EPQ Project Guidelines: Planning, Research, Drafting, Editing, and Presenting, Lecture notes of Construction

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Extended Project Qualification

Survival Guide

Everything you need to know to complete the EPQ.

2019 Version

Frequently Asked Questions What will your Supervisor do? What to do first? What to do next? UTC Past EPQs Handy Hints Step 1: Action Planning Step 2: Researching Step 3: Organizing the Project Step 4: Drafting Step 5: Editing Step 6: Referencing Step 7: Presenting & Responding to questions Useful links Appendix 1 – UCAS Tariff Points 2019 Appendix 2 – Assessment criteria Appendix 3 – Project Deadlines Appendix 4 —Grade Descriptors CONTENTS

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS How should I choose a subject? Choose a subject which you are interested in and enjoy. It cannot be a specific area covered in any of your AS or A2 units. Think about how this may help your university application or show a breadth of interest and knowledge. Remember that a word limit of 5000 words is not very much – you will need to limit the area you are investigating. Think about how to formulate a question to research – be specific about what you want to prove or find out. How much time would I spend on it? It is recommended by AQA that you spend up to 120 learning hours on your project. This includes meetings with your supervisor, planning, researching, organising, writing and drafting. Of these 120 hours the school offers up to 30 hours of training in research techniques and project management skills, as well as guidance on writing up the project and giving your presentation. When should I start working on the EPQ? Now! When is it due? See the separate document (Timetable of key dates – Timetable for EPQ Y12) which is available along with many other resources under the EPQ section of the Students shared drive. How long should it be? All students must submit a written report for assessment between 1000 and 5000 words. The exact length of each written report will depend on the nature of the project, the subject area chosen and the other evidence provided. A project which consists solely of written work should be approximately 5000 words; for example an investigation, exploration of a hypothesis or extended essay or academic report. Projects where the majority of the evidence is provided in other formats should include a report or record of work undertaken which is at least 1000 words.

Who will support me with the EPQ? The EPQ Centre Coordinator and other staff members also act as EPQ Supervisors and are allocated Supervisor. Your supervisor acts as a guide on the process of the EPQ, rather than as a guide on the content. You can ask Heads of Department and other teachers for sugges- tions of useful resources. What should the written report contain? The written report is likely to contain the following:

• Sources of and range of information accessed.
• Details of the range of skills used including, where appropriate, new technolo- gies and/or access to e-learning materials.
• Historical or other research.
• Details of the design, knowledge, understanding and skills used to complete the tasks or activities of the project, e.g. an experiment, a construction, a perfor- mance or research interviews.
• A conclusion to include an evaluation of the outcomes of the project, and evalu- ation of own performance of learning and decision making. Is there anything else I need to do? Yes: You must complete the Production Log (AQA) and deliver a presentation. Can I include supporting material with my project? Depending on the subject area or topic chosen, a variety of evidence may be sub- mitted for assessment. Evidence can be provided in any form appropriate to the type of project chosen, and may include; an artefact, model or construction, CD/ video/DVD of performances or activities; an audiotape/multimedia presenta- tion, a journal of activities or events, a PowerPoint presentation; a photographic record of the project. How will it be marked? It will be marked by your Supervisor and moderated by the Centre Coordinator. Look at the Marking criteria and the Grade descriptors which are in the appendix. FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Think : What areas are you interested in? Think : Can you put together a title that will allow you to investigate and access the higher-level concepts and skills in the learning outcomes and assessment objectives (i.e. plan, research, analyse, evaluate and explain) rather than simply describe and narrate? Think: Is the title and proposed action plan clear and focused on an issue which can be managed within the timescale, available resources and word total? Think: Do the title and proposed action plan indicate that you will be capable of investigating and researching the topic or carrying out the activity or task independently? Think: Is there a danger that you will be unable to approach the project impartially and in a balanced way? Once you have worked through the above stages, complete Page 5 of your production log (record of initial planning) and arrange a meeting with your supervisor to discuss it. After this meeting you will be able to complete page 6 (project proposal part A) and page 9 (planning review) if the Production Log. Your Supervisor will then complete page 7 (project proposal part B) and the Centre Coordinator will then approve the project area via page 8 (project approval part C). You are then ready to start the detailed research and drafting! ‘The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing’ - Walt Disney WHAT TO DO FIRST?

Write down 3 things or ideas that interest you (e.g. ‘football’, ‘human rights’) Now write down a reason why you are interested in the 3 things you have chosen (e.g. ‘football’ – because you play it, ‘rights’ because you have talked about it in philosophy) Select one of your interests. Can you think of 3 potential projects for this interest? (e.g. ‘football’ – women in football, football hooligans or international players in the premiership) WHAT TO DO NEXT?

OPTION 1 OPTION 2 OPTION 3

Idea Why? Project 1 Project 2 Project 3

UTC PAST EPQs Previous WUTC Students EPQ Titles  How video games affect the behaviour of young children and teens  How dark matter affects the way we see the universe  Will artificial intelligence supersede human intelligence in the next 100 years?  Was Maths invented or discovered?  Could humans ever use the dynamics of black holes to our advantage?”  To what extent has Lars Von Trier’s depression influenced his Depression Trilogy?”  Can the NHS reduce the number of serial killers that it employs?  Is Artificial Intelligence something to fear?  AI built for Robots or Robots built for AI, how do the two work together?  Should advanced technology in the football industry be included in the modern game?  To what extent can education about internet censorship and surveillance laws be presented in a video game?

HANDY HINTS  Keep you Extended Project under control – don’t get side-tracked or think ‘I’ll put it off until next week’.  The summer holidays are a vital time to get the bulk of your research done. It is incredibly difficult to complete the whole project in term- time. Where are you going to find 90+ free hours of time during a busy term?  Keep your topic/ research question manageable – within the time available and your range of skills.  Keep it in perspective – the Extended Project is worth the same UCAS point score as any AS Level – this can and will help your future education/career.  It should be approximately 5000 words – this may seem long, but in fact is only about 12 sides A4.  You are unlikely to change the world with your EPQ – you are not expected to write something totally original, just something new to you.  It should be on a topic that interests you, and that you want to find out more about.  Follow the guidelines in the learning Log – remember that this forms a central part of the marking and is not just an ‘add-on’.  Keep checking the assessment criteria to make sure that your project will fulfil the requirements.  Stick to deadlines – they are there to help you keep on task and complete on time.

Researching

Scan reading:

• First flick through a textbook/article – scanning
• Look at the index
• Look at the headlines
• Look at the pictures
• Look at any summaries at the beginning or end of chapters
• Stop and glance at anything that interests you

Jot down anything you already know – key words. Produce a mind map

to develop ideas further. Always make notes and ask yourself ques-

tions.

Analysis:

Interrogate the author – ask questions as you are reading.

• How do I know this is true?
• If it is true, what else follows?
• Is the conclusion justified?
• What assumptions are being made?
• Is this fact or opinion?
• What’s the evidence? If it’s fact, is it always true? If it’s opinion, can I

trust the source?

• Can I think of any (better) examples to illustrate the argument?
• Is this logical?
• What personal opinion or conclusion can I draw from this? Is it justi-

fied?

• What are the unique and new points?
• What is essential to know and what is just padding? STEP 2:

Organising the Project

The average professional writer spends 40% of his time on

research and planning, only 20% on actual writing and 40% on

revision and re-writing.

Writing tips:

1. Keep to the topic – what exactly is the question or issue that

you are addressing?

2. If it’s a topic or problem for which you are proposing an answer,

define the issue in the first paragraph, and keep checking back to

see if you are sticking to the point.

3. Gather together the information you need – notes from books,

sources from the internet. When you have your notes together try

mind mapping the key ideas.

4. Now start to add to the mind map – putting ideas together in

groups.

5. Check back – do the points answer the question or suggest a

solution to the problem?

6. Decide what will be in the beginning, middle and end of the

report. The middle develops your arguments and ideas with

example, facts, quotations and evidence to back up the argument.

The end should be a clever summary answer to the original

question, that ties up any loose ends.

STEP 3:

Editing Some questions to ask yourself during the editing process: Is the meaning clear? Have you used the words that describe exactly what you mean? Read your report out loud. Does it sound good? Have you used sub-headings that make it easy to read? Have you used short paragraphs that the reader will want to read, rather than long boring ones? Have you given examples to bring your ideas to life? Pay attention to the beginning – does it start with a bang? Does it make the reader want to read more? Keep your sentences short – long sentences are difficult to understand. STEP 5:

Referencing It is crucial that as you are researching your project that you make a note of the following information for every source you use: Title or publication Address of the website Name of the author or editor Page number Publishers name Date of publication or place of publication This information will go into your bibliography, and will prevent you being accused on plagiarism. Footnotes – these are a way of allowing your reader to check your sources for themselves. They are notes that appear at the foot of the page. Footnotes should be used whenever you refer to the work of another person. Everything that is not your own work must be referenced. Endnotes - with the same purpose as footnotes, endnotes simply appear at the end of a document or at the end of a section of a document. Both footnotes and endnotes can be used in one of two ways, either:  Parenthetical in text system: in other words putting your source in brackets within the text.  Number system: simply using the insert tool on Word to insert a number which refers the reader to your footnote or endnote. STEP 6:

Presenting & Answering Questions

The presentation should be for a non-specialist audience and use

media appropriate to the type of project.

Presentations should include an evaluation of extended project

outcomes, including the individual’s own learning and

performance.

The presentation could take the form of a verbal or written

presentation or may involve the use of flipcharts, posters, OHP

transparencies, PowerPoint or short excerpts of video material.

This could take the form of a group presentation, in the case of a

group project, or a one-to-one presentation to the supervisor and

other students.

The presentation should be supported by answers to any

questions from your supervisor or others.

STEP 7:

Source: ’Writing Your Essay’, University of Reading: http:// www.reading.ac.uk/internal/studyadvice/StudyResources/Essays/sta- writingessay.aspx (2013) Source: http://www.rlf.org.uk/fellowshipscheme/writing/ planningandstructure/introductions.cfm (Sept 2010) Source: University library: Guide to the Harvard Style of Referencing, July 2008, Anglia Ruskin University: http://libweb.anglia.ac.uk/referencing/harvard.htm (2010) Source: University of Canberra, Academic Skills Programme: http:// www.canberra.edu.au/studyskills/learning/critical (Sept 2010) For advice on the process of writing a project or extended essay: http://www.bbc.co.uk/keyskills/comms/level3/module6/1.shtml Step by step guide to essay writing: http://members.tripod.com/~lklivingston/essay/intro.html Loads of good advice from the School of English at the University of Birmingham: http://www.english.bham.ac.uk/staff/tom/teaching/howto/essay.htm For advice on basic essay writing: http://esl.about.com/library/howto/htessay.htm USEFUL LINKS