Tutorial 3 Handouts Size: 243.85 kB – File type: pdf

Rough tutorial timetable:

7.00-7.30 Issues with Methodology and feedback on TMA03

7.30-7.45 Planning for the exam

7.45-8.15 Troublesome teenagers

8.15-8.45 The development of language

8.45-9.00 Thinking about Book 4!

Option 1
It is sometimes claimed that parents are the primary cause of disturbed and disturbing behaviour in their children. Discuss evidence for and against this claim.
This is a quite straight question as it is obvious what you are being asked to do. Also because it is a “discuss” question you do not have to come down on one side of the argument or the other. However, in structuring your essay you may well find it easier to do so. That’s because you will create a more clear and coherent argument – if you “sit on the fence” because you can see both sides of the argument you are less likely to be able to construct a well reasoned essay.

Option 2
How has attachment theory been used to account for differences in the development of social relationships?
This essay leaves the door wide open for you to say what you like – there is a great deal of scope in a “how” question. Providing you explain how attachment theory does explain the differences in the development of social relationships it doesn’t matter very much which aspects of the course materials you choose to back up your argument. Clearly, there are some central themes, but your choice of evidence and supporting studies could be different to anyone else who answers this question. There is no “right way” to answer this question as long as you do exactly that, you do answer it. At the end of the essay I should be in no doubt as to “how” attachment theory explains the differences.

Please bring to the tutorial the following course materials:

• Book 2, Children’s Personal and Social Development
• The TMA03 materials from the ED209 website

Rough tutorial timetable:

7.00-7.15 Feedback on TMA02

7.15-7.45 Child care and attachment

7.45-8.15 Disturbed social development

8.15-9.00 The importance of play

Tutorial 2 Handouts Size: 302.42 kB – File type: pdf

But be warned – this is a different kind of TMA. For a start it is not an essay. Instead you are required to answer 9 questions based on the description of a small study, which you will find in the Assessment Resources of the ED209 website.

Look at the number of marks provided for each question – that suggests how much effort and how many words you should put into each question relative to another. So if one question is worth 5 marks and another is worth 15 it implies you are expected to write three times as much for the 15 mark question as for the one given 5 marks.

You DO NOT need to provide references but you DO NEED to make sure you have read the relevant sections of the Methods and Skills Handbook thoroughly..! And to remind you they are sections 1,2,3,6 and 7.

Tutorial 1 Handouts Size: 281.94 kB – File type: pdf

Please bring to the tutorial the following course materials:

• Book 1: Psychological Development and Early Childhood
• The Assignment Materials for TMA02 (downloaded from ED209 website)

Rough tutorial timetable:

7.00-7.15 Feedback on TMA01.

7.15-7.45 Temperament

7.45-8.15 Relationships

8.15-8.45 Genetics

8.45-9.00 How to answer TMA02 effectively.

The first TMA is an essay which should be no less than 1,500 words and no more than 2,000 words. People who write nearer the maximum number of words tend to get higher marks.

Quotations
AVOID direct quotations. They do not show me how well you understand something, only that you can copy…! And copying is not a degree level skill….! Also, quotations make plagiarism more possible and there are severe penalties for such behaviour. If you do not use quotations, you are much less likely to be able to plagiarise. Also, when you write in your own words, rather than someone else’s you are much more likely to get higher marks. So, there are three good reasons NOT TO QUOTE.

References
Yes, I know you will have used different referencing styles in other courses or at school or a previous university. Tough…! You will be marked according to the referencing style in place on THIS COURSE. So, please make sure you have checked how referencing should be done on ED209. Don’t assume you know, because you have done another OU or psychology course – the rules may be different.  You will find the rules for ED209 in Section 4.3 of the Methods and Skills Handbook.

Option 1
To what extent do the ‘grand theories’ discussed in Book 1, Chapter 2 take account of the role of social experiences in child development?
Read the notes in the Assessment Guide and for this particular option. In addition please note this is a “to what extent” question. That means you need to provide evidence which shows that the grand theories DO take account of social experiences as well as evidence which shows that the theories DO NOT do this. Then you must sit in judgement and say whether the balance of the evidence is towards one end of the spectrum or the other. DO NOT SIT ON THE FENCE..! You will get higher marks if you say that “the extent” is one-sided.

Option 2
Review the evidence that infants are born with visual preferences and consider how such preferences can equip them to process stimuli that they encounter in the world.
Read the notes in the Assessment Guide for this option. In addition note that the first part of the question is asking you to “review” the evidence. This means you must have an opinion on it – much the same as you would if you were asked to write a play or film review. But this is an academic essay so your review cannot be opinion alone – your viewpoint needs to be backed with supporting evidence for your case. Also, this is a two-part question. The second part is only a “consider” question, so this means you cannot do as much in-depth analysis when you are only considering things. When a part of question signals not much analysis, it means it is the least important part of the question. This means that part one, the review, should be the main part of your essay.