DD306 - Living Political Lives - Final Project Score

My final project mark is an absolute disaster, and I don't understand what could have gone so wrong, but it has.

I've never had a TMA score or Exam score anywhere close to this low, so at present I am just a bit stunned.

Nothing I can do now, time to move on to something new.....

On the positive side, well done to everyone who finished their degree today, and congratulations to everyone who got what they wanted. It has been a long hard road, but completing a degree while contending with work, family and all that life throws at you is not easy - so time for reflection and celebration.

DD306 - Living Political,Lives : Well that's that then.

Well, that's that then.

Nearly seven years association with the OU is complete, I have submitted the final EMA.

I am not sure if I am ready for this. OU Student has been part of my identity for so long that I don't want to let go...... But I have no choice the journey has ended.

In the end th EMA was very stress free. 5 evenings writing, after a lot of preparation set up the basic EMA essay. I have then had two weeks relative stress free reflection to refine the essay.

I have to say, IF, and I emphasise, IF I have met the examiners question requirements I think I have nailed this.

I would like a distinction on this module, I was mark short on TMAs - but grade boundaries can shift, and I think this essay should certainly meet the absolute 70% requirement, but hopefully a lot more.

Well, I can do no more, except wait and hope I've done enough.

I believe will know by 19th July.......

DD306 - Living Political Ideas : TMA06 Marked and Returned

Tantalisingly close to a Pass 1, which makes my overall OCAS equally tantalisingly close to a Pass 1, but alas not.

Unfortunetly, no idea what the comments are as I can't open them on my mobile device.

I suspect that the overall course grade boundaries are a bit flexible so not the end of the world.

So, just the EMA to get marked.

DD306 - Living Political Lives : Disappointed? Just a bit.

TMA06 deadline is just 3 weeks before the EMA deadline.

I submitted TMA06 over a week early.

Tutor knows I am going on holiday.

But here we are a couple of hours before I head to the airport and still no TMA06 returned marked.

Its not that I expect, or want, special treatment, but you'd think that by submitting extremely early you'd both get nearer to the front of the marking queue and give the tutor extra time to mark. Some students already have their TMA06 back which gives them a huge advantage towards finishing the EMA over folk that get it back with only a week to go.

As I have never found a way to download, and then open and display, the feedback zip file to my ipad, I may know the mark some time in the next week or so, but reading the feedback will have to wait until the 29th May.

The phrases 'cutting it fine' and 'taking it to the wire' spring to mind.

DD306 - Living Political Ideas : The Final Leg

So, I have submitted an EMA.

I now have to prioritise my time...... And to be honest unless the mark for TMA06 is a disaster, I will probably prioritise my time canvassing for Labour over any adjustments to the EMA.

The leaked Labour manifesto is superb. Corbyn is taking us towards a country I want to live in where we look after those who are vunerable, the better off pay a bit more and we give everyone an equal chance and most importantly of all..... Hope.

Targeting loneliness in the elderly is so important, what other party has looked at that.

I think JC is going to peak at the right time, Mrs May and her auto-bot responses may have a fight on her hands.

Let our politics drift towards Scandinavia, not Trump's USA.

DD306 - Living Political Lives : The Last Leg (5)

F I N I S H E D ! ! ! !

OK, maybe not exactly, but very close.

4,420 words - so some slight editing to do.

My main worry now is have I answered the question they asked or a question I wanted to answer.

"The state as a solution to violence as a living political idea".

I have a good intro, definitions and living ideas.

I have a good set up / theoretical section on the state and violence.

I have examples of the state and violence and legitimacy.

I have a section using the case studies.

I have a conclusion

Why am I doubting myself.

I am going to edit 21 words out, call it submission v1 and send it.

Revisions to come after a period of reflection, the return of my TMA, some thinking time whe on holiday and a panicked 48 hours when I return.

If I submit now and get hit by a bus tomorrow - it will do.

But I think there is some twists ad turns to come - still the wife will be happy.

DD306 - Living Political Ideas : The Last Leg (4)

It could be writers block, but I wasn't really 'feeling it' tonight.

Still, moved the word count in the right direction by 500 words or so, sorted out both Nexis sources, the extra reading and the reference list - so not an entirely fruitless evening.

The problem is that its all been a bit full on lately and boredom is setting in.....

Hopefully, things will seem better tomorrow.

DD306 - Living Political Ideas : The Last Leg (3)

3,000 words.

.......... and most of them make sense.

Summary, Conclusion and tidy up to go in 1400 words.

The end is almost in sight.

DD306 - Living Political Lives - The Last Leg (2)

2,201 words, now, and going together fairly well

As a first draft I have......

• Intro                          : Done as much as I can, needs re-written once conclusion is finished.
• Definitions                : Pretty much complete
• How Ideas Live        : Pretty much complete
• State and Violence    : Pretty much complete
• State as a Solution     : Good start to this body of text - much to do though
• State as a Source       : Good start to this body of text - much to do though
• Summary                   : Not started
• Conclusion                : Not started

I have Mon, Tues and Wed to effectively get this completed in draft version - max 4,400 words plus all the references etc. as my wife has made it very clear I will not be studying on holiday.

Then Monday 29th and Tuesday 30th to edit, polish, change and submit.

No pressure then. 

DD306 - Living Political Lives - The Last Leg

Last every Open University tutorial today, and hopefully it will help toward the EMA.

At least it has galvanised me into action, and a reasonable start has been made, 950 words so far and some of it is pretty good.

Still, I just need to be better than 70%, and as every piece of written work has doe that so far, if I can put in the usual amount of effort this should be OK.

DD306 - Living Political Lives - EMA Last Minute Submission Rules

I have been reading the Online EMA Guidelines

Link here online-ema-guidelines.pdf

What has become clear to me (but check this for yourself) is...... we have until 23:59 on the 30th to submit the final version without penalty - and until 23:59 on the 31st but with a 10% points deduction.

MY Submission timetable:

• 29th May - submit whatever I have, in whatever state it is.
• 30th May - 11:30 - submit hopefully finished version of EMA.
• 30th May - 23:00 - after re-reading, checking and if necessary changing stuff - final submission at 23:00, BUY ONLY is there is not a message that a penalty will be occurred.

Section 3.2 Says......

3.2     Penalty for late submission

Work received late but within 24 hours of the midnight grace period will be accepted 

for assessment but will be subject to a mark penalty. The penalty is a 10% points 

reduction or to a bare-pass level whichever gives the higher score (for example, 

where 40 is a bare-pass, 59 becomes 49 with the penalty, 45 becomes 40, 35 is 

unchanged).

If you have already made a submission before the end of the grace period, and then 

attempt another submission during the penalty period, the eTMA system will warn you 

that this later submission will attract the penalty. You will have the option of not 

continuing with the later submission if you don’t want your score to be subject to the 

penalty. If you continue with the later submission then the penalty will apply.

Right, lets get to this essay........