Analysing Politics

Sad Professor

I always seem to have at least one module that I let go completely by the wayside. And this semester it was this one.

How is everyone set for this? Does anyone have any tips, advice for the exam? I really haven't a clue where to start with it.

Sierra Oscar

How are you sorted for the grade going into the exam? 50% has been done already if I remember correctly.

Sad Professor

Yeah, the exam is only 50 percent. I never handed in the essay though which was worth 20 percent, so I need to do reasonably well on the exam. I'll be happy with just a pass in this module.

Thank god we have a choice of politics modules next year. I don't think I could endure anymore of these core modules.

antomorro-sei

I'm not even sure what'd gonna be on in the exam but I did well in the tutorials etc.

Got an A- for that essay. Delighted!!

Think I probably have around 33% before the exam so shouldn't be too bad at all.

Sierra Oscar

How about International Relations? . . . :eek:

TheVoodoo

Analyzing Pol, was IMO a lot easier than International Relations.
Granted, when i did AP, Jos Elkink was doing it, not Thomas, so i dunno if it's changed since. I remember him saying that once you knew about P value / Chi squares, you'd be able to at least pass the exam with a decent mark.

Have you looked at past papers? It's a lot easier than you'd think tbh.


IR is tougher, 'cos Tobias didn't put anything up online, and was very Vague.
Came out with an A in AP, and B- in IR.

Past papers really are the hint though. * Hint Hint * .

littlefriend

Sierra Oscar wrote: »

How about International Relations? . . . :eek:

Yeah I'm worried about that. Sattler gave good info/tips (for his section) in his last lecture. Tobias wasn't bad either but way more vague.

I'm going in to AP with A- which I'd like to keep if possible. Think I have a B going in to INRL but not confident about that one. Either way I've loads to do over the next few days. Over it.

Sierra Oscar

TheVoodoo wrote: »

Analyzing Pol, was IMO a lot easier than International Relations.
Granted, when i did AP, Jos Elkink was doing it, not Thomas, so i dunno if it's changed since. I remember him saying that once you knew about P value / Chi squares, you'd be able to at least pass the exam with a decent mark.

Have you looked at past papers? It's a lot easier than you'd think tbh.


IR is tougher, 'cos Tobias didn't put anything up online, and was very Vague.
Came out with an A in AP, and B- in IR.

Past papers really are the hint though. * Hint Hint * .

Its annoying that Tobias still doesn't put any of his material on BlackBoard . . .

Sad Professor

Ugh, I'm not even gonna think about IR just yet. I have two exams before then. I'll start worrying about it on Saturday.

Yeah, the lack of notes is really annoying. It's hard to listen in class because you are too busy scribbling everything down.

Sierra Oscar

Sad Professor wrote: »

Yeah, the lack of notes is really annoying. It's hard to listen in class because you are too busy scribbling everything down.

Yep, and a lot of people have openly said that over the years too. Very counter-productive, I think myself anyway . . .

Ill focus on AP tomorrow and Friday and worry about INRL Sunday and Monday. At least its on at 6PM.

Sad Professor

Is it? I thought it was 3pm?

EDIT: no wait, you're right, it's 6pm. Good thing you said that.

Offside

Feel like Tobias is just trying to catch people out by not putting anything on blackboard, annoying having to take down every single note in class! Have a B going into both politics, think Analysing will be okay if you have some sort of idea of the key terms and are good at a bit of waffle... or am I living in a dream world??
Worried bout international relations though, the last section is 2 questions no choice that Tobias said would be very specific, seems to be he's trying to catch us out again - it's luck unless you know absolutely everything! Also want to avoid Sattlers game theory stuff as I found it very confusing.

Sad Professor

Offside wrote: »

Feel like Tobias is just trying to catch people out by not putting anything on blackboard,

He said as much last year: he wanted to "reward" people who attended lectures. And I have to say, if you had the notes that exam was fairly easy. I'm not so well prepared this time though and the material is harder. However, it seems there's no negative marking on the multiple choice questions this year, so at least we will be able to guess.

Sierra Oscar

TheVoodoo wrote: »

Past papers really are the hint though. * Hint Hint * .

There is only one International Relations paper on SIS Web though, and its not structured the same as the upcoming exam.

littlefriend

They said past papers for INRL aren't relevant for Sattlers part and that we shouldn't really focus on them for Tobias part.

AP papers are really relevant. He went through them and sample answers in the last class.

TheVoodoo

Sierra Oscar wrote: »

There is only one International Relations paper on SIS Web though, and its not structured the same as the upcoming exam.

Did you change the code from INRL to POL?

Could have sworn there was more..

Sad Professor

Yeah, you need to type in the old code - POL20040. There's a note about this on Blackboard.

Sierra Oscar

Sad Professor wrote: »

Yeah, you need to type in the old code - POL20040. There's a note about this on Blackboard.

TheVoodoo wrote: »

Did you change the code from INRL to POL?

Could have sworn there was more..

Cheers got them now - still assuming we should not focus too heavily on them though as they are not entirely relevant this year?

TheVoodoo

Structure may not be as relevant for INRL, but the actual questions themselves will be a great guide. Tobias tends to reword and recycle. The content is pretty similar in most of his questions.

Offside

I'd say doing the past MCQs will help, he recycled a lot of them for IR last year.

littlefriend

When I try access the past papers (using POL20040) I get a message saying:
MCQ Exam Question Papers are not published.

Any idea what am I doing wrong?

Sad Professor

littlefriend wrote: »

When I try access the past papers (using POL20040) I get a message saying:
MCQ Exam Question Papers are not published.

Any idea what am I doing wrong?

It says that at the top of the page for me as well, but the exam papers should be below it. Is the page loading fully?

littlefriend

Sad Professor wrote: »

It says that at the top of the page for me as well, but the exam papers should be below it. Is the page loading fully?

Yeah seems to be loading ok but nothing comes up apart from telling me to email pastpapers@ucd - agh no interest in emailing them

thanks

unknown13

Is Tobias's module compulsory in 2nd year because I dont think I can hate any other lecturer as much as I hate him.

Sad Professor

Yeah, it's a core module.

Dublineese

Im so nervous about this AP exam...only goin into the exam with a B-, which Im not happy about. Our tutor was very poor, offered us very little guidance and was not very responsive to emails. But I suppose a B- is not too bad. From what I took from the last class, the past papers for this module are crucial. In fact I reckon it'll be pretty much the same, just reworded and stuff.

As for INRL I missed the last two lectures because of work. Typical. I enjoyed Tobias' part of the course so Im banking on that! Didnt get the game theory at all...

Sad Professor

Re: AP, did Sattler say anything about how much we should write for each question?

antomorro-sei

Dublineese wrote: »

Im so nervous about this AP exam...only goin into the exam with a B-, which Im not happy about.

A B- out of 50% is decent though to be fair.

antomorro-sei

Sad Professor wrote: »

Re: AP, did Sattler say anything about how much we should write for each question?

I've "a few paragraphs" written down in my copy. Wouldn't take that as gospel though, knowing my note taking abilities

littlefriend

oh God the thoughts of this. Yuck

antomorro-sei

littlefriend wrote: »

oh God the thoughts of this. Yuck

Likewise.

Majorly regret going to the pub last night now