WBQ Advanced Diploma
The Individual Investigation
A Guide to Good Practice
An opportunity to investigate a topic of interest
• can be chosen
from the Welsh
Bac core
• or chosen from
optional subjects
Help and Guidance
• Learning coach
• Subject teacher
• Professional in the
field e.g. MRSA –
nurse.
Time
• Planning and
target setting
• Research
• Writing
• Presenting
The Individual Investigation should
take about 20 hours to complete.
Presenting the Investigation
Written presentation
• 2,000 – 2,500 words not
including sources
• Will normally include
graphs, images, statistical
tables, diagrams, drawings
• The Individual Investigation
can meet the requirement to
produce extended writing i.e. a
document of at least 1,000
words including an image.
(C3.3)
• Oral presentation of the
individual investigation can
meet requirements for an oral
presentation of at least 8
minutes.(C3.1b)
Can be based around a key question
• What are the
problems caused
by MRSA? How
differently and
with what level of
success is this
issue being dealt
with in Wales and
Holland?
Can be based around a hypothesis
• Holland has been
more successful in
dealing with
MRSA than Wales.
Is it necessary to compare Wales with the
other country or region?
• Yes, but the issue is central to the investigation
• You have the choice between a comparative
approach or a thematic approach using examples
from several countries including Wales
Examples
Comparative: is homelessness a
more acute problem in Cardiff
or in Nantes, its twin city in
France?
Thematic: is homelessness
becoming a widespread
phenomenon in Wales and
other European countries?
How are you going to choose the
topic of your investigation?
• A topic or issue from the WBQ
or in your subjects area in
which you are INTERESTED
• A title best stated in terms of a
question or a hypothesis
(which you can investigate and
test to see if it is true or false
and draw your own
conclusions)
More examples
• “Are there more gender issues inWales than in
Ireland?”
• “The use of legal and illegal drugs in
Pembrokeshire and in Holland: what are the
similarities and differences?”
• “Will the new Wales Millenium Centre be the
prestigious landmark and venue that the Sidney
Opera House is?”
• “The decline of primary and secondary sectors
and the rise of the service industry in Wales and
France.”
• “Is the rugby culture as strong in the South West
of France as it is in Wales?
• “The fight for native languages in Wales and
Catalonia (a region of Spain): what are the
similarities and differences?”
Environmental
Religious
Economic
Political
ISSUE
Cultural
Social
Research
• Variety of
sources – books,
journals,
magazines,
opinion polls,
statistical reports
& internet
You will need to reference all sources very thoroughly.
Research
Use internet
intelligently
•icWales
•BBC Wales
•Welsh Assembly
•Guardian unlimited
Plagiarism will be severely penalised.
Finding own information
• Opinion poll
• Focus group
• Interview/s
Information deployed effectively
Evaluation
Based on the evidence:
• Be prepared to make an overall
judgement
• Answer key question or
comment on hypothesis
• Comment on effectiveness of the
investigation e.g. original plan
And finally……….
• Add a
bibliography
• Use an appendix
for any data,
opinion poll
information etc
Remember……
• This piece of work is key to your
being successful in the Welsh Bacc
• Once completed, it will be an
invaluable addition to your UCAS
application or CV
• The skills you will learn during the
completion of this piece of work will
be an asset in your future studies or
career