Stage 2 Child Studies Investigation What you need to know.

What is the investigation Independent research task Research a contemporary issue Related to a selected area of study Relevant to subject 2000 word maximum Externally marked 30% of total mark for the year

SACE Policies Verification-needs to be verified by teacher that it is your own work SACE word count policy (don’t exceed) Student Research policy (be ethical) Criteria for Judging performance

Keys to doing it well Carefully chose relevant contemporary issue Choose an issue that interests you Plan time management - Plan to divide time evenly between researching, sorting and analysing and writing

Keys to doing well (cont’d) Formulate a suitable hypothesis or research question Develop appropriate guiding questions Understand and apply the learning outcomes

Keys to doing it well (cont’d) Gather both primary and secondary sources Recognise relevance and bias of sources Ask for help and support throughout the process Draft your study Use the SACE website resources

A bit of advice from past students Be careful with your choice of topic – make sure it is contemporary & interests you Save your work in more than one place If knocked back for an interview – try another source Use people you know to help you find expert primary sources Make sure you ask your teacher questions Conduct thorough research Start early – once the teacher introduces the task Don’t give up Keep a record of all your references. Make sure you draft your study.

Choosing a contemporary issue Choosing an issue – an issue can be defined as: a topic which generates debate from different perspectives, and about which people have differing opinions An issue provides a good starting point for discussion as it provides different perspectives to examine.

A contemporary issue A point of interest that is being debated by the media, government, industry or consumers. It must be current to the subject area. It is important that you can approach primary sources of information regarding your topic. Check your ideas with your teacher Eg – developing an idea for a special study