The Individual Investigation

1. The Individual Investigation Writing the introduction

2. The criteria for a good introduction: “Plan how they will approach, carry out and complete their investigation” • An appropriate and sustainable topic and title is chosen, including reference to a local/Wales perspective and at least one other country or region e.g a suitable hypothesis or key question. • There must be an effective link between the topic and the title. • There must be a balanced and very effective focus. • So you need to… • Start with a general statement to introduce your topic and question • Explain why you decided to choose this topic and question Example 1 : the aims of the regeneration schemes in Cardiff and Melbourne “Urban regeneration is often controversial in that typically, the deconstruction of businesses and the relocation of people caused major uproar around the 20th century. Back then, they wanted to make way for new roads and developments. This has occurred particularly when the areas have been prone to industrial decline such as the coal industry from the docks. Throughout my investigation, I am going to explore the development and economic boom in both Cardiff Bay and Melbourne, Australia. I have chosen this topic because I am interested in architecture and urban redevelopment, and hope to study these in university.” Example 2 : people’s perceptions of crime in Nottingham and Cardiff and how they compare to real data “Crime is a serious issue in any country, with resources and lives taken up with prevention and the aftermath and everything in between. This investigation deals with crime primarily in Nottingham and Cardiff, comparing and contrasting the types. I decided to compare these two areas in particular because of the criminal reputation that Nottingham has in both the media and my local community. I decided to look at a major Welsh city in order to look at how the crime rates compare, and to give perspective on the often exaggerated crime rates in Nottingham.”

3. Good phrases to use • I have decided to choose this topic because….. • I have chosen to explore this hypothesis as I am very interested in…. • I decide to compare and contrast……because……… • ……….is a topic I am very passionate about and I wish to pursue a career in this field…… • I am planning to study this area in university and felt it would deepen and further my knowledge…..

4. The criteria for a good introduction: “Plan how they will approach, carry out and complete their investigation” The criteria for a good introduction • There is a well managed and sustainable action plan • Targets and deadlines are effectively managed e.g. prioritised and used flexibly • So you need to… • Explain how, where and why you are going to select and find your secondary data and sources • Explain how, where and why you are going to collect your primary data and sources • Spell out how you are going to analyse your sources and present them, and why • Attach the planning template provided, or one devised by yourself, showing evidence of targets and deadlines management (evidence of tutor feedback optional) • Use the key phrases in bold! Example 2: “I intend to collect data from websites linked to the police services in the two areas which demonstrate the prevalence and type of crime. This will be the secondary information that I will use within my analysis. I will use the statistics such as the rate for each crime per month to firstly analyse Nottingham and Cardiff in turn, and then compare. To make the comparison process easier, I will summarise the major figures in chart form, such as pie chart. Furthermore, I will conduct a survey to obtain primary data which will support my investigation and hypotheses. I will survey pupils in the school as to their perception of crime in the two areas mentioned, and present the findings in table/ graphical format. I will then analyse each in turn and conclude, linking to my hypotheses at the end.”