Myerscough Foudation degree pre entry help

[jimmyp]

Hi there,

 

So straight into it, I have been given a pre entry test for the online foundation degree. Now my subject is a 2000 word report describing the most significant anatomical structures and mechanisms by which trees defend themselves against damage by both living organisms and non living organisms.

 

Now to the problem, I have 10 days to complete this in and they have not given me and reading lists at all. Plus once I down loaded the course information and looked at the reading list for the module that would be most applicable for this report it turns about all the books are £40 plus and so are the journals. So with that in mind does any one here have a good sources for information on this subject?

 

I don't mind buying some books for this but I will need about 10 sources and that adds up real quick. Any help on this would be amazing guys.

 

All the best.

 

Jimmy

[Paul Barton]

Search the online journals from the International Society of Arboriculture http://joa.isa-arbor.com

 

Other than that, use Google Scholar to search for available online papers. Don't use Wikipedia, or at least don't list it in your references!

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Arbtalk

[Andrew Gale]

The AA have their journals on line, visit http://www.trees.org.uk; they're a bit of a fiddle to find but stay with it and you should be OK.

[Triassic]

So you have to write a 2000 word report describing the most significant anatomical structures and mechanisms by which trees defend themselves against damage by both living organisms and non living organisms.

 

Can I suggest you start with Google and keep things simple to start with, try a search for "trees defend themselves" this will bring up a variety of users which you can sort into structures and mechanisums. Structures are the thick bark, mechanisms are bitter sap.

[10 Bears]

Jimmy - a word from someone who has the T-shirt. They are not looking for top A grade academic research here. Part of the challenge you have been set is that as a 'novice academic' you have been asked to do something i.e. write an assignment, on a subject that you will be expected to cover in the course.

 

The point is, they do not expect it to be perfect as you have not studied the subject at length yet - but you are to demonstrate that you can handle the task and produce something that looks like an essay, even if as it turns out, that it needs a lot of work.

 

My advice in addition to the above, is to also include diagrams or models that relate to the words that you put in your assignment, and if you can, get out with a camera and take a few pictures that also supports your assignment and include them. This shows that you can take the info from the books, go outside and recognise what you have been reading about. Its not a matter of regurgitating the information, but reading several sources, making sense of it, and applying it in context in the form of a reasoned discussion.

 

If you choose to use them, you don't have to reference your pictures e.g. (Jimmy, 2014) unless you have actually published them - which I guess you wont have. Also, on referencing, give Harvard a go as this will earn brownie points. Plenty of Harvard resources online.

 

Best of luck.

[Gnarlyoak]

Now I might be wrong, but I think parts of the campus may still be open during the summer hols, including the library. Trying calling first to make sure.

 

So if you live near enough to make a trip to the college, it could be worth going along and using the resources there. Take your paperwork with you and explain to the staff in the library why your there and I'm sure they will be accommodating. Until your accepted as student you won't be allowed to borrow any of the books, but they do have a photocopier available!! Of course this does breach copyright, and I'm not encouraging you to be a naughty boy, but no one will stop you....

 

I know this from experience, as many moons ago I was in the same position and its exactly what I did. Though my assignment was on a different subject.

 

Good luck with it mate. Sadly although I was accepted onto the course, the first year went well but I crashed and burned in the 2nd year, as I just couldn't devote the necessary amount of time required to keep up with it all.

[john k]

Sounds like a pretty steep start!

 

There's a good run down of Harvard referencing here:

 

http://libweb.anglia.ac.uk/referencing/files/Harvard_referencing_2013.pdf

 

It's not difficult but does take a bit of getting used to. You'll need to use it on the course so may as well hit the ground running.

[john k]

When you're searching you'll probably find loads of articles where you can only get the abstract because you don't have a subscription. There's often useful information just in the abstract, and you can just reference the article as normal.

 

Whilst a bit of cynical referencing is OK, don't be tempted to cut and paste anything as plagiarism is a big deal these days and your essay will probably be put through an online checking system like Turnitin.

 

Good luck!

[jimmyp]

Thanks for the replies, some really helpful stuff here.

 

Luckily I got rained off today so lots of studying and writing. I will het a few books to complement what i find online now.

 

But thanks again for all the sound advice. Time to hit the books hard!!!!

[martwizz]

Like it was mentioned above, they aren't expecting a fully fleshed scientific paper. Do some internet research, try to get a couple of references from papers or books (search with google scholar) and just do your best.

 

Most of the entrants to the FDSc only have a National Diploma, which is equivalent to A-level, some don't even have that!