1. National 5 Modern Studies Assignment

2. Section A: Hypothesis and Aims
A hypothesis is a statement.
“The House of Lords should be directly elected”
“Immigration is beneficial to the UK”
You will eventually be able to prove your hypothesis right or wrong.

3. Section A: Hypothesis and Aims
You MUST have at least two aims.
Aim 1 should either be to find out the “positive” side of your topic or to clarify the current status.
Aim 2 should either be the “negative” side of your topic or looking at the possible changes which could take place.

4. Section A: Writing Frame
The topic I have chosen for study is …(immigration in the UK)
The reason I selected this topic is… (immigration is a highly controversial topic, that is currently very important in the UK following the EU referendum of June 2016.)
From the topic I selected I chose the hypothesis… “Immigration is beneficial for the UK economy.”
From my hypothesis I have chosen (2) aims to help me prove / disprove my hypothesis. These are:
“To find out how many people immigrated to the UK in the past year”
“To find out the positive impact of immigration on the UK economy”
“To find out the negative impact of immigration on the UK economy”

5. Section B: Research Methods
In this section you should discuss which 2 main methods you have used to research your topic and what the ADVANTAGES and DISADVANTAGES are of this method
Relate this specifically to your own research where possible.
Common Research methods used:
Newspaper articles
Documentaries
Surveys
Polls
Online Databases
Interest-based resources
Government Reports/Papers

6. Section B: Writing Frame
One method I chose was a survey. This is a primary research method and I selected this because it allowed me to collect relevant data for my topic.
When using this method there were many advantages. I wrote the questions myself and spent my own time carrying out the survey; all of the information I gathered was relevant to my topic as I surveyed members of the British public who are represented by the House of Lords. I could also specifically ask questions on the House of Lords and ensure that people understood the meaning of the questions.

7. Section B: Writing Frame
However, there were some disadvantages to using this method. I only asked year olds, meaning the results may not be an accurate reflection of the population. Also, due to time constraints I was only able to ask 3 questions on the House of Lords meaning that my survey was quite closed and did not cover all of the issues associated with an unelected decision-making body. In future, I think I would change my approach by asking people from a variety of age groups. This would change the results of the survey and make my findings far more reliable and give a better reflection of the public’s opinion on the House of Lords.

8. Section C: Research findings (Knowledge and Understanding)
In this section you must use your AIMS to direct your findings and make at least 6 clear points which you have discovered on your topic.
Remember to specifically name sources of information eg:
“ In a documentary I have watched…”
should be
“In the BBC Panorama Documentary “Workers on the Breadline” it was suggested that…”

9. Section C: Writing Frame
My first aim was to find out “….”. From The Guardian newspaper article (Source 2) I have found out that …… This can be linked to Source 1 – a CNN documentary called “…” – which suggested that….. My second aim was to find out “….” You must have at least 6 clear findings.

10. Section D: Research Conclusions
Basically, you must summarise, in your own words, what your research has shown.
A) Specifically make reference to you HYPOTHESIS.
B) Summarise any other information you have discovered
C) Suggest any limitations/consequences of your overall findings.
DO NOT introduce any new evidence or information or quote evidence which you have already given in Section 3.

11. Section D: Writing Frame
A) “In conclusion I believe my hypothesis is correct as…” OR
“In conclusion I believe my hypothesis is incorrect as…”
B) “It can also be said that immigration causes…”
C) “However, my overall research has been limited by…this means that immigration….”