DD306 : Living Political Ideas - TMA02 Marked and Returned

That was nice and quick, which means I was probably the first one to submit the TMA, and it is certainly a motivator to get an early submission in this time round as well.

The mark was not quite as good as TMA01, but a middle of Pass2 is fine considering the struggles I was having with study time and a generally busy and disruptive work and home life. The main thing is that I am still solidly on course for the required Pass2 or better, so there is no point, and indeed I don't have the time, to spend endless hours ringing every last possible mark from the TMA - that is what I did last year in order to have a slightly less frantic year this year.

Once again, a really thorough and comprehensive critique of the essay from my tutor. His comments are bang on the money and the advice is spot on. It would seem my main problem was relying too much on external sources which were not developed further, and I should have concentrated more on Machiavelli and Dahl's thoughts and how they are used, interpreted and made to live.

Got things to do tonight - then tomorrow on to Room 2 - Animals and Politics ???

DD306 : Living Political Ideas - Week 9

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  Room 2: Political AnimalsURL
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  Room 2 direct accessURL
• Week 1: Humans and Non-humans: Boundary Disputes?

The last week has been extremely relaxed and stress free having submitted my TMA a week early.

This would seem to be an ideal situation in which to make head start on this section of the course, but life just doesn't work like that.

It has however allowed me the time I needed to work on another project - a project that is also taking up a huge amount of my time.

Hopefully, I can delay the start of this Room until Wednesday when I hope that my tutor will return my marked TMA - having had it for a week -  and I can then devote myself more fully to Room 2 and a subject I think I am going to find difficult to connect with.

DD306 : Living Political Ideas - TMA02 Finished

Wow, that feels unbelievable. The weekend has been spent pretty much doing this TMA but it is finished and with over a week to go. 

I could keep reading and adjusting, ad reading and editing, but the law of diminishing returns means that I would be wasting my time. I have simply got too much else going on in the next week to spend additional time on this. How good is it, well good enough, and I'll accept the mark and move on.

Firstly, try and get ahead on the next room which is going to be a real challenge. Whereas Representation and Legitimacy was interesting and relevant, I think I will have difficulty engaging fully with the next Room and the political rights of animals.

Secondly, I have anther project on the go which requires a lot of time and rewriting, I will devote tomorrow to that.

Thirdly, family visiting this week, make time for them.

Fourthly, extension progressing, furniture and flooring to be sourced.

I will re-read it tonight for spelling error and then it is gone.......

DD306 : Living Political Ideas - Great start to TMA02 - Pt 2

Ah, the dissection of Dahl and Madison did not go well. Couldn't get a thread of legitimacy from Madison, which is a shame as he has a lot to say and was well covered in the on-line texts and exercises, but I just wasn't feeling it from him.

Machiavelli on the other hand practically writes itself. It won't be particularly original as I think it has all been covered before, but Machiavelli makes many points on legitimacy, and makes them well.

So, I am now committed to Machiavelli and Dahl, and currently at 1800 odd words, which is a real surprise as I still have the summary and conclusion to write.

This will be done by end of play Monday and will be my earliest ever TMA submission..... maybe :-)

DD306 : Living Political Ideas - Great start to TMA02

So, spent most of this afternoon devoted to TMA02.

Introduction and definition of legitimacy covered, and covered very well. Maybe too well.

Anyway, that's 25% of TMA completed, hopefully this will be cracked by end of play on Monday.

So, now to dissect Dahl and Madison.

DD306 : Living Political Ideas - Second Online Tutorial

Another useful online tutorial this week, and it will certainly help me sort the wheat from the chaff for the forthcoming TMA.

Luckily, I have been able to take a days holiday(TOIL) in respect of travelling last week and hope that this will allow me to break the back of the TMA this coming Monday, as the coming week is another nightmare of evenings committed to other interests and then family birthdays at the weekend, so this is looking like another rushed TMA one way or another. But if I can replicate the mark I got on the last one that would be absolutely fine.

DD306 : Living Political Ideas - Week 6

• Room 1: Representing the PeopleRepeat

  
  
• Week 3: A Crisis of Representation?

The second tutorial this weekend and again another very interesting and enjoyable couple of hours talking politics.

I am away from home this coming week and with little chance of getting on local internet I looked at OU Anywhere and have downloaded all of the course videos to my iPad which should make keeping up with the course a lot easier.

DD306 : Living Political Ideas - Week 4

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  Room 1: Representing the PeopleURL

  
  
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  Room 1 direct accessURL

  
  
• Week 1: Political Leadership and the People

Events

• Assignment: TMA 01 (cut-off date 26 Oct)

I keep mis-reading this weeks title as 'resenting the people', I must be looking at things from a politicians point of view.

This will not be happening this weekend, TMA01 to finish plus NFL UK to attend.....

I need to find my study mojo fast........