getting a good mark, so not to worry too much if you know you're quite succinct and your word count is on the low side.


I struggle with getting close enough to the word count, always have even when I was at school.  I'd like to think it is that I'm succinct rather than just a lack of knowledge.

I haven't done my first TMA yet, it's due the 16th March.  Luckily the question is fairly similar to coursework I did in my second year (at a different uni) so lots of relevant passages are already highlighted in my books 

My tutorial group was slightly intimidating, as most others seemed more professional than me.  Someone who was recently my line manager but has moved to a different centre was there.


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## ViolentPanda (Mar 9, 2012)

Cid said:


> Yeah, I thought it would be something like that... They don't really make it very clear though. I suppose it's just because I find it a bit odd referencing from a course rather than directly fro texts... Been a while since I did that too. Will be sure to badger you in future.


 
I strongly suspect that the reason they're doing this is to help surreptitiously instill a fear of plagiarism in students. The OU doesn't get anywhere near as many recoded incidents of it as bricks 'n' mortar unis do, but still enough to want to give people the idea that direct citation should be sparse.
It also neatly solves the problem of most early essays, where students tend to rely too heavily on citations to bulk out their scribblings.


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## radio_atomica (Mar 9, 2012)

ViolentPanda said:


> I used to be terrible for this, until a tutor said to me "sit down, look at the question, then on paper break it down into the components, noting what they refer to, then, if you're still a bit unsure, ask me, but usually if you unpick the question it'll all make sense and you won't have to". He was right. I haven't done it once in the ensuing decades.
> Don't be mad at yourself. It's a new subject, and for a first assignment, 67 is entirely respectable, given that 40 is a bare pass and 85+ is a distinction, and you're far nearer the latter than the former. Oh, and use the OU's online forums, if for nothing more than reassurance that yes, there *are* other people (in fact often the majority of students!) who've made the same small error that you did!


 
I have emailed her to ask what I should do on future questions to avoid making similar mistakes.  To be honest, I did sit down and unpick the question, I took note of what the learning outcomes were, as well as what the question was asking, and based my final answer on the information available to me in the assessment booklet.  I clearly interpreted part of the question wrongly, which is fine, but the only previous guidence I've had on how to understand and interperete a question is 'do exactly what the question asks, don't put more in, remember not to leave out'.

Although Cid said above "I think the main reason for these questions is to get you used to framing legal answers clearly and fully, making absolutely sure you always give equal weight to any argument you make", that isn't what the learning outcomes say, and its not something that was said by my tutor at the tutorial so I went from the information that I had in front of me.  The only examples were for answers where a crime had been committed, so it was not possible to look at how they would have answered for a crime that hadn't been committed and go 'oh look, they want you to do into that particular bit of detail too, i better make sure i do that'.  If they wanted you to answer in the same way, e.g. to talk through exactly what all the crimes would/would not have been, depending on different circumstances, why did the wording of the question indicate that they wanted something different if a crime had been committed than if it hadn't?


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## radio_atomica (Mar 9, 2012)

also, regarding the forums, nobody posts on the regional forum, well, there have been a few threads but its just people wanting to discuss their work so it gets deleted by moderators anyway.


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## ViolentPanda (Mar 9, 2012)

Thora said:


> I struggle with getting close enough to the word count, always have even when I was at school. I'd like to think it is that I'm succinct rather than just a lack of knowledge.


 
The way it was explained to me (bulking out, so to speak) was that you need to write as though explaining the argument you're making (in answering the question) to someone who doesn't really understand the subject.



> I haven't done my first TMA yet, it's due the 16th March. Luckily the question is fairly similar to coursework I did in my second year (at a different uni) so lots of relevant passages are already highlighted in my books


 
Cool!


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## radio_atomica (Mar 9, 2012)

Well, I'm not really sure I think this uni lark is for me after all


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## Thora (Mar 9, 2012)

radio_atomica said:


> Well, I'm not really sure I think this uni lark is for me after all


Why not?  If you got 67 on your first TMA that sounds pretty good to me.  Is this the first time you've done a degree level course?


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## Cid (Mar 9, 2012)

You got 67% on your first module without even a GCSE to your name and you think that's _bad_? 

I've already done a couple of years of a degree and most of my mates are humanities graduates, got an A at English A-level too... Still only got 11% more. If you're not finding it at all interesting that's another thing, but if it's just that you feel you misunderstood the first question a bit, stick at it. You misunderstood it and still did well, these early eTMAs are there to get us used to this kind of study anyway, getting a bit of it wrong isn't a problem. As VP says if you look at the forums or join the W100 Facebook page you'll see there are a lot of people who aren't nearly as engaged with the course as you (appear to be).


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## radio_atomica (Mar 9, 2012)

Thora said:


> Why not? If you got 67 on your first TMA that sounds pretty good to me. Is this the first time you've done a degree level course?


 
Yeah, its not that I can't do the work, its just how its made me feel. The openings course was very confidence boosting and positive, even though I made glaring errors in parts of that too, the way the tutor gave feedback didn't make me feel like I couldn't improve on it next time. This time I have felt bad about myself not like I've done well and can improve next time.

e2a: And also, it probably has dredged up bad feelings going back to school and having to explain myself to teachers and despite getting good marks constantly being told 'not good enough'.  When I emailed the tutor her response was to say 'well I understand it can all be very confusing at first'.  I didn't think I was confused, I thought I had misunderstood part of the question, had worked out why I'd misunderstood it and was asking for further clarification and guidence on how to avoid making a similar mistake in future.  Just seems a bit patronising.


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## Thora (Mar 9, 2012)

Maybe partly you're expecting too much from your tutor - more input/feedback than she is prepared to give?


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## radio_atomica (Mar 9, 2012)

Thora said:


> Maybe partly you're expecting too much from your tutor - more input/feedback than she is prepared to give?


 
probably, i guess i just struck lucky with the tutor on the openings course.  then again, if they were like this one on the openings courses nobody would bother doing the degree bits after haha!


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## ViolentPanda (Mar 9, 2012)

radio_atomica said:


> Well, I'm not really sure I think this uni lark is for me after all


 
You're feeling the same fear/worry that probably 50% of all students, whatever their university, feel. The first half a year is the hardest, because things feel like an uphill struggle, and then all of a sudden you realise that you're more than halfway through the first year, you're on the *downhill* part of the years' course and whaddya know? You've achieve decent marks in all your assignments!
Seriously, if you can score 67  even though you misinterpreted part of the question, you've got nowt to worry about in terms of intellectual prowess!


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## ViolentPanda (Mar 9, 2012)

radio_atomica said:


> Yeah, its not that I can't do the work, its just how its made me feel. The openings course was very confidence boosting and positive, even though I made glaring errors in parts of that too, the way the tutor gave feedback didn't make me feel like I couldn't improve on it next time. This time I have felt bad about myself not like I've done well and can improve next time.


 
Some tutors are arses.
I'm doing a post-grad diploma at the mo (I'm an H.E. addict  ), and have requested not to be allocated to a particular tutor next year as her manner in public and on paper is extremely abrasive and imperious, and that isn't something I can put up with (or some of her other students, fr that matter), with any semblance of grace. 



> e2a: And also, it probably has dredged up bad feelings going back to school and having to explain myself to teachers and despite getting good marks constantly being told 'not good enough'. When I emailed the tutor her response was to say 'well I understand it can all be very confusing at first'. I didn't think I was confused, I thought I had misunderstood part of the question, had worked out why I'd misunderstood it and was asking for further clarification and guidence on how to avoid making a similar mistake in future. Just seems a bit patronising.


 
TBF, you're highly unlikely to get a "not good enough" comment, and far more likely to get "you might have eucidated about..." comments. Even then, they're seldom meant as criticism, so much as guidance. I also prefer written feedback to verbal, as it gives you something to refer back to.


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## radio_atomica (Mar 9, 2012)

it feels like she has marked it from the point of view that you start with 100 points and then knock them off every time something is wrong or missing, which may well be how they have to mark (i don't know) but probably is not the best way for me to get feedback.  she wrote 'you have lost marks here by failing to include more detail on blah blah blah', so even though 67 is a perfectly respectable score, i feel like i've done a crap job.  the other tutor i had, would say things like 'you've started well here, but you could have picked up some extra points by going into more detail on blah blah blah'.  they are both saying the same thing, but one makes you think you've done a great job and you're a capable learner who can make it even better next time, and the other way makes you (well it certainly makes me feel) like i'm not good enough.

i had a teacher like that at school for english which was my best subject, and despite being the most capable person in my year (after they marked my year 9 sats extension paper it was suggested i should be doing AS level english), her attitude and way of marking was so demoralising that i was too terrified to even attempt homework and was occasionally physically sick at the thought of going to her lessons.  so yeah, its quite clear to me that that style of teaching doesn't work for me.  i guess i just have to be grown up about it, see that its just bad luck and every time she says 'you've lost marks by failing to...' read it as 'you could have gained marks by...'


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## ViolentPanda (Mar 10, 2012)

radio_atomica said:


> it feels like she has marked it from the point of view that you start with 100 points and then knock them off every time something is wrong or missing, which may well be how they have to mark (i don't know) but probably is not the best way for me to get feedback. she wrote 'you have lost marks here by failing to include more detail on blah blah blah', so even though 67 is a perfectly respectable score, i feel like i've done a crap job. the other tutor i had, would say things like 'you've started well here, but you could have picked up some extra points by going into more detail on blah blah blah'. they are both saying the same thing, but one makes you think you've done a great job and you're a capable learner who can make it even better next time, and the other way makes you (well it certainly makes me feel) like i'm not good enough.
> 
> i had a teacher like that at school for english which was my best subject, and despite being the most capable person in my year (after they marked my year 9 sats extension paper it was suggested i should be doing AS level english), her attitude and way of marking was so demoralising that i was too terrified to even attempt homework and was occasionally physically sick at the thought of going to her lessons. so yeah, its quite clear to me that that style of teaching doesn't work for me. i guess i just have to be grown up about it, see that its just bad luck and every time she says 'you've lost marks by failing to...' read it as 'you could have gained marks by...'


 
From what I understand of the marking system for undergrad assignments, it's not a "knock off points for missing..."-type of affair, but rather a "get points for correctly mentioning" system (it's why it's hard to score a distinction for an assignment!), and the feedback is to draw your attention to the fact that if you'd mentioned something (or mentioned it in more detail) you'd have scored more, so your final sentence pretty much hits the jackpot.
Seriously, with a decent start such as you've made, if you can get through the first year (which, as I explained earlier, the first half of which is the hardest time), then I reckon you'll be not only a credit to yourself, but a credit to the OU.

At the end of the day, of course, you'll also have a graduation ceremony that makes you realise something profound, something you realise when you hear so many other people saying "I never thought I'd make it this far". 
I'd be prepared to wager a small sum to the server fund that you'll not only make it that far, you'll do so with a damn good pass, too.


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## Cid (Mar 12, 2012)

radio_atomica said:


> i guess i just have to be grown up about it, see that its just bad luck and every time she says 'you've lost marks by failing to...' read it as 'you could have gained marks by...'


 
Yep... This is actually a very good time to be getting used to criticism as W100 doesn't count toward your final grade (presumably partly why most uni first years don't - just getting you used to a different way of doing things). You'll come up against this sort of thing in any walk of life, and law is probably not a bad subject to be doing if you want to be able to deal with it. At the moment we're just getting used to working in a different way, so there's not much room for discussion, but once you start formulating your own arguments around things you know about using systems you know about I think you'll find it pretty empowering.

If it gets bad though, you can always contact study support, although I don't know what counselling options the OU has.


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## BoatieBird (Mar 12, 2012)

67% is an acceptable score in its own right, but when you take into account that it's the first TMA you've done in a subject that's new to you, I think it's a really good score. And as Cid says, it doesn't count towards your degree classification anyway. Don't be too disheartened r_a


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## fractionMan (Mar 12, 2012)

What boatie said!


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## radio_atomica (Mar 21, 2012)

Just coming back from my wobble now.  Working on the second assignment, and (hopefully) kicking its arse.  Had to request an extension because of stuff that's been going on at home, but it even looks like I'm not going to need it!! This question is easier though because its a legal essay, I can do that.


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## radio_atomica (Apr 6, 2012)

Hows it all going for everyone else.  I got my second assignment back now, scored 72 this time so am improving and got some more constructive feedback this time (although still quite brusque  I like touchy feely goddamit!).


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## Thora (Apr 6, 2012)

58 on my first TMA, so not brilliant but ok given it is the first level 3 course and first OU course I've done I reckon.  My tutor has given masses of feedback though so hopefully the next one will be better.  I am struggling a bit to allocate enough hours a week to studying though, but I guess lots of parents who are trying to work and study find the same.  I'm not massively disciplines/motivated at the best of times, and I rarely get an undisturbed night's sleep (and haven't for almost two years now!) so by the evening the last thing I want to do is study.

Realistically I suppose I just need to pass, so 58 is fine.


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## Cid (Apr 8, 2012)

79, so going very well (especially considering it was a shit week for me too, RIP Saaam ). I'm still finding it interesting looking into how all this stuff works... I fully expect it to get drier once it gets on to the technical specifics of various bits of law (although don't know if we see much of that in this module), but so far I'm actually quite enjoying it.


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## Prince Rhyus (Apr 8, 2012)

pseudonarcissus said:


> I'm glad some one is still doing OU since the fees went up, it looks like my dad, along with the rest of the part time staff, will be getting the chop as student numbers are down significantly. He's a bit upset, having worked for them since 1974


 
Am gutted for so many people - students - current & prospective, and the legions of part-time tutors that keep it running. I'm certainly being priced out of it - I stop after the completion of my current module. Further thoughts at http://adragonsbestfriend.wordpress...ended-consequences-of-adult-education-policy/


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## radio_atomica (Apr 15, 2012)

Cid said:


> 79, so going very well (especially considering it was a shit week for me too, RIP Saaam ). I'm still finding it interesting looking into how all this stuff works... I fully expect it to get drier once it gets on to the technical specifics of various bits of law (although don't know if we see much of that in this module), but so far I'm actually quite enjoying it.


 
Well done Cid!! that's a great score!  I had another tutorial yesterday, whats the attendence like at yours (if you go)?  We had 30 in the first one, 7 people in the second and 7 people yesterday.  I think a lot have either given up or just gone 'wtf who are these lunatics?' about the other people.  Although it turns out that other people listen to what I'm saying and then decide that's what they think as well, when what I think isn't definately right, its just what I think.  I might go back to not speaking otherwise it will end in major embarrassment at some point.

It turns out that everyone else at the tutorial also thinks that the tutor is a bit scary and terrifying in the way she gives feedback so I'm not on my own with that.  See, I don't find it dry AT ALL.  I love everything about it and wish they'd stop doing the bits that are supposed to 'spice it up' for people (half a page for a picture of some bees with the caption 'if you were attacked by some bees, it might make you behave in an involuntary way'?  really?!) but then I am a dull person in that respect.  I am so glad I chose this subject because it is definately something that suits me, I just dislike the way it makes incredible tories think I'm good because I'm studying law, and more lefty types think I'm the devil, because I'm studying law.


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## ButterPie (Apr 15, 2012)

Can I join in? Doing SD226 Biological Psychology and DD205 Living in a Globalised World.  I am doing an open degree because I have hardly any idea what I want to do with it.  I fancy doing PG stuff, maybe Social Policy or Librarianship, but I dunno.

I have a tma due tomorrow, but I got a week of extension as my Nana is staying with me unexpectedly so my mum gets a break.  Which, combined with the kids being at home and my husband doing overtime, is making it quite difficult to do anything, never mind write essays.


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## quimcunx (Apr 15, 2012)

I'm doing DSE212, butterpie.  Have you done that?   Also on open degree because I haven't a scooby where I can go with all this.  I'm not very proactive at investigating that sort of stuff.   

I've got a report due in on Wednesday and done most of it today.  From 11am to 10pm.  Fun.   

Tutor advises against comparing marks with fellow students so have no idea how I'm doing relatively.  I want to know goddamit.  

Hoping for a highish score for this report despite my lack of prep.  as my previous report got much higher marks than i seem to get with essays which are improving 1 or 2% points at a time...


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## ButterPie (Apr 15, 2012)

I've not done that one, what is its title?


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## quimcunx (Apr 15, 2012)

Um, something about psychology.  My brain's fried.


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## Cid (Apr 20, 2012)

Ugh, bit of a skin-of-the-teeth submission there... Wrote a nice, balanced essay then had to cull half of it. OU word limits are really tight.


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## Thora (Apr 20, 2012)

I was 15 words over the word limit this time.  I think it was a better essay than my first though so hoping for 60+.


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## ViolentPanda (Apr 21, 2012)

Thora said:


> I was 15 words over the word limit this time. I think it was a better essay than my first though so hoping for 60+.


 
For undergrad essays, OU usually allow up to 5% over/underwrite, so 15 words is good.


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## Thora (Apr 21, 2012)

ViolentPanda said:


> For undergrad essays, OU usually allow up to 5% over/underwrite, so 15 words is good.


I mean I am 15 words over the 10% we're allowed to go over


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## ViolentPanda (Apr 21, 2012)

Thora said:


> I mean I am 15 words over the 10% we're allowed to go over


 
Is it a first offence? If so, they're usually not too harsh. If it isn't, they may dock a few percent, but they're not gratuitous about it.


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## quimcunx (Apr 21, 2012)

seems like a good place to put this. 

http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/22316


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## Cid (Apr 22, 2012)

On my course they have discretion to mark 10% over the limit the first time you go over, after that they have to stop marking as soon as you go over the limit. It's level one though, may be more strict.


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## Cid (Apr 27, 2012)

New course materials! 

Quite a lot of them.


Didn't have anything planned this weekend anyway tbh.


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## ViolentPanda (Apr 28, 2012)

Cid said:


> New course materials!
> 
> Quite a lot of them.
> 
> ...


 

Had an exam wednesday, start new module (final one for the postgrad diploma I'm doing) monday week. Still waiting for the study guide to be delivered, although the books have been.


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## Greebo (Apr 28, 2012)

ViolentPanda said:


> Had an exam wednesday, start new module (final one for the postgrad diploma I'm doing) monday week. Still waiting for the study guide to be delivered, although the books have been.


Aren't you going to mention the good news about next academic year's tutor?


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## ViolentPanda (Apr 28, 2012)

Greebo said:


> Aren't you going to mention the good news about next academic year's tutor?


 
What, you mean it not being the miserable turd-muncher who blessed me with her arrogance previously?

Nope, I'm not going to mention that.


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## Cid (Apr 29, 2012)

Cid said:


> Ugh, bit of a skin-of-the-teeth submission there... Wrote a nice, balanced essay then had to cull half of it. OU word limits are really tight.


 
Well I got 88... Hope I'm no turning into one of those cunts who whines about stuff and then does really well.


Actually that wouldn't be such a bad thing...


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## hegley (Apr 29, 2012)

I'm on essay duty for the next 48 hours  . 1500 words on "Evaluate the claim that migration is positively valued in the UK". Despite getting ok-ish marks for my essays I still find writing them completely tortuous.


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## Greebo (Apr 29, 2012)

Cid said:


> Well I got 88... Hope I'm no turning into one of those cunts who whines about stuff and then does really well.
> 
> 
> Actually that wouldn't be such a bad thing...


That's a mark to be pleased with even if you'd taken more time to do that bit. If this is what you can do when you wing it, your scores might be even better if... *shut up Greebo, you're a fine one to talk about getting things done in time*


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## ButterPie (Apr 29, 2012)

I think I need to start thinking about my October courses (I am awful for leaving things till the last minute and I need financial support etc)

OK...so, in OU credits (presuming I pass these ones) I will have 60 at level one and 90 at level two, plus I have a first year at uclan that I can hopefully use as another 60 level one credits (but I am holding that in reserve for if I get an awful grade in something so I can count it as level one and it not count for my classification)

So...I want to do the degree as soon as I can - I'm off work atm for illness, but I am getting better, and I would ideally like to get an MA soonish as well, ideally while the kids are young so I can fit the studying around them and then when I get a "real" job I can get a kickass one.

These two finish in october, so do I do another 30 credits from somewhere alongside a level 3 60 credits through to summer, and then the last 60 credits from the following october?  Or is there another way of doing it?


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## BlueSquareThing (Apr 29, 2012)

ButterPie said:


> OK...so, in OU credits (presuming I pass these ones) I will have 60 at level one and 90 at level two, plus I have a first year at uclan that I can hopefully use as another 60 level one credits (but I am holding that in reserve for if I get an awful grade in something so I can count it as level one and it not count for my classification)


 
I don't understand why you'd hold this in reserve? If you can get the credit transfer then I'd say get it now - otherwise you'll only end up having to do some level 1 course alongside a level 3 one at some point. At least that way if you can't get the transfer you can plan when to do it - I'd probably sound next year doing the 30 points at Level 2 and then the 60 points at level 1 for example - and then two years worth of level 3.

But I might be scared of level 3 stuff at the moment because I'm not that far advanced and don't really know what it's going to be like (and can only manage 30 points a year anyway).


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## hegley (Apr 30, 2012)

@ students on a Social Sciences course never having heard the word diaspora ...


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## ButterPie (Apr 30, 2012)

BlueSquareThing said:


> I don't understand why you'd hold this in reserve? If you can get the credit transfer then I'd say get it now - otherwise you'll only end up having to do some level 1 course alongside a level 3 one at some point. At least that way if you can't get the transfer you can plan when to do it - I'd probably sound next year doing the 30 points at Level 2 and then the 60 points at level 1 for example - and then two years worth of level 3.
> 
> But I might be scared of level 3 stuff at the moment because I'm not that far advanced and don't really know what it's going to be like (and can only manage 30 points a year anyway).


 
  Good point.  I'll dig out my transcript and get in touch with the OU.

Has anyone ever done DD305: Personal Lives and Social Policy?  I fancy it, but I'm not sure if it will be as good as the description says...


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## BoatieBird (Apr 30, 2012)

ButterPie said:


> Good point. I'll dig out my transcript and get in touch with the OU.
> 
> *Has anyone ever done DD305: Personal Lives and Social Policy? I fancy it, but I'm not sure if it will be as good as the description says.*..


 
Have you had a look at the student reviews of the course?  They can be really useful.

I'm considering U214: Worlds of English for my next course.  I have a few months to make up my mind so I've ordered a couple of the books they suggest for preparatory reading to see if I like the subject.  It's a new course, so no student reviews yet.


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## ButterPie (Apr 30, 2012)

Does anyone know:
-how many credits you are allowed to take at once?
and
-what degree classification the marks are equal to?

I'm aiming for a 2.1 or higher (isn't everyone?) and I want to know if I need to up my game or not, and if so, by how much.  I know that at UCLan, I would be fine, but the OU boundaries are higher, aren't they?


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## hegley (Apr 30, 2012)

ButterPie said:


> Does anyone know:
> -how many credits you are allowed to take at once?
> and
> -what degree classification the marks are equal to?
> ...


 
The OU recommend not taking more than 120 credits in one academic year (which is technically the equivalent to studying full-time).

Basic breakdown of OU grades (I believe) is:
85-100 - 1st
70-84 - 2:1
55-69 - 2:2
40-54 - 3rd


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## BlueSquareThing (Apr 30, 2012)

ButterPie said:


> I'm aiming for a 2.1 or higher (isn't everyone?) and I want to know if I need to up my game or not, and if so, by how much. I know that at UCLan, I would be fine, but the OU boundaries are higher, aren't they?


 
As Hegley's shown, yes. You also need to take into account that they'll take the *lowest* mark from the TMAs or the Exam - not an average. So you can get 100% on the exam (yeah, sure...) but foul up some TMAs and come out with a 60% because that was your score on those.


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## Cid (May 1, 2012)

How do you mean? Afaik it's pretty much like normal uni; each tma/ema/exam makes up a percentage of the mark for the overall course. So if you had an exam weighted at 75% and a tma weighted at 25% (yeah I know that wouldn't happen) and got 100% on the exam but 20% on the tma you'd still end up with 80%.


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## Cid (May 1, 2012)

For some modules you can also get substitution, so if your scores are generally good, but you forget to submit an tma or do very badly, the results for it can be brought up using a weighting derived from your other scores. Doesn't apply to important bits like exams/emas though.


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## BoatieBird (May 1, 2012)

Cid said:


> How do you mean? Afaik it's pretty much like normal uni; each tma/ema/exam makes up a percentage of the mark for the overall course. So if you had an exam weighted at 75% and a tma weighted at 25% (yeah I know that wouldn't happen) and got 100% on the exam but 20% on the tma you'd still end up with 80%.


 
It's usually 50% of your final marks coming from continuous assessment (TMAs) and 50% from the examinable component - with each of the components having a pass mark of 40%.
There should be an assessment calculator tool on your module website where you can play around with different scores etc.


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## Cid (May 1, 2012)

Ah right, they're really not clear about that - probably think it's obvious. The assessment calculator (for my course) only gives an overall percentage for the weighted tma scores, then - with staggering helpfulness - just a pass/fail for entering the OES component. Either way it's not based on your lowest marks though.


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## hegley (May 1, 2012)

I believe (though can't find anything definitive) that the lowest mark thing is if your marks straddle a classification - so you can only get a first if your TMA average and exam component are both +85.


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## BoatieBird (May 1, 2012)

Here's the bit from my module website



> *Assessment strategy:* There are two components to the assessment: continuous assessment and the examinable component. To be sure of a pass result you need to achieve at least scores of 40% in each component. Similarly, to be sure of a higher grade, a minimum score must be achieved in each component (see your _Undergraduate_ _Assessment Handbook _– available online from your Student Homepage).
> *Continuous assessment component:*
> TMA 01 = 20%, TMAs 02–03 = 40%. The substitution rule will not apply.
> *Examinable component:* The examinable component is the End of Course Assessment Project, which constitutes 100% of this component. In order to pass you must achieve at least a score of 40%. See the relevant sections in your _Undergraduate Assessment_ _Handbook_ for further details.


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## BlueSquareThing (May 1, 2012)

hegley said:


> I believe (though can't find anything definitive) that the lowest mark thing is if your marks straddle a classification - so you can only get a first if your TMA average and exam component are both +85.


 
That must be what I meant I suppose. I'm not certain how the modules then add up to make up a degree classification - whether it's done on classifications from individual modules or %age scores or what.

The core undergrad assessment handbook (section 4.4 fwiw...) says this:



> Your two scores - for continuous assessment and for examined work - will place you in one of the result areas shown in the matrices in Section 4.5. If you’re close to a boundary or there’s a large difference between your scores, Boards have some limited discretion to award a higher result. In making these discretionary decisions Boards will take into account the overall weighted average of your two scores and any special circumstances that you’ve reported.
> 
> 
> Whatever weighting your module gives to each assessment component, you must reach *both* the scores shown in Section 4.5 to guarantee a pass at each grade. Your result is *not* determined by an averaging of continuous assessment and examination scores.


It's at http://www3.open.ac.uk/assessment/ug/p4_4.asp (I guess you need to be logged in). Not the easiest document in the world to either find or work your way around imo.

The grade boundaries are 85/70/55/40 btw.


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## BlueSquareThing (May 1, 2012)

Cid said:


> How do you mean? Afaik it's pretty much like normal uni; each tma/ema/exam makes up a percentage of the mark for the overall course. So if you had an exam weighted at 75% and a tma weighted at 25% (yeah I know that wouldn't happen) and got 100% on the exam but 20% on the tma you'd still end up with 80%.


 
Assuming pass at 40% you'd almost certainly fail that - the tma mark comes out lower than the pass threshold.

If you got 40% on the tma then you'd get a pass 4 grade - the equivalent (probably) of a pass classification. 55% on the tma and it'd likely be a pass 3 borderline.


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## Cid (May 2, 2012)

hegley said:


> I believe (though can't find anything definitive) that the lowest mark thing is if your marks straddle a classification - so you can only get a first if your TMA average and exam component are both +85.


 
Ah right, i see (and fear) what you mean.


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## ViolentPanda (May 2, 2012)

Cid said:


> Ah right, i see (and fear) what you mean.


 
Especially as it appears (according to one of my tutors) to be a given that students in their exams tend to score 10-15% below their course marks.


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## Thora (May 4, 2012)

Got 65 on my latest TMA   Big improvement on the first one.


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## Thora (Jun 13, 2012)

Just got 85 on my 3rd TMA, so a huge jump up from 65


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## Greebo (Jun 13, 2012)

Thora said:


> Just got 85 on my 3rd TMA, so a huge jump up from 65


Congrats Thora, that should bump up your average mark by quite a bit.


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## t0bytoo (Jul 14, 2012)

I just found this thread after a few years away from urban. The OU threads used to be really busy. So a lot less people are doing OU courses these days??
Big shame....


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## Steel Icarus (Jul 15, 2012)

*Raises hand*

Need to crack on and sign up for my next module. 3 down, 3 to go - and this time I'm going to start one in October and another in February, so for maybe 4 months I'll have two going on at once.


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## quimcunx (Jul 15, 2012)

there is an essay woes thread which was busy. maybe others apart from me on there were OU students. They're not going to get busier now that fees are going up by gazillions.


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## Steel Icarus (Jul 15, 2012)

quimcunx said:


> there is an essay woes thread which was busy. maybe others apart from me on there were OU students. They're not going to get busier now that fees are going up by gazillions.


 
I know. It's shocking how much they're going up.


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## quimcunx (Jul 15, 2012)

have you applied for your transitional thingumie?


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## BoatieBird (Jul 15, 2012)

S☼I said:


> *Raises hand*
> 
> Need to crack on and sign up for my next module. 3 down, 3 to go - and this time I'm going to start one in October and another in February, so for maybe 4 months I'll have two going on at once.


 
Am I right in thinking you've done an English Language module steely? Any thoughts/opinions?
I'm contemplating U214 for next February.


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## fractionMan (Jul 16, 2012)

Seeing that u214 (International development: challenges for a world in transition)
above I was about to recommend u213 to people, but it's no longer running  http://www3.open.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/course/u213.htm

It's been replaced by "International development: making sense of a changing world" http://www3.open.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/course/td223.htm


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## pppPenguin (Jul 22, 2012)

I'm doing 'Discovering Psychology' DSE141. Got my mark back for my first TMA last week, 83. My first ever assignment, I was crap at school and got kicked out of college so absolutely delighted. OU suits me just fine, unemployed and no responsibilities so have plenty time spare to fit it all in.

Keep forgetting to send off my financial application for my next course though, this thread might act as a reminder.


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## Cid (Sep 28, 2012)

Final essay in... Relieved. Ugh. Got slightly behind towards the end. More discipline next time. Should pass. Could have got distinction if I'd put more effort in though I reckon (not that it matters for this module, which was kind of the point).


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## MooChild (Sep 28, 2012)

Start A330 - Myth in the Greek & Roman world tomorrow 
Got my books and everything set up; had last year off as i'd been studying and working full time for 6 years straight, and that left me a bit tired!

Year off over as of midnight lol ...


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## BoatieBird (Sep 28, 2012)

Cid said:


> Final essay in... Relieved. Ugh. Got slightly behind towards the end. More discipline next time. Should pass. Could have got distinction if I'd put more effort in though I reckon (not that it matters for this module, which was kind of the point).


 
It's such a wonderful feeling to get to the end isn't it?
What course was it?


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## Cid (Sep 28, 2012)

W100, introduction to law... I'm doing the full degree though, so this is just the start. Although got until feb to get ready for the next one.


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## BoatieBird (Sep 28, 2012)

Cid said:


> W100, introduction to law... I'm doing the full degree though, so this is just the start. Although got until feb to get ready for the next one.


 
I did that a couple of years ago and really enjoyed it, and W224 last year (Families, relationships and the law) which was another enjoyable one. That's enough law for me though 

U214 (Worlds of English), for me next - but it doesn't start until Feb.


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## Thora (Sep 28, 2012)

I've almost finished my current module (KE312 Working Together for Children) - 76% overall for my TMAs and now just have to face a 3 hour exam on the 10th October   Then a nice break til February when I start my final module.


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## hegley (Sep 28, 2012)

Got DD208 - Welfare, Crime and Society starting tomoz. Marks start counting towards degree classification now so no slacking off.


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## heinous seamus (Nov 19, 2012)

Just looking into starting OU again. I quite fancy doing something science-y, either astronomy or physics. If I do something humanities-based I could go straight to second year though... hmmm, decisions decisions!


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## heinous seamus (Nov 20, 2012)

Well I've registered for A104 Exploring Science! It's a long time since I've done any science/maths so I'm not sure how I'll get on with it. I've been exploring the maths skills e-book and am enjoying it so far, though. If I don't enjoy it or find it too difficult I guess I can revert back to humanities easily enough


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## fractionMan (Nov 20, 2012)

heinous seamus said:


> Just looking into starting OU again. I quite fancy doing something science-y, either astronomy or physics. If I do something humanities-based I could go straight to second year though... hmmm, decisions decisions!


 

I used am year of art credits towards my OU BSc and jumped into level 2 modules.  But I already knew the foundations of the science-y thing I wanted to study. YMMV.


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## Helen Back (Nov 24, 2012)

If I do a uni course at all it will have to be an OU course in Computer Science while I work - IF I can get work at my age!


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## MillwallShoes (Nov 27, 2012)

final module this year for my BA Eng Lit and Language.

6 years of slog. Just hope for a half decent job to result from it. Doubt it though!


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## heinous seamus (Dec 12, 2012)

Erm, so the registration agreement they are waiting for me to sign and send to them, I'm not sure I actually printed it off, thinking I could go back and do it later. But now I can't find it anywhere, only a note saying I printed it on the 20th November  Does anyone know how I can get it again?


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## heinous seamus (Dec 13, 2012)

MillwallShoes said:


> final module this year for my BA Eng Lit and Language.
> 
> 6 years of slog. Just hope for a half decent job to result from it. Doubt it though!


 
How was it? That was one of the degrees I was considering.


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## BoatieBird (Dec 13, 2012)

heinous seamus said:


> Erm, so the registration agreement they are waiting for me to sign and send to them, I'm not sure I actually printed it off, thinking I could go back and do it later. But now I can't find it anywhere, only a note saying I printed it on the 20th November  Does anyone know how I can get it again?


 
Give them a ring, they can send you another one (or sometimes you can register over the phone)


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## Thora (Dec 13, 2012)

Thora said:


> I've almost finished my current module (KE312 Working Together for Children) - 76% overall for my TMAs and now just have to face a 3 hour exam on the 10th October  Then a nice break til February when I start my final module.


Got 78% for the exam   Very, very suprised (especially since I only got 50-something in my first TMA)   Also, apparently that is a distinction so I guess they have moved the grade boundaries a bit - I thought it was over 80%.


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## Red Cat (Dec 13, 2012)

Traditionally a distinction or 1st is 70 and over.


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## fractionMan (Dec 13, 2012)

Red Cat said:


> Traditionally a distinction or 1st is 70 and over.


 
It's higher in the OU and depends on the course.  I needed over 80% iirc


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## Thora (Dec 13, 2012)

fractionMan said:


> It's higher in the OU and depends on the course. I needed over 80% iirc


For my course it's listed as 85% but says they can alter it if necessary   Maybe it means it was a particularly hard module?


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## fractionMan (Dec 13, 2012)

Thora said:


> For my course it's listed as 85% but says they can alter it if necessary  Maybe it means it was a particularly hard module?


 
I think it depends on using the overall grades of other students to judge how hard it was.  This is a guess though.


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## Thora (Dec 13, 2012)

Either way, I'm very happy with it   Just one more module to go starting in February now, and that one doesn't have an exam.


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## BoatieBird (Jan 4, 2013)

Waiting for my books to arrive and ploughing through the suggested prep reading atm.
Who else is starting a course in Feb (apart from Thora)?


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## Cid (Feb 23, 2013)

W200 now, good so far... Should be writing first TMA, but am procrastinating.


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## nagapie (Feb 23, 2013)

I'm starting a course although not OU. It's a postgraduate that I have to do for my job. I actually have no time to do it at all and so am shitting myself and trying to figure out how to get out of it. I can't possibly see how I can get anything more done.


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## MillwallShoes (Feb 23, 2013)

my final year. War and Total Change. would have been six years odd and i'll finally get the bloody degree. probably worthless in this climate!


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## heinous seamus (Nov 9, 2013)

Just received 90 for my first tma (exploring science) 

I never used to get scores like that when I studied the arts


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## slightlytouched (Nov 9, 2013)

I'm doing S825 Developing Research skills as part of a Msc......and I'm already behind despite working on it all the time (well it seems that way).  Getting up at 2 or 3 am to do some study before I start work at 6am cos I'm too tired when I get home!  Insanity, I tell you!


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## slightlytouched (Nov 9, 2013)

heinous seamus said:


> Just looking into starting OU again. I quite fancy doing something science-y, either astronomy or physics. If I do something humanities-based I could go straight to second year though... hmmm, decisions decisions!


I recommend s283 and s282, planetary science and astronomy.  Both were highly enjoyable and very interesting.


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## Thora (Nov 26, 2013)

Just got my final result and degree classification - got a first!!!


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## stuff_it (Nov 26, 2013)

Got my first proper assignment back for MT264, Visual Basic...got 83% even though I rushed it a bit due to personal problems. 

Also studying M250, Object Oreinted Java.


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## Cid (Nov 26, 2013)

Amazing Thora , congratulations. Got distinction for W200... 

Only the first of four of the 60 point law modules though, long way to go.

Also nice one stuff_it, always nice to get started on an 80%+.


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## BoatieBird (Nov 26, 2013)

Thora said:


> Just got my final result and degree classification - got a first!!!



Brilliant Thora, well done


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## stuff_it (Nov 27, 2013)

Cid said:


> Amazing Thora , congratulations. Got distinction for W200...
> 
> Only the first of four of the 60 point law modules though, long way to go.
> 
> Also nice one stuff_it, always nice to get started on an 80%+.


Hopefully it will carry on like that, after all it's coding. Either it works or it doesn't.


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## spanglechick (Nov 27, 2013)

Can I just say that almost two years on, whenever I see this thread I still automatically think it's about Orang Utan.


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## BoatieBird (Nov 27, 2013)

I got a grade 3 pass on my English Language module.
I'd decided that I would be happy with a 3 and disappointed with a 4 so I'm happy 

That brings my total points to 210 so I'm over half way there now.
Well done Thora for getting to the end, I know what a hard slog it can be at times.


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## Thora (Nov 27, 2013)

It did seem never ending at times!  But 5.5 years and one baby in the middle and I am finally free


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## BlueSquareThing (Nov 27, 2013)

stuff_it said:


> Got my first proper assignment back for MT264, Visual Basic...got 83% even though I rushed it a bit due to personal problems.
> 
> Also studying M250, Object Oreinted Java.


Be interested to hear how you're finding the two different styles fwiw - I did MT264 last year and am on M250 this. Seems a massive difference between the two - particularly pissed off about the lack of face to face tutorials for M250.


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## stuff_it (Nov 27, 2013)

BlueSquareThing said:


> Be interested to hear how you're finding the two different styles fwiw - I did MT264 last year and am on M250 this. Seems a massive difference between the two - particularly pissed off about the lack of face to face tutorials for M250.


TBH I'm notoriously bad at making face to face tutorials. *shrug*

Thanks for the reminder that I have an online one later on today. 

I think that there is a lot of overlap in what you learn apart from actual coding (eg the object oriented stuff), though I know a lot of people are wary of doing both modules at once in case they mix the two up. Myself I figured that if you can't learn more than one at once it's going to be a long slog to being a programmer. The comp sci students at my full time uni from last year learned 9 different subjects in their first year, mostly different coding languages.


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## heinous seamus (Jan 29, 2014)

Struggling a bit with the science course. Feels like there's no time to absorb anything - just straight onto more reading!


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## heinous seamus (Feb 11, 2014)

Hating the current assignment - got in touch with my tutor for an extension and she told me not to worry too much as I only need 40% overall and I'm already at 33% 

Still bugs me that I can't do it though. Fucking chemistry!


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