BLOG ENTRY FOR TUESDAY 22ND JULY

After a long break from blogging, due to holiday, I have had the luxury of reviewing and revising my work after a signifcant break from it. It is always useful to put aside any piece of writing for at least two or three days before giving it a final proof reading. However as my draft still needs a lot of work, this time away gave me a chance to reflect on the purpose and key arguments explored in this literature review and I have therefore made some different choices about the form, order and content of this review. I feel that it is taking some shape now and after a further two or three revisions, I will have a more final version. As always, any comments or questions about this revised work will be welcomed.

BLOG ENTRY FOR WEDNESDAY 14TH MAY 2008

This week I have rewritten this literature review. I have attempted to show the process of rethinking which I’ve engaged with and I’ve also tried to show that rewriting is a messy process, which it certainly is here. Have re-read this literature review now, it seems somewhat disjointed and there are lapses in some of my thinking. This is always the case with first drafts of my writing as it tends to take me several attempts to get my writing into good shape. But the process of writing academically can be seen as a struggle to sharpen thought and understanding. It is impossible for me to write perfectly in the first attempt – I need at least 4 or 4 goes.

Next week I will upload my latest rewriting which will include some reworking of the power of the text and other reading strategies useful to students. Any comments on these areas or any others, would be gratefully received!

BLOG ENTRY FOR SUNDAY 27TH APRIL 2008

I’ve now completed the first draft of my online literature review. Having had a chance to read it through, some of it appears to be disjointed and will require quite a lot of editing in the rewriting process. In my rewriting I tend to make changes to the whole so I can begin to get a sense of the argument that I’m making throughout, which in this case is as a socio-political activity embedded within a widening participation context. I have attempted to show how non-traditional students can find themselves outsiders to the university’s habitus, but will need to do more work on this to make the argument structure stronger.

I would welcome suggestions from fellow bloggers of effective reading strategies they have utilised – please post comments as soon as possible!

BLOG ENTRY FOR FRIDAY 18th APRIL

This week I finished off adding the QOOQRRR reading strategy. I have decided that I need to draw on further reading models from a wider variety of literature than I had initially considered. Therefore, next week’s submission will cover 2-3 other methods of reading. However, the models I use are open to negotiation – if any bloggers out there have any suggestions for useful reading models, please let me know!

The problem I am going to have with this literature is the word count, which I am in danger of exceeding already. My approach will be to finish the initial write up and then start editing and making sounds links between each section as some of them appear a bit disjointed. Any suggestions from fellow bloggers on making links between sections and any areas that could be edited will be well received!

BLOG REFLECTION FOR APRIL 11th 2008

This week I have attempted to re-structure some of the literature review so that the relevant blog reflection links are under the corresponding writing – I hope this makes it easier to navigate. Any comments on the current structure would be gratefully received. I’ve also added in a draft bibliography which still needs a few references added to it but is largely in place. Finally, in terms of writing, I’ve looked at one of the key reading strategies, in an attempt to highlight the extent to which this sort of strategy can be empowering for both non-traditional and traditional students. Whilst this sort of method can seem perhaps mechanical, I’ve argued that it can be a way in for students who are less confident in their academic writing; after all, the quality of the reading and subsequent note making tends to impact on the quality of academic writing. Next week I intend to finish off the first draft and then turn my attention to the re-writing process. Any comments or questions would be very helpful.

BLOG REFLECTION FOR APRIL 2ND 2008

A key point that was raised by Joelle, was that my writing in this literature review has been in a linear style. I think this is really important as it reflects my own shortcomings about a) my preference for presenting more polished writing and b) my penchant for undertaking drafts using old fashioned pen and paper… not an ideal approach for undertaking an online literature review I hear you murmur! However, despite these limitations, I have attempted to be reflexive about them and to try and present my work in its most foetal stages. Next week or at the latest by the week after, I intend to finish my first draft and will then undertake the process of re-writing, which I hope will illuminate the extent to which my thinking has evolved throughout this process, partly due to the reading I have undertaken and largely due to all of your comments. You should certainly start to see your ideas incorporated in the rewriting process. As for writing in linear fashion, it’s something I naturally have tended to do.

BLOG REFLECTION FOR FRIDAY 7TH MARCH 2008

This week I have attempted to consider the role of coursework in this literature review, arguing that non-traditional students, with their responsibilities outside of university, can struggle with the levels of reading that universities tend to require, largely because of an unacknowledged paradigm shift towards coursework. It seems to me that if non-traditional students as well as traditional students can utilise practical study skills, then it can help them critically engage with their work more quickly.

I have often found that the hard part about studying is getting started and that if I can just have a method, it will allow me to get going. I may well change what I do – which is also an important point – but I still need a starting point. Being a flexible learner, and have a variety of study skill resources as part of your academic tool kit is perhaps the most practical and useful advice we, as tutors or fellow students, can give.

Comments?

BLOG REFLECTION FOR THURSDAY 28TH FEBRUARY 2008

This week I have attempted to think about the ways in which non-traditional students are positioned by their text books. Drawing on Foucault’s notion of discourse, I’ve attempted to begin unpacking the power relationships between the student and the text, highlighting how non traditional students tend to be subordinate to the text.

You will notice that in this text I have a reference I need to check up on. A good tip when you are in the flow of your writing is to make notes like this and to check up on references afterwards so you don’t lose your focus. It’s a minor point, but worth sharing!

In reply to a request from Sandra for a brief biography I’ve provided a very small snapshot of whom I am and why I’m writing. I hope this allows you to contextualise my work!

BLOG REFLECTION FOR FRIDAY 22ND FEBRUARY 2008

This week I’ve attempted to start the rewriting process and have taken the theoretical concepts as my starting point for this. I wanted to evolve the writing on the basis of further reading I’ve undertaken in the area of Bourdieu. The writing process is constantly evolving, and I would argue that only by writing, critically reading the writing, reflecting on the writing and then rewriting can you get a sense of any gaps in the writing. Although quite a bit of my second attempt remains unchanged, I have attempted to sharpen up my theoretical focus. Next week I move on to consider the next two headings; the power of the text and the role of coursework.

Fellow bloggers – comments and /or questions on the rewriting process are welcomed.

BLOG REFLECTION FOR FEBRUARY 14TH 2008

This week I have attempted to define who non-traditional students are and the ways in which they can be affected by widening participation policy. This is turn raises the question of study skills; if universities are tending to recruit more non-traditional students, those who perhaps do not possess the necessary cultural capital to achieve their full potential at university, then it seems probable that their study skills (of which reading is key) will need to be developed. Now that I have my first three headings written, in draft form at least, I can start to review and amend and consequently refine my paper. The process of writing a first draft, whilst often painful (and this was no exception!) has provided me with a basis from which to improve – watch this space!

BLOG REFLECTION FEBRUARY 2008

This week I’ve attempted to start the writing process around my key concepts and policy backdrop. I’ve used the key theoretical concepts outlined in this essay before, so am familiar with them and consequently, my writing may seem quite polished. However, I intend to rewrite these sections as the weeks go on and my thinking evolves. I often find it difficult to start something new, and therefore I may take small chunks of writing from related and good quality pieces writing that I have previously undertaken in order to avoid staring at a blank page. I find it much easier, when getting started on something new, to evolve an existing piece of work, than to start again from scratch. Perhaps that explains why to some extent I see writing as a sort of jigsaw puzzle, which just needs the right pieces slotted into the appropriate places and then it will work.

Fellow bloggers – please comment on key policies that you think may be more relevant to this writing than widening participation policy. However, if you think widening participation policy is relevant at this time, then please say so!

REFLECTION ON A STRUCTURE – BLOG ENTRY JANUARY 08

REFLECTION ON A STRUCTURE – BLOG ENTRY JANUARY 08

This is my first attempt at a structure for my reading literature review. I am particularly interested to see how much of this remains unchanged by the time the final draft of this paper is completed. Despite the fact that this is a draft, a work in progress, getting a robust structure in place early on is incredibly useful. Not only does a structure such as this provide a way of organizing the writing, it also allows the writer to consider and reflect on their overarching argument. By considering from the outset what the key argument informing the writing is, it can offer a well developed, cohesive final text.

The next step I intend to take on this literature review is the introduction, which I hope will develop further my key aims for this paper. More often than not I tend to do the introduction last – that way it writes itself. However, in the interests of the literature review being slightly neater, I’ve decided to attempt to start with the introduction and run chronologically through the work. Despite this attempt, I suspect there will be lots of gaps as it will only be at the end of the process when I can really finish this.

Fellow bloggers, any comments or questions about the structure so far would be greatly appreciated!