Preparing for EMA (AA100)
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This document provides tips for writing an excellent extended marked assignment (EMA). It outlines five key elements needed: an answer, argument, evidence, structure, and references. For each element, it offers detailed guidance on how to effectively address that component of the EMA. Specific tips are provided on developing an argument, choosing and analyzing evidence, structuring the work, and properly citing sources. The document emphasizes answering the assigned question, building a strong logical argument, using high-quality relevant evidence, and crediting all sources.
Preparing for EMA (AA100)
- 1. The last one! Crawley, 14 September 2012
- 2. Aims of Session • Write a brilliant EMA.
- 3. 5 ways to smash it – you need: 1. An answer. 2. An argument. 3. Evidence 4. Structure. 5. References.
- 4. 1. Answer the question • What is the question? • Where are the boundaries? • What is out of scope? • What is relevant? • Where do you need to start? • What can you take as read?? • What is your answer to the question?
- 5. 2. Build a strong argument
- 7. 3. Provide strong evidence • Examples. • Illustrations. • Relevant to your answer to the question. • Analysed fully. • Integrated into your argument.
- 8. Choose your examples with care
- 9. Questions • Is it the best example there is? • Does it make your point? • Does it fit with the big picture? • Have you interrogated it? • Have you analysed it fully? • Does it present any contradictions? • Have you explored these?
- 10. Have you provided the context?
- 11. Critical Thinking Critical thinking means not papering over the cracks. • Interrogate your sources. • Find any contradictions. • Explore any potential counter-arguments (which you may or may not be able to refute). • Celebrate complexity – don't ignore it. • Don't expect to provide resolution.
- 13. 4. Structure your work well. • Beginning – tell ‘em what you’re going to tell ‘em • Middle – tell’ em • End – tell ‘em what you told ‘em
- 14. Introductions – tell’ em what you’re going to tell ‘em An good introduction will definitely: • give an overview of your answer; • present your central idea. Might: • explain how you will interpret the title; • give your reasons for answering in a particular way; • introduce the questions the EMA will be addressing. Could: • make a bold statement that the rest of the essay will justify. (higher risk strategy)
- 15. The intros round • From reading a good introduction you will know: a) how the author is going to answer the question; b) what the rest of the essay will contain. • Read the following introductions. • Write down: i. the question; ii. what the rest of the essay will contain; iii. the conclusion.
- 16. Would Aristotle have found anything to value in a seaside holiday? This essay will discuss and explore how Aristotle might value a seaside holiday, by examining his philosophy on leisure and comparing and contrasting this with the thoughts of Epicurus, his fellow philosopher, who disagreed with him on what human beings are and how leisure should be enjoyed and what value it had to life. The values of seaside holidays in both ancient and modern times will also be discussed.
- 17. ‘The seaside is a place of escape from the restrictions of everyday life’. How far do the depictions of the seaside presented in the course materials reflect this view? Discuss with reference to two or three specific examples, choosing a different genre for each example from: art, music, photography and film The seaside has long been regarded as a place to ‘break free’ from the ‘confinement or control’ (Soanes, and Stevenson, 2008, p. 486) of everyday life. There is something captivating about walking on the sands, swimming in the sea and breathing the invigorating air that has drawn visitors to the seaside for many years. In fact ‘by 1900’, the seaside had become ‘the place to spend a holiday’ (Resort history, 2009). For the majority of people, everyday life (especially everyday working life), was full of restrictions. People were expected to wear specific types of clothes, act in specific ways, associate with specific kinds of people (depending on their ranking in society), and the working class especially would have had very little leisure time within their normal day to day lives. Although the seaside had its own ‘expectations of behaviour’ (Faire, 2008, p. 136), such as expectations of dress, people did not view it as being as burdensome as the restrictions of everyday life. This essay considers how two genres, art and music, reflect the view that seaside is a place of escape
- 18. There is no such thing as ‘sacred space’ – there are only places to which different people ascribe different values’. Discuss with reference to at least two examples. A sacred space may be a feature of the natural landscape or something that has been constructed by man; it may be something very old or something quite modern; the important thing is that for at least one person – and most frequently for a group of people it is regarded as special and is revered and treated possible in a religious way. As Matthew Clements, the custodian of Glastonbury Abbey stresses on the course DVD ‘Sacred Spaces and Landscapes’ it is the individual’s response to a place which determines whether they consider it sacred. The definition of sacred space has caused debate and disagreement among scholars for many years. The work of some of these scholars will first be discussed to gain support for and against the view that a place can be inherently sacred. The debate will be illustrated by making specific references to two sites, Glastonbury and Milton Keynes, but mention will be made of other places discussed in Book Four of the course and also some perhaps less expected venues. In this way it is hoped to either endorse or reject the premise that there is no such thing as a ‘sacred space’.
- 19. How has the character of the seaside holiday changed? Today, when we think of a seaside holiday many of us have certain expectations of what will make it a pleasant and enjoyable experience. Some people nostalgically return to the same place time after time, enjoying a tradition that generations of their family have enjoyed before them.
- 20. How has the character of the seaside holiday changed? The change in character of the British seaside resort, from its creation, to modern times reflects the continual change that has taken place within British society. The British seaside resort has adapted to meet the needs of its changing clientele. This essay looks at the wider changes taking place in the country which have affected the character of the resort, including the industrial revolution and the world wars. In many ways the resort has mirrored developments taking place in society and in other ways it has been a forerunner to change which has ended up influencing society as a whole.
- 21. Connect 4
- 22. ECA 08J 'The seaside has always been regarded as a place of fun.' Do you agree with this statement? Discuss using two or three examples.
- 23. Conclusions • Summarise answer to the question as indictated in the introduction • Refer back to question title to show it has been answered • Give a sense of an ending • Point out what TMA has answered and not answered • Show you've done what you said you'd do • Put forward your view in light of the evidence you've presented
- 24. Beside the seaside, beside the sea . . . What would your conclusion be?
- 25. 5. Credit your sources
- 26. Reference: • Every time you quote • Every time you paraphrase • Whenever you have used ideas that did not originate in your head.
- 27. How to reference: in text • (Author, date, page), e.g. (Brunton, 2008, p.34). • More than one page is pp. 34-36. • Get this right. • It isn’t hard. • If in doubt check the Assignment booklet • Do not guess. • It will not be OK. • It does really matter. • Don’t make it up.
- 29. How to reference: bibliography • Author of chapter, (date), ‘title of chapter’, in Name of editor, Title of Book, place of publication, publisher, pages of whole chapter. • Chant, C. (2008) ‘Technology and the Seaside: Blackpool and Benidorm’, in Brunton (ed.) Place and Leisure (AA100 Book 4), Milton Keynes, The Open University, pp..
- 31. Are you really there yet?
- 32. The review • Does it have a central idea? Is this idea apparent or do you have to ‘search’ for it? Is the central idea clear enough for you to restate in a different way? • Does it raise questions which it doesn’t answer? • Does it convey a sense of an argument developing? • Do point, both within and beyond paragraphs, seem to follow logically? Does the whole piece hang together?
- 33. The review continued . . . • Why is a particular piece of information in the essay? What work is it doing for expressing the ideas of the assignment? • Can you understand what is written? If not can you see why? Does the writer’s use of subject terminology seem clear and confident? • Does the introduction seem helpful as a signpost for the whole piece? • Does it have a satisfying ending? • Does the ending in particular and the piece as a whole answer the question set? How do you know? Has the writer referred to the question clearly and explicitly?
- 34. Key questions • Does this example work? • Is this idea clear? • It there too much/not enough evidence? • Is it too personal? • Is the English OK? • Have you addressed all the elements of the marking scale?
- 35. Other stuff • Referencing – your bible is the TMA booklet. • Reference everything – to the point of obsession. • More than 2,200 words will lose you marks – don't do it! • Focus on the course materials – don't be seduced by other stuff (no matter how tempting). • Submit by 12 NOON
- 36. Jennie Osborn
Editor's Notes
- #5: Elevator pitch.
- #17: Title: Paragraphs: ? Conclusion: In conclusion I would claim that Aristotle would have found some value in earlier seaside holidays and little to value in modern ones.
- #18: Q: ‘The seaside is a place of escape from the restrictions of everyday life’. How far do the depictions of the seaside presented in the course materials reflect this view? Discuss with reference to two or three specific examples, choosing a different genre for each example from: art, music, photography and film. Paras? Conclusion: In summary, the consideration of Frith’s painting Life at the Seaside: Ramsgate Sands , and of the song ‘Oh! I do like to be beside the seaside’, has substantiated the view that the ‘seaside is a place of escape’. The seaside enables popele to take delight in the simple pleasures of life – sitting, reading, strolling, enjoying music – pleasures that the demands and restrictions of eeryday life most often do not allow time for. Although there were rules of appropriate ‘seaside behaviour’ (AA100 Assignment Book, 2010, p. 39) – for example one was expected to ‘dress up’ for the beach – people did not view them as restrictive when coupled with the sand and sea air. Frith’s seaside representation includes such careful characterization of figures, the ‘engaged’ spectator of the ‘Victorian social scene’ (Harrison, 2008, p. 128) is virutally invited to ‘weave entertaining stories’ (ibid.) around the mini scenes depicted. The musical devices in ‘Oh! I do like to be beside the seaside’ helped make this ‘communal song’ (Herbert, 2008, p.108) an instant success. The simple verse/chorus structure, with its foot-tapping rhythm, invites interactive involvement from the audience, such that it has become almost an ‘anthem’ (ibid., p. 106) for the British seaside resort. Although the genres considered in this essay are from the nineteenth century and early twentieth century, many of their depictions of the seaside still hold true today. One thing certainly has not changed – people still ‘like to be Beside the seaside’ (0’43”) – as much as they ever did.
- #19: Question: ‘There is no such thing as ‘sacred space’ – there are only places to which different people ascribe different values’. Discuss with reference to at least two examples drawn from the course materials. Conclusion: In conclusion it is difficult to say there is no such thing as sacred space. Sacred space is a very complex term and its attribution is more often subjective rather than objective. For a large proportion of people certain places do hold a very strong attraction. It is, however, often because of what has been constructed by people and what has been done within the space, the rituals for example and to an extent the oral tradition and the myths which have grown up around them which have created the sacredness. It is very relevant to this discussion to note Eliade’s view is less persuasive since it contains a statemetn of faith rather than being a pure academic argument. On balance, therefore, it is probable that most spaces and places are not inherently sacred but only become sacred as a result of human intervention and the values that people ascribe to them.
- #20: Question: How has the character of the seaside holiday changed? Conclusion: Likewise with continuing global warming and its associated melting of the polar ice-caps, causing a predicted rise in sea level, will there be a seaside left for future generations to enjoy?
- #21: Question: How has the character of the seaside holiday changed? Conclusion: Technology increased the choices and opportunities available to ordinary people after the onset of the industrial revolution. As technology progressed the choices available for people increased within the British resort and outside. The character of the seaside resort went from a health driven character to one of fun and escapism from the working life. It went from an elusive character to a place that became accessible for all. Its accessibility eventually led to a decrease of popularity in the last quarter of the twentieth century as people began to desire more exotic and adventurous holidays. Many resorts also struggled to recover after their closure during hte second world war. A current example of this decline is the neglect of many of our Victorian piers, once seen as exciting and entertaining. For example Hastings Pier ‘the once bustling attraction has lay shut amid lengthy legal ranglings and years of inactivity on the part of the owners’. British seaside resorts though are resilient in character and it is their ability to respond to the needs of the public within a changing society that enables them to still remain in the 21 st century.