Summary
Highlights
This screencast aims to address common mistakes made in the final drafts of citizenship project reports, particularly in Section A. A major error is placing correct information in the wrong section, necessitating careful review of the report's requirements. Writing tends to be too generic, failing to reflect individual effort, and there's often confusion between research and action, with research being the focus for Section A.
The video clarifies the distinction between research and action across different project titles. For instance, researching a minority group is the research, while creating an exhibition is the action. Similarly, investigating social media's impact on democracy is research, but organizing community action is the action. The research should inform the action, showing a clear connection between what was discovered and what was done.
The report booklet, referred to as 'the Bible' on page 3, is crucial for understanding how to structure the report. Each bullet point in the guidelines should correspond to an underlined subheading in Section A to make it easy for examiners to award marks. Explaining the rationale involves both personal interest in the topic and the specific sub-area of focus. Aims should clearly state what the student hopes to achieve and the means to do so.
This section requires detailing how the research was conducted, including a broad range of sources like NGOs reports, government sources, media, and self-gathered data. Key research findings should be presented as headlines – the most important discoveries that directly inform the chosen action. It's essential to cite various types of sources (web-based, literature, interviews) to meet the guidelines.
An annotated example demonstrates excellent execution of Section A. The student clearly labels subsections, provides personal motivation for their chosen topic (denial of education due to disability), and refines their focus. They draw on various aspects of the course and directly link their research findings from different sources (CSO, OECD reports, personal questionnaires) to inform their action plan, which involves drafting a submission to Amnesty International.
Students are advised to download and complete the project final checklist to ensure all aspects are covered. A valuable tip is to exchange drafts with a friend for peer review. This makes it easier to spot mistakes and gain fresh perspective, and it also allows for writing about peer review in Section C of the report. The video concludes by encouraging subscription to the podcast for more resources and wishing students luck with their projects.