LIB-495 Liberal Arts Capstone TESC

[JohnnyHeck]

I want to take the guided study, as I understand this option doesn't require the forum interaction. I would think this makes it easier to work ahead and also allow me to focus on my own writing. On the flip side, I realize that the paper will be weighted more heavily if there is no forum discussion component. Is this an accurate understanding of the guided study/online liberal arts capstone?

As far as just the grading rubric is concerned, this is an accurate statement. However, please reread my other posts in this thread for an expanded understanding of other differences. Good luck!

[jawbreakingrr]

So glad I went back and reread this thread. I have been looking for info on the guided study mentors. Thank you!

Have you taken any OL courses at TESC / TESU? The student discussions aren't hard and are easy points towards your grade. Also, if you need help or are confused you can reach out to the other students besides the mentor.

[davewill]

Have you taken any OL courses at TESC / TESU? The student discussions aren't hard and are easy points towards your grade. Also, if you need help or are confused you can reach out to the other students besides the mentor.

I quite agree. I'm taking LIB495 right now. The discussion posts are 23% of the grade in this class and I've yet to get anything but 100% on a discussion post in any of my other classes.. BTW, the one GS course I took simply had more writing assignments to make up for the lack of discussions.

[ladylearner]

I quite agree. I'm taking LIB495 right now. The discussion posts are 23% of the grade in this class and I've yet to get anything but 100% on a discussion post in any of my other classes.. BTW, the one GS course I took simply had more writing assignments to make up for the lack of discussions.

In the online class, are you able to work ahead? I think I read that this is possible to do since the forum is open but I'm not certain and would also be curious if the forum is still helpful if you're not actively participating.

[davewill]

Working ahead is perfectly possible. The only problem you might have with working ahead is having to wait for some of your classmates to post so you can write the two required replies. Since replies are really easy, it would be no strain to do that. The other issue, which exists with Guided Study as well, is that the mentor might not grade your assignments until well after the actual due date. You might find yourself turning in multiple assignments before seeing how the first one was graded. Of course I've had that happen when I was turning things in on the due dates, too.

[ladylearner]

Is anyone else here taking the liberal arts capstone in February? I am planning to register tomorrow morning when I have all the money for both the enrollment and the class. I would like to enroll in guided study but will take the online class if that's the only thing that's available. I keep checking to make sure there are spots left in both.

[ladylearner]

I have officially signed up for the LIB-495 Guided Study with Dr. Casey Maugh. Let's see how this goes!

I am prepared to take time off from work to focus on this and I'm hoping to get access to the class a week or so before the class actually begins so I can get started. In the meantime I am getting my textbooks. This is happening, y'all!

[JohnnyHeck]

I have officially signed up for the LIB-495 Guided Study with Dr. Casey Maugh. Let's see how this goes!

I am prepared to take time off from work to focus on this and I'm hoping to get access to the class a week or so before the class actually begins so I can get started. In the meantime I am getting my textbooks. This is happening, y'all!

Congratulations, based on my experience you are very fortunate to have Dr. Casey. She is very specific in her feedback and des not mind email consulting. I also think your head start is a grand idea. Unfortunately, I don't believe you will have access to course materials and database links until your term officially starts. But if you get your NJ State Library "Card" (online application for TESC students) you can immediately start investigating the databases that you will want to use. The "Research of the Literature" is the most time consuming and difficult, especially if you have no prior experience in database research methods.

A second piece of advice is to keep your topic as narrow as possible as long as you can come up with 30+ references related to your "Question of Interest". But if your topic is too broad, your references will be too broad also. You've only got 12 weeks. No one can start from scratch and write a "real" thesis in this period of time. The objective of this course is just to expose you to the process. You don't really have to come up with an astounding new find, just a slightly different way of looking at something that is not already covered adequately (in you and your mentor's opinion) in the current literature.

I have attached my Syllabus from Aug2013, summary of Thesis process taken from the textbook, and a literature Search Record form also taken from the textbook

Good luck!

[toast iguana]

I'm taking it right now. I started Jan 4. My advice is to start thinking about topics now, and have a back up or two. And be careful what you choose.

[ladylearner]

Congratulations, based on my experience you are very fortunate to have Dr. Casey. She is very specific in her feedback and des not mind email consulting. I also think your head start is a grand idea. Unfortunately, I don't believe you will have access to course materials and database links until your term officially starts. But if you get your NJ State Library "Card" (online application for TESC students) you can immediately start investigating the databases that you will want to use. The "Research of the Literature" is the most time consuming and difficult, especially if you have no prior experience in database research methods.

A second piece of advice is to keep your topic as narrow as possible as long as you can come up with 30+ references related to your "Question of Interest". But if your topic is too broad, your references will be too broad also. You've only got 12 weeks. No one can start from scratch and write a "real" thesis in this period of time. The objective of this course is just to expose you to the process. You don't really have to come up with an astounding new find, just a slightly different way of looking at something that is not already covered adequately (in you and your mentor's opinion) in the current literature.

I have attached my Syllabus from Aug2013, summary of Thesis process taken from the textbook, and a literature Search Record form also taken from the textbook

Good luck!

Thank you...this is a tremendous help!