1. The Independent Investigation Worth 20% of the whole A Level
Planning for the NEA
Component 4:
The Independent Investigation
Worth 20% of the whole A Level

2. Key aspects
It is an independent investigation, therefore you must come up with your own question/issue.
This must be clearly supported by your own further reading.
You must devise your own methodology, including data collection.
The interpretation, analysis, conclusions and evaluation must be entirely your own work.
However…
Some aspects of the investigation can be done in groups (e.g. data collection) but you must be able to present clear evidence that you have collected your own data as part of this. You could do additional data collection in your own time, e.g. for comparison purposes…
Titles can be the same/similar to another’s but you must be able to present clear evidence that you have independently devised/developed your questions/hypotheses.
Keeping a detailed record of all websites and other reading you have done is therefore vital.

3. Key aspects
There must be ‘an adequate amount of field (primary) data’ to allow for effective analysis.
The investigation must include both primary and secondary (research) data.
There should be a suitable balance of quantitative and qualitative data.
All secondary information must be acknowledged using an appropriate system – this includes digital materials where URLs or screenshots must be provided.
You must complete a Proposal Form that must be agreed with me before the fieldwork.
The finished report should be about words long (which includes all text, text boxes and supplementary material but not the appendices or abstract).
[Structure of report and further specific presentation details given in handout, pp38 & 44]

4. Investigation process
Exploring focus – collaboration allowed
Developing Task/Title/Purpose – independent work
Devising methodology & primary data collection – collaboration allowed
Secondary data collection/research – independent work
Data presentation – independent work
Data analysis and interpretation – independent work
Drawing conclusions – independent work
Evaluating investigation – independent work

5. Schedule Detailed Proposal Form submitted next week
Returned week beginning 12th June
Sand dunes fieldwork 3rd July
Salisbury fieldwork ?
Final submission at end of Autumn Term (week beginning 11th December) – to be completed in own time, outside of lessons – with interim checks to ensure work is in progress!

6. What makes a good title/Q?
A clear/precise question or assertion that can be tested (‘Does…?’, ‘To what extent…?’)
Not purely descriptive (‘What is…?’, ‘How…?’)
Not closed (answer is Yes or No)
Allows for sufficient breadth/depth of investigation (not reliant on only one or two sets of data)
Permits a range of appropriate presentation and analysis techniques to be employed
Related to the course in some way (though not necessarily what you have been taught)
Achievable, given:
scale (local)
time (for collecting adequate data)
suitable locations
accessible data
equipment…