Grade

I enjoy telling when things go well, and seeing as I today received my grade for my Understanding Crime essay (on Developmental Life-Course Theories), I feel like I have some ground for thinking things are going well.

I received a Distinction, which I hadn't entirely anticipated seeing as I found this essay the most difficult to write - I'd expected a Merit at the very best. So I'm happy.

Some of the negatives include a fairly short conclusion which did "not do full justice to [my] argument"; I should not have used subheadings, and I should have included some of the information of my second section in my introduction instead to make the importance of the point I was arguing clearer. Also, I did not entirely adhere to referencing standards (I blame RefWorks for that, although I really should not blame a computer program for my oversight).
Finally, I had not entirely followed the assignment as the assignment was to evaluate limits and benefits of Developmental Life-Course Theories because instead I had gone into the validity of these theories at certain points.

My favourite positive point says "[y]our critique was generally excellent", which is nice because I felt fairly uncertain about my ability to approach established theories critically - I often feel that they are established theories for a reason and any sort of criticism I can think up has most likely already been explored by another Criminologist. I'm not wrong in thinking that, just in thinking that therefore my critique is invalid. But my critique is excellent, so there.

Basically, I scored 'high' on seven of nine points, which include selection of material, linking of theory and evidence, and critical appraisal, and there's no need for me to see my tutor about this essay.

So yes, I am pleased. And now we wait for Penology to be returned.