In the face of rising English applications, many students consider participating in extracurricular academic memorization programs to increase their application advantages, among which EPQ is a popular choice.
As a professional and systematic scientific research paper project, in order to ensure the accuracy of conclusions and subject research, the support of various research methods is indispensable in the creation process.
So for IGCSE/AS students, what research methods are suitable for use in EPQ creation?
01
Literature review research
Abstract: By consulting relevant literature and materials, we can understand the background of the project topic and related research, so as to provide theoretical support for our own creation.
Once you've identified an EPQ topic, you'll need to find resources to help with project creation. You can refer to books, journals, websites, videos, tutorials, or a range of other resources, but the sheer number of them means it's easier for students to be unsure when making their choices, in which case keywords are needed.
在相关网站搜索关键词时一定要清晰准确，配合引号/星号。 比如输入child*，代表的结果可能就包括child, child’s, children, children’s, childhood；
The use of conjunctions is also crucial, typing in and narrowing the search results, typing in or expanding, and typing not will exclude a term to narrow the search results.
Once you know what to search for, look for literature that suits your EPQ topic.
There are many channels to obtain literature and materials, such as offline access to libraries, museums, scientific institutions or institutions, and many online academic conferences and institutional websites will upload a lot of the latest literature, but when searching for literature online, it is necessary to pay attention to the authority of the platform and related content.
To evaluate the authority of a reference, consider the following:
Author qualifications: Review the author's qualifications and background, including their expertise and research experience in the field.
Source of Publication: Check the reputation and authority of the journal, publisher or website in which the document is published. Some academic journals, publishers or websites have higher academic standards, and the literature they publish is more authoritative.
Citations: Assess the impact and importance of the reference in the academic community by looking at the citations of other scholarly literature.
Content Reliability: Review the content of a document, including the data it cites, experimental evidence, and research methods, to determine whether it is scientific and reliable.
Publication date: Considering the date of publication of the literature, newer literature may contain the latest research findings and perspectives.
Authoritative platforms include CNKI, Google Scholar, JSTOR, etc., in addition to platforms that provide various types of data.
University of York, a paper on the creation of EPQs, exemplifies the use of Google Scholar
It is not enough to read the literature once, but to gather information that is useful for the EPQ topic written.
Read the entire literature carefully to understand its main arguments. Mark key points, figures, and citations, take notes and write abstracts as you read.
Think critically about the content of the document and ask yourself whether you agree with the author's point of view, whether there are biases or omissions, and whether the author's arguments are sufficient and reliable.
At the end of the reading, relate the ideas or data in the literature to your EPQ topic and think about how you can use this information to support your argument or research. If the literature mentions other relevant literature or research, these citations can be further read for a more comprehensive understanding and perspective.
It should be noted that during the reading process, the citation information of the literature should be recorded in time, and the cited content should be annotated for subsequent writing.
02
Questionnaires/field studies
Abstract: Design and implement questionnaires to collect data and perspectives on project topics to introduce empirical research into the EPQ.
Students who belong to the direction of social science, education, environment and sustainable development, and business and market research can consider using the questionnaire to increase the accuracy and reference of the article data.
Social sciences, such as psychology, sociology, economics, etc., which investigate people's attitudes, opinions, or patterns of behavior toward a social phenomenon, educational topics, which investigate students' perceptions of a particular teaching method, subject, or school policy, or teachers' attitudes toward educational reform, and business and market research topics, which investigate consumer demand, satisfaction, or market trends for a product or service.
A good questionnaire is best to start with simple questions that don't make the respondent feel anxious, but also have practical value, so that the visit is less laborious.
AQA Examinations Board's advice on the creation of questionnaires in the EPQ
Similar to the questionnaire are site visits, face-to-face or remote interviews, where experts, stakeholders or interviewees are interviewed to gain their insights and experiences, and to provide practical support and insights for the project. Collect real-world data and information to deepen your understanding of the subject matter of the project.
03
Data/Case Studies
Abstract: If the project requires, statistical methods can be used to analyze the collected data/cases to draw conclusions and support their own arguments.
If the EPQ involves a scientific, economic, or engineering topic, you can use relevant known data to support your hypothesis or analyze new data.
In addition, case studies can also be used to illustrate the central thesis of your EPQ. Case studies can help students gain insight into a particular group or background;
In the research project, an object is analyzed in combination with the literature, and the law of generality and universality of things is obtained. For example, support your EPQ views by analysing historical events or real-life cases.
EPQ focuses on students' independent thinking and research skills, but when students really encounter problems, they must learn to seek help from teachers. Maintain communication with the instructor and receive support throughout the project to reduce the output of wasted work.
For students participating in the EPQ, we have provided more topic selection suggestions, and carefully summarized the [EPQ Topic Selection Information Package]!!Covering 20 popular majors and 500+ topic selection directions, students in need can scan the code to receive!
👇👇👇
【EPQ Topic Selection Packet】
Contains1
EPQ Topic Selection Package
- It is applicable to all students who participate in the EPQ, and provides suggestions for topic selection;
- Covering 20 popular majors and 500+ topic selection directions;
- Medicine, Psychology, Law, Biology, History, Economics, Business Studies, English Literature, Art, Foreign Chinese, Sports, Architecture, Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Engineering, Computer, Political Science, Sociology, Geography.
A variety of popular majors provide inspiration, save time and effort!!Find topic selection skills, exercise thinking skills, produce excellent works, and increase the application advantage!!
Reply to the code [EPQ topic selection package]
Get a free EPQ now and answer it once!
*If it has been added, a private chat is sufficient
Benefits: All students
【2024 EPQ Summer Tutorial Class】
The EPQ is a great help for students to prepare for interviews and improve the competitiveness of their applications. Planning early and starting EPQ learning as soon as possible can help you adapt to the current situation of the English "volume" faster and better, and successfully win the offer!!
The Oxford AQA EPQ Programme (EPQ) is attended by nearly 40,000 students each year. The international version used to be called IPQ, but now it is renamed International EPQ.
Students who are in the IGCSE/AS stage can make full use of the time to do a good job of EPQ memorization, so that they can set aside more time to prepare for standardized academics, PS and other work in the future, and study efficiently and improve the quality of comprehensive application!
If you want to consult the EPQ summer class, and other in-class academic standardization and extracurricular tutoring matters, scan the QR code below to learn more!
Previous Wenlan students' EPQ project showcase:
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