What do DD306 tutors expect from students (i.e. how to do well in your TMAs):

On content:
* This is not a course on facts - we want you to read all the material, but your mark is not based on how much you cite/quote, rather it is based on how well you USE the material to support YOUR OWN argument.
* We want to hear your voice in essays - what you are arguing, why, and how. The opinions/arguments of others are here to help you support your position. Use them, do not let them use you.
* In short, essays should not be literature reviews or pieces were you simply list what all theorists have said about the topic -- such essays quickly turn into "So and So says, however Mr X says. Also Ms Y implies. And then Mr W adds..." -- we are interested in what YOU have to say.
* The above points should not lead you to believe that you can get away with not reading/watching all the material - otherwise your answers might have quite obvious blind spots...

On structure:
* Essays should have a clear, and effective structure - rambling essays tend to say very little and waste a lot of words saying it.
* Introductions and conclusions are important - use the introduction to tell your reader what you are arguing and how, and the conclusion to remind your reader what you argued and how. Do not introduce new material in the conclusion.
* Each paragraph should have a point, if it doesn't or if the point is not related to the TMA question - delete the paragraph!

On style:
* Clarity of language is key - draft, re-draft and then edit and re-edit. Then put it away, sleep on it, and re-edit it once more. And then before submitting, read your essay out loud to yourself and you will be surprised to find that a lot still does not make sense - edit again!
* You MUST cite your sources properly. You will be penalized for not doing so.
* You must remain within 10% of the word limit or you will be penalized.

On contacting your tutor:
* We like teaching. We like you :) . We want to help you (really, we do! Sometimes help is painful, however...we will be honest with our marks). Please use our feedback and chat with us if you have any concerns. However, we also have a life, so please don't be offended if we don't instantly reply to every e-mail/phone call.

Overall:
* Have fun! The materials in this course are incredible, the topics fascinating, and learning is a pleasure and a luxury, so enjoy!