The answers to these factors should guide the centre’s approach. Some considerations are listed below.

·          The bigger the group size the greater the opportunity to permit

            students to range widely across the themes.

·          There are obvious linkages. ‘Geography of Crime’, or ‘Deprivation’   

            might attract sociologists, for example, whereas psychologists could 

            be attracted to ‘Environmental Psychology’ or ‘Geography of 

            Retailing’ or ‘Leisure and Recreation’. Physicists might be inclined to

            ‘Microclimates’ and chemists to ’Atmospheric and Water Pollution’.    

            However, some will not want to make that kind of link and should be    

            encouraged to study what interests them.

·          Single teacher centres might have to be more restrictive in their

            coverage; whereas experience has shown that centres with three or

            more teachers whose expertise complements one another are able to

            offer almost all of the range.

·          You know what books are available but it might pay to look back

            through those Geographys, Geography Reviews and Geographicals

            gaining dust in the cupboard! Searches using Amazon or Blackwells

            might reveal other gems.

·          No doubt the students will turn to the web so get one step ahead and

           develop a web source handbook. 

·          If you are entering students for Unit G3 in January the approach has to

           be more structured from the outset because a June start to the work

           dividends in the long run to begin the process in June of the preceding

           year.

·          Time depends on the approach adopted by the centre. Because this

            Section is intended to be teacher-guided self-learning the timetable

            requirements ought not to be rigid.

·          Can some existing fieldwork be reworked or would it be better to take  
       the themes and look at the fieldwork opportunities on an annual basis?

Formal Introduction and Teaching

This is the key stage because it sets the context for the students’ work. The departmental selection of Themes should be presented to the students and any potential choices discussed.  The students could be issued with a departmental timetable which details key dates in the process besides a departmental version of the specification.

There are two key elements to the introductory tutorials. The first is to establish the academic background to the Theme and Topic Area. This could take time if there are several topic areas being attempted. This could take the form of some required reading from textbooks and journals besides some teacher input on the topic.

The second element is to tutor students so that they comprehend the sequence of enquiry and the investigative structure needed for their research. At this stage students will obviously be encouraged to develop their own research topic that fits the theme. Ideally this should come from the student but in reality some will need further guidance and in some cases, having the topic allocated. Topic allocation is to be discouraged because it often results in less student enthusiasm for the topic. It creates an attitude of “they will tell me what to do and I can do little until told”. The most dangerous approach is to give all the students the same topic area and more dangerously, the same research theme. By all means get students to cooperate in a topic area but tweak the studies to engender enthusiasm. Topics have to be manageable and tutor time will be taken up making sure that the topic is manageable in the time and at this level.

The next stage is to get the students to do their own reading and researching the literature. This is an ideal point for introducing the area of biased literature and data, especially in the media and on the web.

The final stage of the introductory phase is the development of a methodology that will enable the correct primary and secondary data to be collected that addresses the detailed research topic area that the student has agreed with the tutor. At this stage attention needs to be paid to issues such as location(s), health and safety, scale of the projected research, rigorous approval of any questionnaires, any ethical issues and teamwork if needed.

Teaching time, organising the report

Once the data and evidence has been collected a new phase begins. Students should be organised ideally into groups that cover each of the Research Themes being taught. In the case of the maverick student, they can be attached to one of the other groups.

The Research Theme groups can meet at different times. Their purpose is to get the students to organise their data and evidence in a manner that addresses the research that they undertook. A seminar/presentation format could work because the students will learn from each other and from the teacher input.

Once the data has been satisfactorily collected the students should be asked to draw tentative conclusions from the data; what does it show and how certain are they of the validity of their conclusions. This evaluative phase is essential and should be related to the knowledge and understanding that they acquired when they first started investigating the theme and the topic area.

Writing up the report

Although a written report is not a compulsory element of the assessment, it does have the benefit of drawing together all of the elements in the research investigation. It is the final stage in the sequence of enquiry. By writing up a report of 2,000 to 2,500 words the candidate will have produced both a completed study and most importantly, a revision document for the forthcoming examination. It is the report that will become the source of knowledge, understanding, application and skills used in the formal examination’s assessment objectives. It is also an exercise in writing continuous prose, which could take the form of a headed report with maps, diagrams, tables, photographs and even text boxes. The general rule is that any of the above, or indeed appendices do not count as words. Appendicitis, the inclusion of vast data appendices, should be avoided. Any internal assessment of the report should be formative in its guidance for the forthcoming examination. Show them good reports from the past or articles which have the format that you wish to see (e.g. Geographical Review).

Both teaching time and writing up should direct students to potential questions on the topic area that relate to both the methodology of the research study and the findings of the candidate’s own research.

Some Don’ts

·          Do not teach to stereotypical answers because they might not address the question set and the assessment objectives.

·          Do not restrict theme selection so that it misses the research interests of the students.

·          Do not just leave the students to their own devices.

·          Do not let them plagiarise – be aware of lifting from the net.

·          Do not predict questions especially in the initial examinations.

Do

·          Encourage self-learning

·          Place boundaries on their ambition