This document provides guidance on selecting a topic for an extended project. It discusses choosing a feasible and interesting topic that is relevant to the student's field of study. The topic should have an evaluative focus and appropriate scope. Students are advised to brainstorm topic ideas, consider what they are interested in and whether topics are researchable within the time frame. The document provides exercises to help students explore potential topics and understand what makes a good extended project topic.
2. Lesson aims
• You will understand the process of choosing
a feasible and suitable topic
• You will explore your degree subject
• You will start thinking about potential topics
and generate topic ideas
• You will understand what you are expected
to write in the two first tasks of Formative 1
Extended Project Proposal
3. Selecting a project topic
Formative 1: Extended Project Proposal
• The choice of research topic
is crucial to how successful
your Extended Project will
be.
• You must start working on
your Extended Project
proposal as soon as
possible!
– When is the Proposal due?
• Your task is to identify an
appropriate topic and
develop a research focus
for the Extended Project.
4. Term 1
Assessments
• You need to work on
improving and refining
your project aims and
scope throughout this
term.
• You must present your
final revised title,
including aims, scope
and rationale in the
SUMMATIVE
Presentation (40% of
final grade)
Term 1 (Cycle 1+2)
Formative 1. Extended Project Proposal
•Identify a suitable topic of current
importance and interest
•Provide preliminary project aims
•Show evidence of ability to find appropriate
sources
•Provide a realistic workplan
Formative 2. Peer-review Revised Proposal
(in class)
•Revise and edit proposal based on Tutor
feedback
•Give a 3-minute presentation in small groups
on key feedback and revisions
Summative 1. Extended Project Presentation
•Present final revised title/topic. Explain the
problem or debate
•Summarise two academic sources
•Reflect on progress, tutor feedback and next
steps to be taken in the Extended Project
5. Choosing your topic
Identify a topic that…
…really interests you
…you are curious about
…you know something about,
but not everything
…you can realistically research
…relates to your plans for the
future – university study
6. Brainstorming topic ideas
In pairs take turns to discuss the points below:
o Hobbies
o Career
o Further Study
o Subjects I really like
o A subject/topic that makes me curious
o A real problem/question that needs to be
solved/answered in these areas
Note down your ideas. Look for possible links or
overlap between your ideas and your degree subject
or pathway.
Post your ideas on a virtual noticeboard, such as
the class Padlet. Adapted from:
Https://www.manchester.ac.uk/connect/teachers/students/post-16/extended-
project/resources/
7. Could any of these
topics/ideas be
further developed
and investigated
for your Extended
Project?
Click to add text
9. My degree subject: Tasks 1-4
• Your research project should, ideally, be relevant to your degree
specialism.
• Do tasks 1-4 on the My Degree Subject worksheet. These will help you
explore your undergraduate degree and identify topic areas which you
might find interesting. Your teacher will time you and you need to be
ready to discuss your ideas in pairs/small groups for task 5.
10. My degree subject: Task 5
• In small groups,
discuss/present the topics
you have identified in your
field of study and explain
which area you are
interested in.
• Take some notes of the
main ideas and interests
your peers have.
• Does anyone have similar
interests as you?
11. FAQ
• Do I have to choose a topic relevant to my
pathway studies?
– Yes. If you are a Science and Engineering or a
BLSS student, you need to choose a related
topic.
• Do I have to choose a topic relevant to my
degree subject?
– No.
13. Formative 1: Extended Project
Proposal
This part of the lesson will help you
develop a topic focus and understand the
first task of the Extended Project Proposal.
General topic area/title:
Example: A critical assessment of the issue of water scarcity and water
supply technologies
Preliminary project aim:
Example: I want to investigate the problem of water scarcity and
examine different water supply technologies as possible solutions to
overcoming the water shortage issues. In my project, I want to focus on
the viability of such technologies.
1. What is your topic area? What are your preliminary project
objectives? (30-60 words)
14. TASK 1: Choosing a feasible topic
• Read through the three
different scenarios and decide
if each person’s research
question is feasible and
practical.
• Discuss with the people next
to you.
15. TASK 2: Developing a Research
Topic:
Watch the video embedded in the VLE (Developing
a Project topic). What is an appropriate research
topic according to this video?
16. TASK 3: Scope of research
• Look at the working titles
of students who have
identified a relevant topic
area for their respective
field of study.
• Which of the project titles
indicate the most
appropriate scope of
research for the Extended
Project? Why?
17. Scope of research
Possible frameworks for FC701 EP
A critical analysis of drone technology in forest
fire detection
A critical comparison of the AES and Blowfish
symmetric encryption algorithms
A critical analysis of the effects of Virtual
Learning Environments (VLEs) on university
students.
Framework: A critical analysis / comparison of
Technology/method/biomarker/phenomenon etc.
Application/population/situation etc.
18. TASK 4-5:
Research Objectives and the use
of Action verbs
• The objectives use ‘action
verbs’. From the table,
identify which action verbs
would be most or least
helpful in forming your
question.
• Which ones are (generally)
evaluative (E) and which
ones are descriptive (D)?
• Why are some of these
more or less appropriate?
19. Choosing a Feasible topic – NOW YOU!
Timescales
Goals
(Future Studies)
Scope & Objectives
Depth
• Is there sufficient time to
complete the project?
• Is it relevant to your current
and/or future studies?
• What content will you cover?
• Will the Extended Project
allow you to examine the
topic at a deeper level?
20. What’s a good FC701 topic?
• Should have an evaluative focus (e.g. to find
out the best solution to a problem, or analyse a
technology’s strengths/weaknesses)
• Is not too narrow or too broad
• Be able to find relevant and reliable sources on
the topic
• Appropriate level of difficulty
• Explores a current issue of interest and
importance
21. Homework
• Continue
working on
developing
your
research
topic
Areas of Interest
Topics in these
areas
Questions/
problems in
these topics and
/or potential
research
objectives
E.g. Education
e.g. The use of
Virtual Learning
Environments
e.g. Question: What
are the effects of
VLEs on students’
academic
performance?
e.g. Objective: To
investigate the
effect of VLEs on
students’ academic
performance
Editor's Notes
The activities that follow will help students explore their interests and ideas, and guide them through some of these considerations in more detail. Adapted from: Https://www.manchester.ac.uk/connect/teachers/students/post-16/extended-project/resources/
"A Comparison of," "An Analysis of" or similar constructions are typically considered redundant phrasing, but it can help students choose a suitable framework for their research.
Timescales
First of all, there’s the time – and importantly the energy - you have available to you. Make sure you know from the start of your module when your deadlines will be, and the number of hours of independent work you will be expected to do to complete your project. You could then work out a rough ‘per week’ rate of work. It’s also sensible to take into account periods when you won’t be able to work on your project, for instance exam sessions or holidays away. If you’re hoping to conduct a large survey as part of your project, then analyse and discuss it as well as doing background research, you may on reflection feel that you should rein in your cohort and conduct a smaller study that is realistically achievable. Your teacher will be able to help you to assess what is realistic.
Goals
Do you have something specific you want to achieve by doing your EP. For instance, you might want to study a particular subject at university, and want to use your project to explore a relevant topic to broaden and deepen your knowledge of the subject. You could also look into something that’s not covered by your current courses but you’re just really interested in.
Content
One way to broaden or narrow your content is to think of the context of your enquiry. For instance, you may be interested in the impact of climate change on water scarcity . On reflection, however, this may seem like an appropriate topic for a PhD thesis rather than a 3.000 word report. You may not have enough background knowledge to look at this generally – you’d effectively be setting yourself too big a mountain to climb.
Scope
You don’t have all the time in the world to do your EP, so you will need some limits in terms of the scope it will cover. Possible parameters you could use include specific geographical areas, applications, measurable criteria, social or cultural contexts depending on the topic . Continuing the water scarcity example: You could narrow your focus by looking at a particular geographical context – for instance Australia, and focus on specific technologies (e.g. water reuse, desalination) and criteria such as cost and effectiveness. Narrowing your focus like this can actually provide the opportunity for you to produce a richer piece of work – counter-intuitive though this may sound: it can make it much easier to look at detail, at local arguments and case studies. This detail is often what will make your discussion subtle, interesting and ultimately successful as an investigative piece of work that goes beyond the obvious or received wisdom.
Depth
The Extended Project is an opportunity to look at a topic at a deeper level, to really question an issue’s foundations, or to create something more ambitious than you might otherwise have the chance to. If you already know the answers, or you’ve already explored the type of task before, or you think that the answers are cut and dried, you’ll probably want to reassess and identify ways to extend your theme so that it really offers the opportunity to investigate.