Writing up an investigation

Know how an investigation should be structured

How do you write up an investigation?

• What should it include?

• What should it look like?

• Discuss these questions with your group.

One way of writing it

• Introduction - what’s the issue?

• Methodology - how are we going to collect data?

• Question 1 - where is litter a problem? • Question 2 - why is litter a problem?

• Conclusion - summarise your findings • Evaluation - strengths, weaknesses, improvements

How is it going to be marked?

• This is the mark scheme

• It’s exactly what we’ll use to mark your work

• You should read it carefully - it will help you to get a good mark for each section

Planning and organisation

• Look at the last section of the mark scheme.• There are 10 marks on offer for just being

neat and tidy and spelling words properly!• When you’ve finished writing up the

investigation, look at this section again and see if you’ve done everything to get those extra marks.

The introduction

• Sets the scene - explain why you’re investigating the issue

• Include information about the location

• An annotated site map helps the reader to understand the different locations

• Don’t present any data here, or talk about how you collected the data!

Classwork and Homework

• Start writing your introduction

• It needs to be handed in next lesson

• It can be hand written or typed

• Next lesson: how to write the methodology

Methodology

• This section explains how you collected the data

• For each “method” you should explain:– How you carried it out– Why you used this method– What problems are there with the method

A methodology table

Methodology

(what I did)

Justification (why)

Limitations (problems)

Bi-polar survey

Photographs

Questionnaire

Although we told you to use this method, you should pretend that it was your

idea

This was the method you chose - make sure you explain why you

thought it was a good idea

Remember your mark scheme

• When you write each section, you should be thinking about what the mark scheme says.

• Use it as a checklist of what you need to do for each section.

• Afterwards, use it to give yourself a mark.

Writing the methodology

• Start writing your methodology

• We need to get this finished by next lesson

• Next lesson: how to write the main part

The “main part”

• The main part of your project consists of three things:– Analysis (answers to your two key

questions)– Your data presentation (to help you answer

the two key questions)– The conclusion

How you get marks

• The mark scheme shows you how the marks are allocated:– The data presentation is worth 10 marks– The analysis and conclusion are worth 14

marks

• This means that you should put a lot of time and effort into presenting the data

Presenting data

• You’ve collected data - so we need to present it in some way

• The next few slides show some examples of how you can present data

• Some of these methods are more appropriate than others

Location maps

Bar charts

Pie Charts

Isoline maps

Proportional circle maps

Photographs

Field is flooded

Bridge has been built to avoid flood-prone land

Summertime? Lots of greenery and blue sky

Farmland on sides of valley

So how should I write the main part?

• Start with your first question (where is litter a problem?)

• We used the bi-polar survey to collect data: think about how you want to show your results

• Draw the graph/map/etc• Now write an answer to the question,

remembering to refer to your results!

Now let’s tackle the second question

• You were trying to find out why litter is a problem.

• Look at your results - how could you display this information effectively?

• Make your graph/map/etc.

• Now answer the question - make sure you refer to your results!

What about my photos?

• Photos also count as data

• We must remember to put them where they will be useful - they’re not just there to make your work look pretty

• DON’T FORGET TO ANNOTATE THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The conclusion

• This is where you summarise your findings

• Remind the reader about what you found out in question 1 and 2

• Now suggest how the school could deal with the problem of litter.

The evaluation

• It’s time to look back and think about how our investigation has gone.

• Make yourself a list of what was good and what was bad

• Now think about how you’d improve the project if you had to do it again - maybe someone else used a method that you thought was particularly good, or perhaps you’d try collecting data at another time of day.

Homework – due Monday 20th April

• Complete the project over Easter.

• You must have – an introduction, method table, data presentation (graphs, maps, photos), analysis (answer the questions),

• Finally conclude your answer and evaluate what you have done