Research Units & Graded Units

1. Research Units & Graded Units Keith Pearson

2. Consultation: • Consultation with Further Education Jan 08 • Consultation with Further Education and with Former & Current Candidates May-Aug 09 • Views of members of the Qualifications Design Team • Views of External Verifiers based on: • Prior Verification • External Verification Visits • Central Verification

3. Research Units • The position of the two units within the mandatory core is as in the previous frameworks. • Their rationale and purpose remain unchanged.

4. Research and Methodology • Outcome 1 – Unchanged but it has become Outcome 2 • Outcome 2 – Unchanged but it has become Outcome 3 • Outcome 3 – has become Outcome 1 with the following additions: • Distinguish between common sense and social science as forms of knowledge • Theory has been included in the basic research process model • Intellectual property rights and plagiarism

5. Research and Methodology (cont.) Reasons for the changes: • The Outcome order changed to give a more sympathetic sequence to the material covered. • Additions were made to the content to enable a fuller understanding of the context of the research process. The form of assessment remains the same, closed book, structured questions. However: • There is now an option to do two separate assessments, one for Outcomes 1 & 2 and one for Outcome 3. • There is also an option to use a multiple choice format for Outcomes 1 & 2.

6. Research Issues • Outcome 1 - Realism - removed • Outcome 2 - Under-determination – removed Reason: • In response to popular demand and to enable a stronger focus on the main issues/concepts. Assessment still open book (2000 word approx.) but modes of response now much more varied in line with new assessment strategy.

7. Graded Units • General agreement with type of Graded Units within the frameworks: • HNC: examination • HND: project examination

8. Graded Units: Examinations • General tidying up of points: • Questions can be based on one and/or two units • ‘Conclusion and Evaluation’ changed to ‘Evaluation and Conclusion’ • Attempt to show the distinction between the aims of GU1 (Level 7) and GU3 (Level 8) N.B. Questions must still be based on topics within Social Sciences units, i.e. cannot be based on Communications or Criminology units for example.

9. Graded Unit: Project • In line with new assessment strategy, results of the investigation, at the discretion of the centre, can be presented in a number of different formats: • A written report as now • A portfolio • A reflective blog • A personal or learning journal • A DVD Whichever method is used, a bibliography will be essential.

10. Graded Unit: Project (cont.) • Investigation can be undertaken using one or two social science disciplines. • Desire to tighten up on the justification for the investigation. • The mark for the approved Planning Stage can be amended when the final submission is marked. • It is to be emphasised that it is the process that is being evaluated in Stage 3, not the findings.

11. Graded Units: Exemplars • These have yet to be produced but there were problems and inconsistencies with the exemplars for the existing GUs, which we have attempted to rectify. We will attempt to avoid such in the new exemplars. • We will suggest a standard format for the GUs so that the process will be much more straightforward for all concerned.

12. Graded Units: Exemplars (cont.) • We would welcome examples of paperwork developed in centres to support the Project to assist with the creation of the GU2 exemplar. • Please send to me c/o SQA (if paper copies) or to kbpearson@talktalk.net if electronic copies.