AIM: TO INTRODUCE STUDENTS TO COURSEWORK

GCSE COURSEWORK

External exam

Your coursework is worth 20% of your final GCSE grade. Your final draft should be typed, with two spaces between each word. Your coursework needs to be 2000 words, and typed copies must be handed in.

The deadline for your coursework is

FRIDAY 20TH NOVEMBER

Today’s lesson

1. Brief overview of the coursework2. Introduction to mark scheme3. Students design cover and contents page 4. Choose a topic ( Teacher will have a

selection of topics and students will choose the one that they are most interested in)

1. Contents page – with page numbers

2. Introduction – including your topic & question

3. Hypothesis – a prediction of what you aim to find out

4. Aims – how you aim to carry out your research

5. Methodology – the methods you will use and why

6. Primary research7. Secondary research8. The pilot study – a first

sample of your questions9. Results of the pilot study

10.Description of primary research

11.Description of secondary research

12.Analysis of primary and secondary research

13.Conclusion – an evaluation of your research methods and a conclusion to your hypothesis which refers to both your primary and secondary data

14.Bibliography – this must include a list of all the secondary sources you have used with author/date/title/publisher

What you will need to include

Possible topics- Family

1. Is the nuclear family the typical the most typical type of family that exists in Britain today?

2. Why has there been an increase in the number of divorces over the last 40 years?

3. Why has the number of lone parents increased in the UK?

4. Do teenagers and their parents share the same views on marriage in the UK?

5. Single parent families – are they really disadvantaged?

6. Are household tasks shared more equally in the new millennium?

Possible topics – Education

1. An investigation to find out why girls are out-performing boys in examinations.

2. An investigation to find out why Afro-Caribbeans students underachieve when compared to Asian students.

3. Does labelling within the classroom affect a students achievements.

4. Why do the working-class pupils underachieve when compared to the middle class students

5. An investigation into behaviour in the classroom6. Do middle class children gain more from the

hidden curriculum in secondary school?

Front Cover Your contents page

1. The title of your

coursework

2. A picture to represent the topic you are researching

3. Your full name

1. Hypothesis2. Aims3. Methodology4. Primary research5. Secondary research6. The pilot study7. Results of the pilot study8. primary research9. secondary research10. Results of primary and

secondary research11. Conclusion12. Evaluation13. Bibliography

Coursework guidelines – What should I include?

Hypothesis

 Once you have decided the topic you wish

to study you need to gather some relevant information to show that you have a good knowledge of the area you are researching.

  

Hypothesis:

This is a statement related to your research project.   i.e. ‘‘The media portrays negative stereotypes of youths.’’   ‘‘The New Man is a myth’’   ‘‘In education, African Caribbean students are out-performing

other ethnic groups.’’   You may only add a question to your hypothesis in the following

way.   i.e. ‘The media always portrays youths negatively.’’ To what

extent is this a true reflection of the media in Britain?

Hypothesis

Sociologists have carried out research into … (your topic). One study that relate to my project is the study carried out by (find a sociologist who has done research into your topic area). In his/her study he/she found … (give a brief summary of their findings). If possible do this for at least one other sociologist as well.

 Relevant information form the textbook can also

be used. 

You can use the sentence starters below to get you started:

My hypotheses are:

  Firstly, I will look at sociological research that shows my first hypothesis can be

proved. Sociologists have found that ………

  However, other sociologists have found that my hypothesis can be

disapproved. They have found that ……………

  Overall, most sociologists say that my first hypothesis is …………

  Secondly, I will look at sociological research that shows my second hypothesis

can be proved. Sociologists have found that …………..

  However, other sociologists have found that my second hypothesis can be

disapproved. They have found that ……………

  Overall, most sociologists say that my second hypothesis is ………… 

Hypothesis

 This should not be looking for the cause of something. It

should not be about something you already know, that has been proven, e.g. Girls do better at school. However, it is fine to ask why girls do better at school.

 My hypothesis is (this should be about 200 words) 

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

Homework

Ensure that the following are completed before the next lesson:

1. Front cover of your coursework2. Contents page (without numbers)3. Hypothesis