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1.1.2 Finding and Choosing a Topic for the Extended Project.pptx
- 1. FC701 Extended Project Selecting a Project Topic TERM 1
- 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.
- 12. CHOOSING A FEASIBLE TOPIC
- 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.