1. The Journey of the PIP It’s time to get ready...

2. What is the PIP? A PERSONAL Interest project - it has to be about something that is personally important to you Your opportunity to explore a social issue, problem or phenomenon that affects you Relevant to the Society and Culture course - in particular the HSC concepts and topics NOT an opportunity to ‘soapbox’ or proselytise NOT a cheap current affairs show

3. What sort of Topic? P for Personal - very important Something you’re interested in - you’re stuck with it for almost a year Start with a broad idea or topic and narrow it down Should have both a macro and a micro element Contained - remember you will have other tasks and projects to worry about! So what?

4. What’s required? A clear topic, question, hypothesis or focus The application of appropriate methodologies A cross-cultural perspective - a perspective different to your own A continuity and change component - past, present, future A range of relevant course concepts

5. What gets handed in? Introduction - 500 words Log - 500 words (based on your PIP Diary) Central Material - 2500 to 4000 words Conclusion - 500 words Annotated Resource List OPTIONAL: Appendix

6. What’s the Process? Step One: Finding a topic - Beginning of Term 4 Step Two: Secondary research - Throughout Term 4 State Library, University Libraries, online journals and databases - ACADEMIC work Step Three: Primary research - generally 3 to 5 methodologies Step Four: Analysing your primary data AS YOU GO Step Five: Drafting, editing, re-drafting etc - this stage takes weeks for a top PIP!

7. How do I do all that? Stick to your deadlines! We will give you a PIP timeline Some aspects mandatory but you must keep on top of it too Keep your PIP diary up to date Just do it. Don’t stuff around!

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9. Think of a broad topic area you’re interested in Create a mind-map of your interests, passions, skills etc Things that make you upset, sad, happy Topic Choice: Step 1

10. Topic Choice: Step 2 Are there any common themes in your mindmap? Some might be: Feminism - still relevant to young women? Discrimination - why does it happen? Justice - do people care about the rights of others? All okay but very MACRO - need to find a MICRO focus

11. Topic Choice: Step 3 Look at your micro world and see how you can narrow your topic using your own personal experience EG: is feminism relevant to the girls in my peer group? Why or why not?

12. Topic Choice: Step 4 Is your topic idea researchable? Can you conduct both primary and secondary research? What methodologies might you use? Can’t think of any? Probably not a good PIP topic! Think about your assets. Do you know any experts? Can you travel to different locations?

13. Topic Choice: Step 6 The additional components: Cross-cultural: eg, environment, gender, socioeconomic group, ethnicity Continuity and Change: how have things changed over time? What might the future hold? Eg, comparison of attitudes towards feminism in country/city, comparing the 80s to today

14. Checklist What concepts are related to your topic? Make a mind-map! Originality? What do you want to learn about this that will contribute to your S&C knowledge? Why will the marker care? Is it analytical or descriptive? Are you looking at a ‘snapshot’ of an issue (weaker) or the reasons why it happens, or the effects of it (stronger)

15. Your Homework Get a PIP Diary Establish PIP folders on your computer Set up a back-up system - buy an external hard drive Google Use sites like: www.salon.com, www.smh.com.au, Online Opinion, The Guardian online, etcwww.salon.comwww.smh.com.au Work through these steps then start Secondary research!