PLANNING YOUR EPQ How to write a great research paper – Cambridge Uni

RELAX and ENJOY IT!

BALANCE NEEDED! Love of learning /gaining knowledge Passion for a subject Enthusiastic open research Organisation Strategic planning No time wasting Working smartly

How do I plan? Construct a Gantt Chart Consider the various deadlines and try to plan so that you are ahead of schedule and not leaving to the last minute! Sometimes it can help to work backwards from deadlines

How do I plan? Consider the skills which you will need to demonstrate and include these in your planning. Look carefully at the mark schedule and identify the skills that need to be shown…… Your project will be marked in four sections Management Use of resources Develop and realise Review

WHERE DO WE START? Early brainstorming, reflection and discussion with others Working out what is required How long will it take? When will I do it? Make a note in your plan of early development of ideas Create a basic Gantt Chart w0 Create a Gantt chart in Excel MdSWw

RESEARCH Working out which research methods to use Working out what information/data is needed. You need to be specific…decide on a time period, age group etc to focus your research Be guided by the information that is out there. Make things easy for yourself! Assembling information to read, watch videos, gather data, experiment etc Digesting and reflecting on the information collected. Think about it!

ORGANISING THE CONTENT Grouping and organising the information Selecting what to include

Writing draft versions Thinking about and improving each draft Writing each draft Likely number of drafts

Completing the task Writing up the references Writing the final draft Checking through the work Final deadline

MARK SCHEDULE MANAGEMENT 20% /10 Clear identification of the topic to be investigated or researched Clear evidence of appropriate aims and objectives for the proposed project title Detailed project plan with clear evidence of monitoring progress of project work against the agreed objectives. Has the work been completed by applying organisational skill and strategies to meet the stated objectives? Skills: Monitoring Applied organisation skills

How do I show evidence of these skills? Monitoring yourself (organisation) and your information (relevant content) Applied organisational skills Include a plan of action and / or Gantt Chart which is devised at the start. Estimate how many weeks for each part of the research project. Annotate or include evaluations to explain whether you stuck to the plan If you didn’t, what were the reasons for this? What strategies did you adopt to catch up or change course

USE OF RESOURCES 20% /10 Evidence of detailed research involving the SELECTION and EVALUATION of a WIDE range of RELEVANT resources. CRITICAL ANALYSIS and APPLICATION of the resources with clear links made to appropriate theories and concepts

How do I show evidence of these skills? Evaluation and Selection Evaluate your sources of information and include a chart to show your methods for doing this. i.e. credibility of the author, peer reviewing, bias of the source, reason for selection or non selection. Keep an ongoing chart/record from the start. A wide range of resources – Ensure that you have used many different types of information resource. Keep an ongoing detailed record of all the resources that you use as you will forget! Include all details e.g. not just the website but the page number etc

DEVELOP AND REALISE 40% /20 Candidates take appropriate decisions and appropriate data is collected and thoroughly analysed. The project plan is fully realised to a high standard and consistent with candidates finally agreed plan. Clear evidence of appropriate changes to or development of the initial project plan or title or aims and objectives, with clear and appropriate reasons for any changes. Candidates communicate the findings fluently in an appropriate format, synthesising information from a variety of sources and present them within a logical and coherent structure which addresses closely the nature of the task.

REVIEW 20% /10 Detailed and careful evaluation of the strengths and weaknesses of the completed project in relation to the planning, implementation and outcomes, and the candidates own learning during the project. Material is consistently relevant, well structured and appropriately presented. Candidates clearly communicate their findings and conclusions which are based on sound evidence and judgement.