“Producing the product”

1. Study weekend 2005 “Producing the product” Rosemary Gosling Director, LSE External Study 5th February 2005

2. Producing the Product • What is the product? • Short run - The individual examination for each subject • Medium run - The final degree • Long run - Realisation of your potential

3. Setting of examinations • Papers are set by chief and second examiners. They set these papers against:- • The syllabus • The subject guide • The essential readings/texts in the subject guides • Internal degrees • Past examination papers

4. The examination – marking! • For most examinations we only take ‘the product’ into account. The mark that you receive on your examination is the mark that counts! • We mark against: • The general mark scheme – you have copies of this • The particular mark scheme for the individual subject • Test against ‘Statute 66.2’ We mark to the same standard as for internal students.

5. Classification – Standard Entry • Foundation units are averaged – the weakest unit is discarded • All Further units count towards the degree • If you take four foundation units – the top three are averaged. • If you take five foundation units – the top two are averaged to produce ‘one mark’. The texts two marks are averaged to produce a second mark. • Five subjects at or above a particular class = class of degree

6. Classification – graduate entry • All units must be passed • Foundation units are averaged • Candidates must achieve five units in a particular class (or above) to be awarded a degree in that class.

7. The Production Process - Inputs • You • The Subject Guide • The reading • Your friends • Web resources • Study weekend • Examination papers and examiners’ reports • YANSA et al

8. WWW.YANSA.ORGFrank Wisselink

9. WWW.YANSA.ORG • You • Are • Not • Studying • Alone

10. How did it start? • Johnny Lüchau, a fellow student, started with Yansa out of frustration of studying alone. • As an individual, without the support of a local college, he wanted a way to get feedback from other students in a timely manner. • The board started slowly, but over the years it has gained momentum, and many members • Yansa is a student internet community: • Where students help each other to progress in their studies • It is free of charge, • Run solely by Johnny. • Registration process is strictly a formality (of the host) and the data is not used by Yansa in any way shape or form. • In the next few slides I give some examples how you can use: WWW.YANSA.ORG

11. How to find Yansa

12. What is on Yansa

13. Who is on Yansa? Students like you and me Lots of them are part time students yet full-time parents and employees Everybody tries to help out as quickly as they can yet: Sometimes we can have different priorities If you would like to be active on Yansa : Join us! We are looking for Moderators

14. Other activities of Yansonians We are an active bunch of students not sticking to the board only. Last year we organised: The September Study Kickoff Weekend in London @ LSE: Helping you to get started with your studies The December Progress Weekend in London @ LSE : Try to stick to study planning If you have any questions, join us on: www.yansa.org

15. The Production Process –Organising your timeLiz Wise

16. Production – for whom? An actor’s perspective - from Alex Grigor

17. Essay writing for exams • Why do we set you essays to write? • What are we testing for? • Knowledge? • Yes, but of what……….

18. Knowledge • You should have read and understood the material in the subject guides • You should have read the essential texts indicated in the guides • You should read some additional reading, especially on the areas of the syllabuses that you will concentrate on.

19. What you need to know • The Subject guides are guides only, they are not intended to provide all the course material. • Some guides are more extensive than others – Introduction to Economics, Managerial Economics and Introduction to Business and Management • The only guide which can be read on its own is Managerial Economics, provided that you have the right mathematical background

20. Therefore…… • The Knowledge you need: • The Subject guide • All the texts which are marked as essential • At least some more in depth reading from the additional texts • And as much as you can to support those areas which you intend to specialise.

21. Understanding! • How do you demonstrate that you understand the key readings? • First, never, ever learn an essay off by heart! • Secondly, answer the question and only use relevant material. • Thirdly, indicate to the examiners how you will tackle the question in the introduction • Fourthly, apply relevant examples • Fifthly, ensure that you demonstrate to the examiners that you understand the key concepts used and are aware of differences in the use of the concept

22. Application and Selectivity • You should know and understand the material and be able to select the most relevant material to support your arguments • We do not need know all that you know. We only need to know that you know how to choose from all you know and which theories and approaches to use. • We need to know that you can apply the right material in the right place! • Organise a hierarchy of the most important points and decide how many of these points, arguments you will make.

23. Argument • Very few essay titles will ask you to list information or to describe a theory or a process – you need to be able to do this for revision – but unless the essay question asks you to do this – DON’T. • Key words/phrases used in essay titles: Discuss; Analyse; evaluate; weigh up; do you agree?

24. Comparison • The function of a comparative essay is to test your knowledge and how you can apply this to other theories/explanations. • When you revise, create model for all the possible theories and explanations so that you can do this easily. • BEWARE – create your own model and don’t learn this off by heart!

25. Evaluation • These questions ask you for your opinion • Key words, evaluate, criticise, or statements which ask you to agree and disagree for example – “‘Marxist Theories have no relevance today’. Discuss.” • You will need ‘to know’ what the key problems/strengths of the theories, but you also need to be able to rank them in order of importance. Again please do not learn this list off by heart!

26. Describe This can be the most difficult type of question because you need to select the most relevant material and organise your essay so that it is not like a list

27. Creativity – you will be rewarded for creativity!

28. What is creativity ? Organising your essays to demonstrate that you can apply material from other areas of the syllabus; material from studies that you have read and material from other areas of your degree studies

29. Introductions to essays Like a road map tells the reader where they are going

30. They are like a menu • Front page – introduction to the restaurant

31. Name and type of Restaurant The dishes are listed with brief descriptions as to what they are The dishes come in the order that the diner has selected – the soup doesn’t come with the cheese, the pudding doesn’t come first! Locate the debate! The concepts/ terms used are operationalised You indicate to the examiner how you are going to answer the question. You do this in the most logical way and follow your ‘route map’ A Menu IntroductionsCompared

32. Some notes on structure • Please remember your audience – you are writing for someone. How do you want to be perceived? As: • Someone who is intelligent • Someone who can learn things by heart • Someone who enjoys playing with ideas • Someone who is bored • Someone who has understood the mind of the examiner

33. Locate… • Locate the debate, question, topic • Introduce yourself to the audience by indicating that you are aware of the subject area. • A) Who IS the audience? • B) Who are you? A candidate for the examination not a PhD Student!

34. Operationalise… Operationalise the key concepts. • In the question and indicate how you will use them in the answer 2) It may be necessary to indicate that there is a great deal of information. List it, and say that you will only choose some of the key factors. 3) Indicate how you will answer the question.

35. Q:“Outline a Marxist theory of social change” Outline the key features of a theory Key skills: Knowledge Understanding Selectivity Application Key Concept A Marxist Theory A Marxist Theory Note “a” – any one theory Social Change alterations in the culture, and social practices; in the social structure or of the economy

36. Locate the debate Q:“Outline a Marxist theory of social change” The dominance of Marxist theories in Social Sciences and the influence on many revolutionaries providing them with a blue print for action.

37. Q:“Outline a Marxist theory of social change” Key concepts Which Marxist theory? --- MARX, Althusser, Gramsci Social change – alteration of… Choosing key areas? Which are… Now right down the key points Which will you select for your answer The structure of the essay indicates the subject matter for each paragraph.

38. Q:“Outline a Marxist theory of social change” Key points • Evolutionary Theory – progress narrative • PRAXIS • Materialism – historical/technological • Class action • UTOPIA • MACRO theory • Functions of the State • Globalisation • … more…….

39. Coherence • Your essay should not give the examiner indigestion! • Therefore each paragraph should either lead on from the previous paragraph or pose an alternative. • Each paragraph should be self contained. • Where relevant criticisms and counter criticisms should be included within the paragraph. • The conclusion should never introduce any new material.

40. Q:“Compare and contrast a Marxist and a Weberian account of the development of capitalism.” Compare - how alike are they? Contrast - how different are they? Marxist - any Marxist theory (including Marx) Weberian - any Weberian theory (including Weber) Development - how has it progressed over time?

41. Q:“Compare and contrast a Marxist and a Weberian account of the development of capitalism.” Compare - how alike are they? Contrast - how different are they? Marxist - any Marxist theory (including Marx) Weberian - any Weberian theory (including Weber) Development - how has has something progressed over time? Capitalism - “a problem concept” How does a Marxist operationalise Capitalism?– how does a Weberian operationalise Capitalism?

42. Questions…?