Take a Look at the Example of a Planner Below

Activity 5: Research Proposal Worksheet

Name: Class:

Your teacher’s name:

Date started: Date finished:

1 What is the topic/what do I need to do?

What is your topic area?

What particular aspects are you interested in?

Do you have time to cover all the aspects which interest you? If not, make a selection of the most interesting aspects.

How much time do you have?

What is your research question?

What is your central hypothesis?

Give a brief, general account of how you intend to prove this hypothesis.

2 Where can I find the information I need?

Make a list of sources, for example libraries (school, public, specialist), organisations (societies, information centres, etc.) and people (teacher, librarian, family, friends).

Source / For what?

Which sources do you think you might use first?

Have you listed enough sources to help you answer your initial question? (If not, you might need to change your topic.)

3 How do I locate the information I want?

How do you find out:

§ where the library is

§ what’s in the library

§ how to use the library?

Do you have the skills necessary to search for materials in a library? Who could you ask for help?

What libraries will you use to obtain information on your chosen topic?

Have you used the catalogue system in your local library? Is it a card system or is it on computer?

Is there a photocopier in your local library? How could you use it to speed up your research?

Can you see any value in using research cards? If so, will you store them in a box, or in a folder or a flip-photo album, or will you transfer the information onto computer? Please share your plans.

How will you approach organisations and people – by letter, by telephone, or in person? Give reasons.

If you are interviewing people, give some examples of questions you might ask in the interview.

How long will it take you to get the data needed for your topic?

Is it possible and practical to put your data in the form of tables? Will tables help you analyse the data?

4 How do I select my information?

What different types of material are available?

How do you find out if the material is reliable?

How do you find out if a book or magazine is up to date?

How could you find out if the source/s you plan to use is/are too simple or too complex?

How do you find out if the source/s you plan to use contain/s what you’re looking for?

Will you be able to find enough material to do this project? (If not, you may need to change your topic.)

5 Your PIP timetable

Draw up a suitable timetable for your PIP research. Check the official PIP timetable provided by your teacher and find out the due date for progress reports and the final draft of your PIP.

My PIP timetable

6 How will I present my report?

What could you write about in the introduction?

Jot down your first thoughts. Sentences are not essential.

What could you include in the main body of the report?

Jot down your first thoughts. Sentences are not essential.

What could you include in your conclusion?

Jot down your first thoughts. Sentences are not essential.

7 What are the stages in preparing a PIP project?

Use the rest of this page to create your own diagram to illustrate the stages of creating a PIP project.

For example, you could design your diagram around a circle, a tree, or a brick wall, or any other way you want to illustrate your ideas. All the important steps and links should be shown on your diagram.

This diagram will be a useful and concise reminder system.

8 What are some of the smaller steps within each stage?

Learning to chunk a stage into smaller achievable steps is part of the skill of organising your work.

Take the previous diagram and add in some of the smaller chunks you will need to include in each stage. For example, if you plan to visit to the local library, consider location, transport, opening times, using the card or computer catalogue system, talking to the librarian, recording your research on research cards, number of visits, length of visits and inter-library loans.

Take one of the 11 stages listed in PIP 1 and show how you can chunk it into smaller (and more achievable) steps.

9 What are the key concepts you should explore in your project?

Create a diagram to remind yourself about the key concepts. Tick the one or ones you will most likely use in your project.

10 How will the PIP increase your understanding of Society and Culture?

Begin by jotting down some motivational words such as interesting, creative, helpful and so on.

Once you have your list of words, use them to write a note to yourself about this project. Convince yourself that this project will be a valuable and useful learning experience and that you will enjoy the challenge. Self-motivation is a powerful force.

Research Zone