ADVANCED HIGHER INVESTIGATION REPORT
TheAdvice to Candidates regarding the write up of your Investigation Reportis on the school website. It is vitally important that you follow the advice given as this forms the basis of the marking instructions. On the school website you will also find comments from the Principal Assessor’s Report. The investigation report is worth 25 marks with the exam another 100 marks. So 20% of your marks could be earned before the external exam.
Make sure you have drawn graphs, calculated results, errors, etc as you go along. The more detailed your day book the easier the write up. I strongly suggest you type your report as you go along while experimental work is still fresh in your mind.
You are welcome to come in during the prelim study period to work on your investigation as when the labs are likely to be available. You will be able to complete a lot more experimental work in a morning or an afternoon that you would in the same time split into hourly sessions. You should have completed the bulk of the experimental work by the end of the prelim study leave. The last day for experimental work in class will be Thursday 31st March.
Your draftreport should be in my hands by Monday 18th April.Early drafts are welcome and would leave you more time to carry out suggested alterations before the final deadline. Any late drafts will not be accepted.
Two copies of the final report along with your day book and COSHH safety sheets should be should be handed in to me by the end of the school day on Monday25th April.
Don't leave your write up to the last minute. Remember you will also have NABs after Easter as well as work for other subjects. The write up is time consuming so make sure you plan your time efficiently. Calculations can be awkward to word process so are best hand written.
The Examiner will be unfamiliar with what you have actually done. You need to make the report easy to follow. Use meaningful TITLES, headings, subheadings and use a hierarchy in font styles. Use appropriate symbols and units. You may find highlight, format, font, superscript or subscript useful.
Ensure that you follow the structure given in Advice to Candidates. If you have done several methods write up one totally before going on to the next.
For example:
Cu content in coins
Volumetric determination
Underlying chemistry
Experimental procedures
Results
Conclusions
Evaluation *
Gravimetric determination
Underlying chemistry
Experimental procedures
Results
Conclusions
Evaluation *
**
* Here you could draw barchart to compare the results for this method with the 'true' value and comment on this method of determination.
** At the very end of the investigation you could compare both methods with each other and comment which is closer to the true value, etc.
For example:
Analysis of Washing Powder
Determination of phosphate
Underlying chemistry
Experimental procedures
Results
Conclusions
Evaluation *
Determination of brighteners
Underlying chemistry
Experimental procedures
Results
Conclusions
Evaluation *
**
* here you could draw bar chart to compare the results for this method with the 'true' value if this is known or you could compare one washing powder with another. Also comment on the differences/similarities.
** At the very end of the investigation you could compare the washing powders 'ingredient' by 'ingredient' and comment on differences/similarities. J Reid
7/1/11