Ultimate EPQ thread
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I don't know whether to do it, should I switch back to critical thinking? I have to do one of the other 
.
If anyone actually bothers to read all this and answer then thank you
...
People seem to have really specific topics, on TSR anyway. Can I do quite a broad topic? And most TSR people seem to be doing really sciencey, mathsy things, am I doing the wrong subjects to do an EP? My A levels are Eng Lang/Lit, French, History and Psychology, so could I link it to all those and do a quite general question? I've got one idea I really want to do, do you have any other ideas to link with my A levels in case they say no?
Can you have a main question then lots of sub parts to it? How do you actually do it, is it all quoting from research or do you actually get to say what you think? What if there is no definite answer to your question in the end?
I just wanted to check, is it a 1 year AS level for the whole of year 12 then you're done with it and can concentrate on just 3 or 4 A2s? I'm moving school so I don't know much about the EPQ. What gets handed in at the end, just a 5000 word thing or is there something you fill in as you go along?
How much is the presentation worth? Do you *have* to do one? I'm terrified of public speaking. Who is it in front of, who decides who the audience is? Is it just a speech or a powerpoint or something?
.If anyone actually bothers to read all this and answer then thank you
...People seem to have really specific topics, on TSR anyway. Can I do quite a broad topic? And most TSR people seem to be doing really sciencey, mathsy things, am I doing the wrong subjects to do an EP? My A levels are Eng Lang/Lit, French, History and Psychology, so could I link it to all those and do a quite general question? I've got one idea I really want to do, do you have any other ideas to link with my A levels in case they say no?
Can you have a main question then lots of sub parts to it? How do you actually do it, is it all quoting from research or do you actually get to say what you think? What if there is no definite answer to your question in the end?
I just wanted to check, is it a 1 year AS level for the whole of year 12 then you're done with it and can concentrate on just 3 or 4 A2s? I'm moving school so I don't know much about the EPQ. What gets handed in at the end, just a 5000 word thing or is there something you fill in as you go along?
How much is the presentation worth? Do you *have* to do one? I'm terrified of public speaking. Who is it in front of, who decides who the audience is? Is it just a speech or a powerpoint or something?
Do you know what you want to at university? Maybe link it to that. I don't have specific question, but my topic is very broad atm. Its the recession.
It counts as just an AS level. I think you should do it as you will have something to talk about at your interviews for university and plus its fun to do some extra research reading.
This thread should help you a bit more: http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=970175
It counts as just an AS level. I think you should do it as you will have something to talk about at your interviews for university and plus its fun to do some extra research reading.
This thread should help you a bit more: http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=970175
It's best to make it fairly narrow yes, as otherwise the 5,000 words won't be enough and it's harder to write analytically and concisely and answer the question properly. I'm doing my EPQ in French, and I also did AS English and History so your subjects are fine.
It varies from school to school: mine was just a project for the summer, but even if you do it throughout your AS year you should have finished by the time you start your A2s. You have to fill in a booklet with your planning and saying what you did, and you can present the project in a variety of ways, including a 5,000 word report.
You do have to do a presentation at the end, and mine will be just in front of two teachers I think.
Edit: Oh, and it's far better than Critical Thinking! More fun as you choose the question and much more respected by universities.
It varies from school to school: mine was just a project for the summer, but even if you do it throughout your AS year you should have finished by the time you start your A2s. You have to fill in a booklet with your planning and saying what you did, and you can present the project in a variety of ways, including a 5,000 word report.
You do have to do a presentation at the end, and mine will be just in front of two teachers I think.
Edit: Oh, and it's far better than Critical Thinking! More fun as you choose the question and much more respected by universities.
I would recommend doing it over critical thinking. I did both while I was at college, and while with CT you had to go to set lessons, the EPQ was much more flexible and you can basically do it in your own time. It will take quite a lot of research and time, but for our school we had to complete it by february/march time which means you can focus on your A levels without worrying about anything extra over the exam period. It's also much more interesting to be able to follow your own interests and work independtly, whereas with CT it was pretty... dull. I don't think critical thinking helped me in any real way or taught me any useful skills... Ha I REALLY hated critical thinking lessons - this probably shows.
In terms of the subject - you are basically doing the same subjects that I did so I don't think it matters at all that you aren't doing sciency subjects. I had difficulty choosing a topic but perhaps base it around the subject that you are thinking of for University?
In terms of the subject - you are basically doing the same subjects that I did so I don't think it matters at all that you aren't doing sciency subjects. I had difficulty choosing a topic but perhaps base it around the subject that you are thinking of for University?
If you're interested in Psychology then you could do it on eating disoreders etc.?
I don't know what I want to do at university yet 
I thought I wanted to do English / linguistics but now I want to see which I prefer at A level, maybe Psychology or History. Yeah critical thinking sounds really boring! I think you have to go to lessons at my new school for EPQ but mainly in computer rooms and do your own thing. They didn't really tell us much apart from 'Do it, it's great!'. I was thinking of doing something about the media but would that sound like a rubbish one because of Media Studies being 'soft'. I think I could bring in everything then like media in france, history of media, language in media, psychology like effect on people. But wouldn't that be a million words?! Could I narrow it down and what question could I have?
I thought I wanted to do English / linguistics but now I want to see which I prefer at A level, maybe Psychology or History. Yeah critical thinking sounds really boring! I think you have to go to lessons at my new school for EPQ but mainly in computer rooms and do your own thing. They didn't really tell us much apart from 'Do it, it's great!'. I was thinking of doing something about the media but would that sound like a rubbish one because of Media Studies being 'soft'. I think I could bring in everything then like media in france, history of media, language in media, psychology like effect on people. But wouldn't that be a million words?! Could I narrow it down and what question could I have?
I'm_No_Supergirl
I don't know what I want to do at university yet I thought I wanted to do English / linguistics but now I want to see which I prefer at A level, maybe Psychology or History. Yeah critical thinking sounds really boring! I think you have to go to lessons at my new school for EPQ but mainly in computer rooms and do your own thing. They didn't really tell us much apart from 'Do it, it's great!'. I was thinking of doing something about the media but would that sound like a rubbish one because of Media Studies being 'soft'. I think I could bring in everything then like media in france, history of media, language in media, psychology like effect on people. But wouldn't that be a million words?! Could I narrow it down and what question could I have?
I thought I wanted to do English / linguistics but now I want to see which I prefer at A level, maybe Psychology or History. Yeah critical thinking sounds really boring! I think you have to go to lessons at my new school for EPQ but mainly in computer rooms and do your own thing. They didn't really tell us much apart from 'Do it, it's great!'. I was thinking of doing something about the media but would that sound like a rubbish one because of Media Studies being 'soft'. I think I could bring in everything then like media in france, history of media, language in media, psychology like effect on people. But wouldn't that be a million words?! Could I narrow it down and what question could I have?You should do it, it is great!
especially compared to critical thinking which is kind of pointless.It doesn't have to be related to your A-levels, just do it on something you're interested in. The skills you get from doing it are more important from a universities point of view.
Hey can you help me decide whether I should do the EPQ (it's that or critical thinking ) and help me with my topic idea? The school I'm moving to haven't told me much about it, I don't even know which exam board it's on, so I've got loads of questions! (http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=1013879.)
) and help me with my topic idea? The school I'm moving to haven't told me much about it, I don't even know which exam board it's on, so I've got loads of questions! (http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=1013879.)I'm_No_Supergirl
Hey can you help me decide whether I should do the EPQ (it's that or critical thinking ) and help me with my topic idea? The school I'm moving to haven't told me much about it, I don't even know which exam board it's on, so I've got loads of questions! (http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=1013879.)
) and help me with my topic idea? The school I'm moving to haven't told me much about it, I don't even know which exam board it's on, so I've got loads of questions! (http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=1013879.)Won't you find out more when you go back to school? In the meantime, check a specification on the first post of this thread, you'll get the gist of what you have to do.
Btw, critical thinking is pointless.
oops posted same message loads
annab1684
Is anyone else here actually doing some form of project rather than writing an essay?
Yup! I'm writing an updated history of my school (it's 131 years old), using the school archives, local studies material and stuff from old students - it's supposed to be a more user-friendly guide than the kind-of essays written by previous students. It's 32 pages and full of pictures!! And then I'm contacting printers to get it mass-produced, and persuading my headmistress to cough up about £3000 to give everyone at school a free copy
Don't know what I'm supposed to write about in the accompanying 1000 word report, though...
fishpie57
Yup! I'm writing an updated history of my school (it's 131 years old), using the school archives, local studies material and stuff from old students - it's supposed to be a more user-friendly guide than the kind-of essays written by previous students. It's 32 pages and full of pictures!! And then I'm contacting printers to get it mass-produced, and persuading my headmistress to cough up about £3000 to give everyone at school a free copy
Don't know what I'm supposed to write about in the accompanying 1000 word report, though...
Don't know what I'm supposed to write about in the accompanying 1000 word report, though...
1. WOW
and 2. Your school has a spare 3000 quid! Give it to mine! haha
I don't really know a great deal about how this thing is marked. I'm just doing it to get the AQA Bacc and to show interest outside of my A level exams. Surely no unis will use your EPQ mark as part of an offer? so I'm just in it to learn some stuff and do a nice evening at school
annab1684
1. WOW
and 2. Your school has a spare 3000 quid! Give it to mine! haha
I don't really know a great deal about how this thing is marked. I'm just doing it to get the AQA Bacc and to show interest outside of my A level exams. Surely no unis will use your EPQ mark as part of an offer? so I'm just in it to learn some stuff and do a nice evening at school
and 2. Your school has a spare 3000 quid! Give it to mine! haha
I don't really know a great deal about how this thing is marked. I'm just doing it to get the AQA Bacc and to show interest outside of my A level exams. Surely no unis will use your EPQ mark as part of an offer? so I'm just in it to learn some stuff and do a nice evening at school
Hehe... the benefits of a fee-paying school! It's from the 'annual fund', i.e. strange ladies who leave money in their will to the school. It's pretty useful, I got an A3 scanner out of it as well for scanning all the big photos!!
Yeah, I've heard about this AQA Bacc, I think they're offering it at our school from next year (not for my year group though
)... what do you have to do for it?And I don't think Unis will include the EPQ in the offer, it's just nice to see you've done it, whatever the grade (research skills and independent learning, all that malarkey) - although it does count for UCAS Tariff points, so if you apply to a uni that uses tariff points, it might help.
And the nature of my EPQ (school history) meant I had to go into school during the summer holidays to work on it, 'cos that's where all the archive stuff is... It was pretty interesting though.
The Bacc's no big deal to be honest. You're not missing out! You need 3 full A levels, an AS in either critical thinking, General, or Citizenship and at least 100 hours of enrichement which must be taken from at least two categories out of 'Community', 'Work related learning' and I've forgotten the other name but it's essentially hobbies and clubs and then you have to do an EPQ also At the end I will technically get an AQA Bacc at either pass, merit, or distincition. I have no idea how they work it out though as I have well over 500 hours without even trying and I will have 5 full A levels including general!
I'm not applying to any tariff points ones but I'm thinking it's going to be good for my PS and my interview if I get one at Cambridge because even if I don't do well in the end it will be because I haven't ticked all the criteria not because I didn't learn anything new !
At the end I will technically get an AQA Bacc at either pass, merit, or distincition. I have no idea how they work it out though as I have well over 500 hours without even trying and I will have 5 full A levels including general!I'm not applying to any tariff points ones but I'm thinking it's going to be good for my PS and my interview if I get one at Cambridge because even if I don't do well in the end it will be because I haven't ticked all the criteria not because I didn't learn anything new !
annab1684
The Bacc's no big deal to be honest. You're not missing out! You need 3 full A levels, an AS in either critical thinking, General, or Citizenship and at least 100 hours of enrichement which must be taken from at least two categories out of 'Community', 'Work related learning' and I've forgotten the other name but it's essentially hobbies and clubs and then you have to do an EPQ also At the end I will technically get an AQA Bacc at either pass, merit, or distincition. I have no idea how they work it out though as I have well over 500 hours without even trying and I will have 5 full A levels including general!
I'm not applying to any tariff points ones but I'm thinking it's going to be good for my PS and my interview if I get one at Cambridge because even if I don't do well in the end it will be because I haven't ticked all the criteria not because I didn't learn anything new !
At the end I will technically get an AQA Bacc at either pass, merit, or distincition. I have no idea how they work it out though as I have well over 500 hours without even trying and I will have 5 full A levels including general!I'm not applying to any tariff points ones but I'm thinking it's going to be good for my PS and my interview if I get one at Cambridge because even if I don't do well in the end it will be because I haven't ticked all the criteria not because I didn't learn anything new !
Ah - if you have to do Gen Stud or Critical Thinking, I'm out. I did the EPQ to avoid such subjects!! Still, it does sound like a nice broad qualification, recognising more than just academic work (like the EPQ itself). Enjoy!
annab1684
The Bacc's no big deal to be honest. You're not missing out! You need 3 full A levels, an AS in either critical thinking, General, or Citizenship and at least 100 hours of enrichement which must be taken from at least two categories out of 'Community', 'Work related learning' and I've forgotten the other name but it's essentially hobbies and clubs and then you have to do an EPQ also At the end I will technically get an AQA Bacc at either pass, merit, or distincition. I have no idea how they work it out though as I have well over 500 hours without even trying and I will have 5 full A levels including general!
I'm not applying to any tariff points ones but I'm thinking it's going to be good for my PS and my interview if I get one at Cambridge because even if I don't do well in the end it will be because I haven't ticked all the criteria not because I didn't learn anything new !
At the end I will technically get an AQA Bacc at either pass, merit, or distincition. I have no idea how they work it out though as I have well over 500 hours without even trying and I will have 5 full A levels including general!I'm not applying to any tariff points ones but I'm thinking it's going to be good for my PS and my interview if I get one at Cambridge because even if I don't do well in the end it will be because I haven't ticked all the criteria not because I didn't learn anything new !
You don't have to GS or CT, afaik
http://web.aqa.org.uk/qual/bacc.php
you do for the AQA one .. scroll down to the jigsaw picture
you do for the AQA one .. scroll down to the jigsaw picture
natty_d
You don't have to GS or CT, afaik
You do, it says in the 'information leaflet' (http://web.aqa.org.uk/qual/bacc.php)
annab1684
Beat me to it lol.
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