Extended Project 2015-16
Session 1 - Introduction
Introduction Session Aims
By the end of today you should have:
• Developed an understanding of the EPQ
• Formulated an initial idea for your project and considered
the focus for your question
• Begun to fill in your production log
By the end of tomorrow you should have:
• Developed an understanding of planning and research
• Started your project plan
• Started your bibliography
• Started researching your initial idea
What is the Extended Project?
What will you do?
1. Choose an area of interest.
2. Draft a title and aims of the project for formal approval by
your supervisor / co-ordinator
3. Plan, research and carry out your project (this can be an
essay, artefact, performance etc.)
4. Deliver a presentation to a specified audience
5. Provide evidence of all stages of project development and
production for assessment.
What will you produce?
Artefacts produced last year:
A sketchbook of photographs (What is the most effective way of
photographing nature without a camera?
What will you produce?
Artefacts produced last year:
An electric guitar (What are the
physical and circuital construction
challenges that a luthier faces?)
What will you produce?
Essays produced last year:
'The human characteristic of being able to digest milk evolved
due to human cultural practices.' To what extent is this statement
supported by evidence and said to be true?
Attitudes towards women in football – what has really changed?
What effect has the portrayal of Malcolm X in the media had our
perception of him as a historical figure?
What will you submit?
The Extended Project Qualification is an independent
piece of work worth an AS level.
You will produce 6 pieces of work:
1.AQA Production log
2.The essay (5000 words) or artefact and report (1500-3000
words)
3.Bibliography
4.Research/project diary
5.Project plan/gant chart
6.Presentation
Production
log
Project Diary
Bibliography
The taught element will include:
• Professional codes of practice, ethical guidelines, research
methodology.
• ICT skills to enhance the production of the report and the
development of the project covering research, analysis and
execution.
• Research skills including the ability to search for and identify
suitable sources of information, prior research, or relevant work
already available.
• Project management skills including time, resource and task
management.
• The format and structure of accepted academic forms of
research report to include: abstract, introduction, background
research, further research content with all sources cited,
discussion, conclusion, references, including the evaluation of
sources.
How will you be assessed
Manage - AO1 (20%)
Identify, design, plan, and carry out a project, applying a range of skills, strategies
and methods to achieve objectives.
Use Resources - AO2 (20%)
Research, critically select, organise and use information, and a range of
resources. Analyse data apply relevantly and demonstrate understanding of any
links, connections and complexities of the topic.
Develop and Realise - AO3 (40%)
Select and use a range of skills, including, where appropriate, new technologies
and problem-solving, to take decisions critically and achieve planned outcomes.
Review - AO4 (20%)
Evaluate all aspects of the extended project, including outcomes in relation to
stated objectives and own learning and performance. Select and use a range of
communication skills and media to present evidenced project outcomes and
conclusions in an appropriate format.
The importance of process
You must complete the Production Log as you carry
out your project, NOT AT THE END! It records the
following key information:
1.
Planning review meeting between you and your supervisor
following project approval
2.
Mid-project review with your supervisor
3.
End-of-project review with your supervisor
4.
Summary and evaluation of the project
5.
A record of the presentation
6.
Reflection on the complete project process
Short Term Objectives
Over the next 2 days you will need to:
•
Develop your initial idea for a project into a question with a clear outline of
your research plans
•
Discuss your ideas with an EPQ supervisor.
•
Download and begin your production log, specifically your Record of Initial
Planning
•
Carry out some research to develop your ideas sufficiently to make a formal
project proposal in September.
•
Create an overall plan of how you will use your time in order to realise your
project (including what you will do over the summer)
Coming up with an idea
• Title must be clear and focused – not too broad
• Must be a completely new piece of work and not be relative
to subject topics studied at A2
• Must be achievable - How might resource and timescale
restrictions affect you in your choice?
• Will you enjoy the topic you are studying?
Choosing your topic
Identify a theme that…
…you’re really interested in
…that’s related to your plans
for the future, e.g. study
at university or
possible career
… that you can
realistically research
… you’re curious about
…you know something - but not
everything - about already
Things to avoid
1. Avoid a topic that is overly ambitious
2. Avoid emotive issues – you may lack objectivity
3. Avoid a topic in which you have a personal axe to grind.
4. Avoid anything you have already covered in your AS level
courses
5. Don’t try to be too original – you may struggle to research
6. Avoid being too narrow or too broad.
Groups
You will now split into 4 groups and work in the
following areas to develop your initial ideas:
•
•
•
•
Sixth Form Study Area
130A
130B
133A
Group Session
Forming your title
Activity 1 – Lucky Dip
• In pairs, tear up a piece of paper into 5 pieces
• Write one of the following words or phrases on each piece:
Hobbies; Career; Further study; Subjects I really like; What
makes me tick?
• Screw up the pieces of paper
• Take it in turns to pick one out, then have a brief chat
about your own thoughts on each topic with your partner
• Note down your ideas on post-it notes, one idea per note
Activity 2 - Making Connections
• Go back to the answers you gave in Activity 1
• Lay out your post-its in front of you on another, large, piece
of paper
• Look for any possible links, overlaps, or commonalities
between your ideas
• Move the post-its around if you need to, then use arrows,
lines, notes, to jot down your thoughts about possible
connections
Activity 3: Narrow your focus
Timescales
Look at your web of post-it
notes.
Goals
Consider the factors to the right,
to refine you topic area.
Content
Range
Depth
Annotate your web - Use s,
cross things out, add ideas. You
aim is to reach a realistic sense
of what your topic could be
Your research question
Once you have decided on your research topic, it is
important to identify a focussed title.
?
?
General
topic
?
Focussed
research
title
Research Title
• Is there a relationship, pattern or trend?
“An investigation to determine whether the market for vegan cafes has reached
saturation point in Brighton?”
• Open question…
“How fair are the rulings of Sharia courts in the UK?”
• Closed question…
Are there gender differences in the free play of five year olds?
• Set of systematic objectives…
“Research the opportunities for improving environmentally sustainable practices at
the Charter School and make recommendations for a new policy to include:
• Recycling
• Energy Consumption
• Purchasing decisions
• Transport”
Hypothesis
• This type of title is often used for a scientific based project.
• It is usually a statement which will need to be empirically
proved or disproved.
“Farmland which as achieved Soil Association organic status will
support a greater diversity of species per meter than land that
is conventionally farmed”
• Clear criteria/definitions will be provided as will the system of
measurement.
Proposition
• This sort of title is used for a discursive essay.
• It is often phrased as a principle or recommendation.
“Richer countries have a moral responsibility to provide aid
to poorer countries”
• In this approach you consider a number of different
arguments and reach a reasoned conclusion.
Devise you final question
Using your mind map phrase your question as each of
the following:
1. A research title
2. Hypothesis
3. Proposition
• Decide which one works best
• Discuss with your supervisor
• Refine and finalise your question.
Moderator
Comments
It pays to choose a title
that is evaluative in
focus. This will
encourage research
and discussion
Using questions during your research
• Always keep your title question in mind
• Keep revisiting your question, you need to be prepared to
revise it
• It is often useful to break your main question down into subquestions – ‘smaller’ questions that you need to answer in
order to answer your main question. If you’re doing a
practical project, sub-questions may be smaller activities or
problems you need to solve.
• Use sub-questions to guide your research and also to form
sub-headings within the body of your writing
Reflection
• If you need to revise your question along the way, this
doesn‘t mean you ‘got it wrong’ to begin with
• Modifying your question later may show that you’re
taking on board what you learn from your research –
this is a good thing!
• Don’t forget - keep all your notes from today’s
session as you will now need to record your thoughts
and discussions in your production log.
Charter EPQ Website
On the website you will find
lots of useful information
including:
• Paperwork templates for you
to download
• Assessment info
• Examples
• Links
• Taught session PPTs
www.charterepq.weebly.com
Beginning your Production Log
• Download the Candidate record form word doc from
www.charterepq.weebly.com
Resources>AQA Log
HOMEWORK – Due Tomorrow
Beginning your Production Log
• Complete pages 1 and 5 in as much
depth as possible.
• You must make notes about
conversations held with your supervisor.
• You must then email this form to
flucas@charter.southwark.sch.uk
this is confirmation of your registration
onto EPQ.
• It will be kept in a shared area where
both you and your supervisor can
access it in September.
Centre Number
10871
Centre Name
The Charter School
Tomorrow’s session
Tomorrow you will:
•
•
•
•
Begin to explore planning and research
Begin your project plan
Begin your bibliography
Begin your research
11am in the sixth form study area
You MUST attend if you wish to go forward with the EPQ in
September
Date
Completed
Meeting
Form
This week
•
Introduction session
Record of initial
planning
•
•
Initial Ideas Research
diary (started)
Project plan (started)
Bibliography (started)
September 2015
•
•
•
Project plan
Bibliography
research
Project Proposal and
planning review
Project Proposal Part A
Planning Review
Friday 6th
November 2015
•
•
Research
First Draft of essay
Mid Project
Mid Project Review
Friday 18th
December 2015
•
Written Project
Completed
End Project
End Project Review
February 2016
•
Presentations
Reflection