Internal assessment resource reference number Eng/1/9_D6
PAGE FOR TEACHER USE
2008
Internal Assessment Resource
Subject Reference: English 1.9
Internal assessment resource reference number: Eng/1/9_D6
Hot Issues
Supports internal assessment for:
Achievement Standard 90060 v3
Research, organise and present information
Credits: 3
Date version published: January 2008
Ministry of Education For use in internal assessment from
quality assurance status 2008.
21
© Crown 2008
Internal assessment resource reference number Eng/1/9_D6
PAGE FOR TEACHER USE
Teacher Guidelines:
The following guidelines are supplied to enable teachers to carry out valid and consistent assessment using this internal assessment resource.
Context/setting:
This activity uses the context of current issues affecting teenagers as the basis for research. After studying the research process as a class using a sample topic, students choose their own issues to explore. Teachers should check that students choose issues where accessible written, oral and / or visual resources are available. Students can present their research as written reports, in oral form, or in a combination of written/oral/ visual formats.
Research topics should be relevant to students’ Year 11 English programmes.
Conditions:
This activity requires a mixture of class and homework activity. Students should collect information in and out of class, then use class time to process the information and develop their reports.
Teachers will need regular checkpoints to monitor student progress and to ensure the authenticity of student work.
Students should use the headings and suggested layout for their research.
Resource requirements:
Access to information sources.
Additional information:
There is a broad thematic link centred on risks and challenges between this activity and three other level 1 internal assessment activities:
a. Looking Back (students present a role play based on the challenges faced by a character - assessed by Achievement Standard 1.8)
b. Out on a Limb (students present a formal speech about a challenge – assessed by Achievement Standard 1.7)
c. Tough Choices (students complete a piece of creative writing about facing a difficult decision – assessed by Achievement Standard 1.1)
21
© Crown 2008
Internal assessment resource reference number Eng/1/9_D6
PAGE FOR STUDENT USE
2008
Internal Assessment Resource
Subject Reference: English 1.9
Internal assessment resource reference number: Eng/1/9_D6
Hot Issues
Achievement Standard 90060 v3
Research, organise and present information
Credits: 3
Student Instructions Sheet
In this activity you will research an issue relevant to people your age.
Before beginning your own research, you will work through key parts of the research process as a class looking at the graffiti issue using some provided material. During this stage your teacher will show you how to plan, record and present your research. You will then research and present information on an issue you have chosen. Your research topic should be relevant to your Year 11 English programme.
You may not research the graffiti issue nor can you use any of the source material in this activity as part of your research.
You will be assessed on how well you:
· propose research questions
· select and record relevant information
· organise and present information
· draw conclusions.
This activity requires a mixture of class and homework time. You should collect information in and out of class, then use class time to process the information and develop your report.
Task 1: Modelling the research process / the graffiti issue: what do you know already?
a) In groups discuss all the places you have seen graffiti in the past week.
Also read articles 1 and 2:
b) Working in groups, take on one of these roles. Allocate all roles around various groups in the class.
· graffiti artists
· police
· people in the community, like shopkeepers/ householders/community organisations
c) Give others in the class some knowledge of the variety of opinions which could be held about the graffiti issue by each group. Formulate three statements based on information from the articles and other information you know about graffiti. These statements put forward your group’s point of view about the graffiti issue. Read the statements to the class: Eg “As graffiti artists we think that…. “/ “ We tag because……” etc
d) As a class, talk about how prior knowledge is important before starting the research process.
e) In groups spend five minutes brainstorming and recording all you know about graffiti using slips of paper.
f) In groups organise this information into categories/ sub-topics. Use broad categories like:
· Who does graffiti?
· Where is it done?
· Why?
· Who does it affect and how?
· What are the solutions?
g) Revisit the categories which your group has mapped out. Can you add any additional information under these categories?
Task 2: Modelling the research process / the graffiti issue:
framing questions and finding information
a) As a class, discuss which types of questions will allow you to present information and draw conclusions :
· open/ closed
· 5Ws/H
· factual
To build your understanding of how conclusions are linked to research questions, read the Exemplar A and B research reports. Look particularly at the report sections with “draws perceptive conclusions” or “draws conclusions” annotations.
For the graffiti topic, which of these research questions would allow you to present information and draw conclusions?
· What is the nature of the graffiti problem in NZ?
· Who does it?
· Where are the graffiti trouble spots?
· Why does it occur?
· What are the effects?
· What are some solutions to the problem?
b) From the categories you developed in task 1(f) you should be able to determine:
§ What do I know?
§ What do I need to find out?
Devise several research questions developed from what you need to find out. Your questions should be framed so that you can present selected relevant information and draw conclusions.
c) You need to consider which key words to use to find information which will help you address your research questions. List suggestions on the whiteboard beside the research questions. Discuss how these key words can be used:
· to look up indexes eg Information file
· to do a search of a database eg INNZ
· to do a search of the Internet
d) As a class visit your school library to be become familiar with the written and electronic resources available. Try some search strategies using key words (or combinations of key words) to find two pieces of information on graffiti.
e) Once you have found information, you need to evaluate whether it will be useful using scanning and skimming skills. The metaphor of being in a plane is a useful one to describe the scanning process. Try scanning a resource for keywords/ phrases by:
· looking at the title
· looking for keywords
· scanning the home page
· reading the first and last paragraphs.
Which resources look the most useful to answer your research questions and why? Compare results with partner. Be prepared to justify your choices.
A useful approach is for evaluating web based sources can be found on English Online at http://english.unitecnology.ac.nz/evaluation/
f) Practise skim reading another resource on graffiti to determine how useful it will be. The metaphor of a helicopter is a useful one to describe the skimming process. How many of your research questions did it answer? Compare your results with partner. How useful will the article be as a resource?
Task 3: Modelling the research process / the graffiti issue:
recording information
a) Choose a method of recording information:
· using a data chart. Use an enlarged version of the template on page . List each source you consult. Include title, author and publishing details for printed texts, urls for web based texts, and directors for visual texts.
· using ‘thin notes / fat notes.’ Write down single words or phrases which relate to research questions as you examine a resource. Expand into notes which are similar to the notes written on data chart.
· using the dot and jot technique. Dot or bullet point key points as single lines only. Do not use full sentences.
· Use your own words except where quoting.
b) As you select information, consider whether you should adapt any research questions given the nature of the sources or information you have found.
QuestionsSources / E.g.
What is the graffiti problem? / E.g.
What are the solutions? / E.g.
What are various opinions on the issue?
Eg from ARTICLE 1(p4)
· ‘Principal Fed Up With Graffiti’
· Natasha Brinsden
· ‘The Christchurch Press’
· September 20 1999 / · Queenspark School has been plagued by graffiti attacks for 12 years, with more attacks happening in the last five years.· Principal Dick Connolly believes that it’s due to parents not taking responsibility for their children, and not knowing where they are or what they are doing. / · Dick Connolly would like parents to pay the bill for the clean up.
· Parents patrol the school at night but taggers hit between shifts.
· Local police actively pursue offenders. / · Dick Connolly thinks taggers are “gutless cowards” and “out of control.”
Task 4: Completing your own research
a) Choose your own research topic [you may not choose the graffiti topic as it has been used in detail to model the research process]. You may complete research on the topics shown in exemplars A to D which follow, but you cannot use any of the material from the exemplars as part of your own research.
Your research topic should be relevant to your Year 11 English programme. Your research might be developed from a topic you write on during the year as a formal writing activity, from wide reading of feature articles about issues, or from other relevant areas of your programme.
Consider several of writing topics set for the external standard AS 90053 Produce formal writing which are often based on current issues. The area you decide to research could be developed from one of these topics. You can see topics from external papers at http://www.nzqa.govt.nz/ncea/assessment/ then searching AS 90053.
Topics with an ‘issues’ focus based on a range of AS 90053 papers include:
· Role models
· Keeping healthy
· Driving and vehicle use
· Personal safety
· Copyright
· Censorship
· Race issues
· Animal experimentation
· Body image
As part of your wide reading programme, you might have included one or more feature articles from the ‘Barb Wired’ section on English Online [http://english.unitecnology.ac.nz/barbwired/]. You could also consider topics students have written on for ‘Barb Wired’ as possibilities for research topics. If you chose to research one of these topics, an article from ‘Barb Wired’ could be included and acknowledged as one of your sources.
You must have your topic approved by your teacher before starting work.
b) Follow the steps set out in tasks 1(e) to (f) to begin the research process on your own topic:
Find two pieces of information on your topic as background material. Use this information to begin your brainstorming and mapping in groups of two or three, helping each other with each individual’s chosen topic.
c) Individually complete the steps in the research process outlined in tasks 2 and 3. Your teacher will build in checkpoints to ensure that you are following the research process and that the work is your own. Key checkpoints for tasks 2 and 3 include:
§ confirming research questions
§ confirming the method used to colllect information and record sources.
d) A mixture of class and homework time should be used to complete tasks 2 and 3.
Task 5: Presenting your research report
a) In this final stage, your report should demonstrate that you have developed your own conclusions based on key information. You should carefully select and present relevant information and not attempt to include all the examples and details you have recorded during the research process.
Please note:
§ You must organise and present information in a sufficiently clear way. You could group examples under research questions or under sources used. Look at how the research reports in the exemplars have been set out before deciding on how you will organise your report.
§ You are expected to include in your report selected specific examples and details collected during the research process.
§ To gain merit or excellence, your aim is to present selected information and draw conclusions, not simply to set out as much as you could find out about a topic. Drawing perceptive conclusions [required for excellence] includes making comprehensive or sophisticated interpretations linked to your research questions.
§ If you merely copy information into your report without any evidence of processing or selection, you will not gain achievement.
§ Your report should be developed in class time to ensure that the work is your own.
b) Look over the research reports in the exemplars discussing their strengths and what aspects could be developed further. Pay particular attention to how the excellence exemplar report presents key information together with conclusions.
c) Your teacher will advise you on how you will present your report. It may be in written form, but you can also present your report orally or in a combination of written/oral/visual formats.
d) The steps in the research process shown in the exemplars have been set out in various ways. Your teacher will give you guidance over how you should set out your research steps and report, either using the templates or a format shown in one of the exemplars.
Research topic: Bullying in schools
Research questions related to the bullying problem: