Individual_Research_Guide short version.docxVIP

IGCSE Global Perspectives - Individual Research GuideFocusing the Research on an Issue:Getting started: use background or immersion knowledge of an area of study to begin your investigation. What do you already know? What more would you like to know? Immerse yourself into the area of study through articles, films, discussion, or other means.). Write about your background knowledge and / or your reaction to immersion activities. This can serve as the basis of the introduction to the individual research later.Formulating a good Focusing Question: develop a good research question that requires you to take a stand on an issue after reviewing the relevant facts. This is your Focusing Question. The question should zero in on a specific issue within the area of study and require you to form, and show, an opinion.Possible Focusing Question templates:How important is(access to free education / protecting coral reef / awareness of the causes of climate change / the use of diplomacy /...)?Whose responsibility is it to(protect coral reef / combat climate change)?Do the benefits of(advancing technology / factory farming / patent laws / urbanization / globalization / access to cheap goods...)outweigh the disadvantages?What is more important: (the right to free speech or a nation’s security /conserving energy or making renewable energy sources accessible...)?Should (education be considered a right or a privilege / people have access to free drinking water / animals have the same rights as people / freedom of speech ever be limited, and if so, why...)?Formulating Supporting Questions:Supporting Questions are those designed to guide a researcher in finding the facts will shape and support the answer to your Focusing Question. If your FOCUSING QUESTION under the area of study Technology and the Economic divide is Do the benefits of the availabilityof cheap goods outweigh the detriments? then you would need the answers to a few secondary questions to develop and support an i