Ultimate EPQ thread
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omw we r doing almost the same A-levels, except im doing chemistry instead of politics :P
im gonna do an epq too and was thinking of going with philosophy. i think it will be good cos u get the secondary sources from books and old philosophers etc but also u could do opinion polls and ur own research into religions. all depending on ur chosen topic of course. but im not thinking tht far ahead yet :P
so have u decided which of ur A-level subjects ur gonna do for the epq yet?
im gonna do an epq too and was thinking of going with philosophy. i think it will be good cos u get the secondary sources from books and old philosophers etc but also u could do opinion polls and ur own research into religions. all depending on ur chosen topic of course. but im not thinking tht far ahead yet :P
so have u decided which of ur A-level subjects ur gonna do for the epq yet?
Ask your teacher, they'll be able to give you much better advice as they will know how you get marked etc.
Original post by brightbulb
Ask your teacher, they'll be able to give you much better advice as they will know how you get marked etc.
The problem is, I have broken up from school and while on break our teachers advised us to start preparing things such as research for our EPQ, but nothing else. Just needed some advice on what I should do first !
Do you know what it's on?
If you don't; find some areas of interest, if you do; research that area. Look on google, in the library, MAKE SURE YOU KEEP A BIBLIOGRAPHY. And then find out what you want to discuss/challenge. E.g if you were to study television programmes perhaps base your title on how reality TV has changed over time or is perceived between different age ranges.
Then make a list of what you could be doing and sort it into research types - qualitatitve and quantitative. If you get stuck there's lots on EPQ if you just type it into google or there's something called slideshow.net (i think) and there's a few powerpoints on there.
If you don't; find some areas of interest, if you do; research that area. Look on google, in the library, MAKE SURE YOU KEEP A BIBLIOGRAPHY. And then find out what you want to discuss/challenge. E.g if you were to study television programmes perhaps base your title on how reality TV has changed over time or is perceived between different age ranges.
Then make a list of what you could be doing and sort it into research types - qualitatitve and quantitative. If you get stuck there's lots on EPQ if you just type it into google or there's something called slideshow.net (i think) and there's a few powerpoints on there.
It's not clever to title my project 'History and applications of Mathematics', would it?
As the project must be clearly focused on something, I can only focus on one part of it, like Calculus or Geometry?
As the project must be clearly focused on something, I can only focus on one part of it, like Calculus or Geometry?
I can send you my entire EPQ if you think it would help? It got an A* 
Just drop me a pm with your email address if you're interested.
EDIT: It turns out that I can actually just upload it all to this post. I thought it'd be too much, but I'm wrong! See below.
I'd say that the best thing to start on is to ascertain what it is you'll be investigating. Think of something relevant to your future that you will enjoy. After this, leisurely look into it briefly on the internet and see if it does really seem to be interesting to you. If it isn't, reject that area and search for another area.
Once you've decided on an area to investigate, start thinking of particular titles that you'll be able to confidently approach. You can choose a good title by either starting to gather all of your sources now (books, websites, articles, papers etc.) and figuring out what you'll be able to write about and produce some kind of (potentially controversial) discussion on, or you can simply choose something from that area that most interests you. The method of choosing your title will determine the ease of your project against the enjoyability of the project. If you choose a title for your ability to find sources on it, then it is a given that you will be able to easily evaluate your research in the future, allowing you to easily score marks (your research quality and capabilities are what are most heavily marked in the EPQ). If you choose one for interest, then it may be harder to find relevant sources, but you will enjoy it more and you're likely to do very well in the presentation at the end of the course. If you're lucky, your title will be your greatest interest and will coincide with what is most readily available on the internet.
If you are not already aware, the title is generally the task that you will complete. My title was 'Are advancements in diagnostic radiology fully utilised by the NHS?'
Once you have a title, gather and store your sources, using the Harvard Referencing System, in one place (most commonly a Word document), so that you can access them later. Sources may include books, internet websites, newspaper articles, scientific papers, videos, artifacts, images and many other things - there isn't really a restriction as long as you can reference it reasonably well. Wherever you have stored them can become your 'references' or/and 'bibliography' document for the project. Be aware that it's absolutely fine to add more sources as you go along.
Once you become clued up enough, you can simply start your project in whichever form you prefer. I did mine as an essay: this obviously suggests that I used an introduction followed by many sections investigating my title from different perspectives. For other forms of doing your project, how you set it out is up to you, but your supervisor will advise you on it.
Finally, make sure to keep note of how things are moving along so that you don't become clueless when it comes to completing the log book. I think it may have been a little unorthodox, but I chose to do an informal logbook which was never submitted, but that I could read up on and condense when it came to completing the final (official) logbook, which I decided to do at the end of the project rather than being bothered by it as I went along.
Good luck with it! It can be really enjoyable once you get it going - it's just the preparation which is bland.
Just drop me a pm with your email address if you're interested.EDIT: It turns out that I can actually just upload it all to this post. I thought it'd be too much, but I'm wrong! See below.
I'd say that the best thing to start on is to ascertain what it is you'll be investigating. Think of something relevant to your future that you will enjoy. After this, leisurely look into it briefly on the internet and see if it does really seem to be interesting to you. If it isn't, reject that area and search for another area.
Once you've decided on an area to investigate, start thinking of particular titles that you'll be able to confidently approach. You can choose a good title by either starting to gather all of your sources now (books, websites, articles, papers etc.) and figuring out what you'll be able to write about and produce some kind of (potentially controversial) discussion on, or you can simply choose something from that area that most interests you. The method of choosing your title will determine the ease of your project against the enjoyability of the project. If you choose a title for your ability to find sources on it, then it is a given that you will be able to easily evaluate your research in the future, allowing you to easily score marks (your research quality and capabilities are what are most heavily marked in the EPQ). If you choose one for interest, then it may be harder to find relevant sources, but you will enjoy it more and you're likely to do very well in the presentation at the end of the course. If you're lucky, your title will be your greatest interest and will coincide with what is most readily available on the internet.
If you are not already aware, the title is generally the task that you will complete. My title was 'Are advancements in diagnostic radiology fully utilised by the NHS?'
Once you have a title, gather and store your sources, using the Harvard Referencing System, in one place (most commonly a Word document), so that you can access them later. Sources may include books, internet websites, newspaper articles, scientific papers, videos, artifacts, images and many other things - there isn't really a restriction as long as you can reference it reasonably well. Wherever you have stored them can become your 'references' or/and 'bibliography' document for the project. Be aware that it's absolutely fine to add more sources as you go along.
Once you become clued up enough, you can simply start your project in whichever form you prefer. I did mine as an essay: this obviously suggests that I used an introduction followed by many sections investigating my title from different perspectives. For other forms of doing your project, how you set it out is up to you, but your supervisor will advise you on it.
Finally, make sure to keep note of how things are moving along so that you don't become clueless when it comes to completing the log book. I think it may have been a little unorthodox, but I chose to do an informal logbook which was never submitted, but that I could read up on and condense when it came to completing the final (official) logbook, which I decided to do at the end of the project rather than being bothered by it as I went along.
Good luck with it! It can be really enjoyable once you get it going - it's just the preparation which is bland.
(edited 11 years ago)
Original post by J10
It's not clever to title my project 'History and applications of Mathematics', would it?
As the project must be clearly focused on something, I can only focus on one part of it, like Calculus or Geometry?
As the project must be clearly focused on something, I can only focus on one part of it, like Calculus or Geometry?
I had narrow down my question twice before my tutor would accept it. For your question I would either focus on a period in history (not sure what but like WW2, the Renaissance, Ancient Greek) and the application of Maths. Or you might even have to narrow it to say Geometry in WW2, if your co-ordinator wants you to produce a very focused essay. Also are you not required to have an arguement in your question? My tutor wouldn't allow me to explore the changing of techniques of cinematography unless I was comapring modern day to the silent era. 5000 words isn't really that much in the end.
So basically I am doing the EPQ and I have to decided on a title pretty soon... I know that I would like to do it on maths but other than that I have no ideas 
I thought maybe something on pythagoras. A lot of people have suggested doing things on famous old mathematicians but I've never learnt about any to be honest and they all seem really complicated 
Any help/ideas would be greatly received
I thought maybe something on pythagoras. A lot of people have suggested doing things on famous old mathematicians but I've never learnt about any to be honest and they all seem really complicated Any help/ideas would be greatly received A girl at my school did hers on search algorithms for search engines like google. Alternatively you could white a maths-philosophy essay on why numbers exist, or why they don't, or why we'll never know 
Original post by Rennit
A girl at my school did hers on search algorithms for search engines like google. Alternatively you could white a maths-philosophy essay on why numbers exist, or why they don't, or why we'll never know
sounds like a good idea with the whole number thing, thanks
i guess i could talk about when they first started to exist and how they are used differently now to in the past...A cool thing (in my head anyways 
) is how the Fibonacci sequence shows up in a lot of things in life (life petals on a flower). That could be neat to do it on.
) is how the Fibonacci sequence shows up in a lot of things in life (life petals on a flower). That could be neat to do it on.Original post by Javan
A cool thing (in my head anyways ) is how the Fibonacci sequence shows up in a lot of things in life (life petals on a flower). That could be neat to do it on.
) is how the Fibonacci sequence shows up in a lot of things in life (life petals on a flower). That could be neat to do it on.Never heard of that idea before... do think you would be able to write 5000 words on it and also where would the analysis part come in cause my teachers have stressed many times that I should make sure it is not just descriptive
Although I do like the sound of the idea Original post by emma.12
do think you would be able to write 5000 words on it )
Ah yeah, forgot about that.... damn my EPQ's gonna suck, haha
If it's hard to write and present about it, maybe tie it in with your pythagoras thing?
But I think you're right, it probably doesn't offer you too much, my bad
URGENT!!!
I'm struggling to think of a quesstion i could use for my EPQ which i'm doing on D-day. Any help?!
I'm struggling to think of a quesstion i could use for my EPQ which i'm doing on D-day. Any help?!
(edited 11 years ago)
Original post by Javan
Ah yeah, forgot about that.... damn my EPQ's gonna suck, haha
nah i'm sure you'll do better than me, if that helps :P
Hi can anyone help me, what should the presentation include?
Also what should you include in the Evaluation of the whole project?
Thank You
Also what should you include in the Evaluation of the whole project?
Thank You
Original post by emma.12
nah i'm sure you'll do better than me, if that helps :P
I'm terrible presenting in front of people, I hate essays and my project is on dreaming. trust me, you'll do better 
Original post by roflcakes1
My teacher also keeps telling me that it needs to be a controversial topic, and I'm not sure that this is?
Can anyone give me ideas of an actual question around this topic?
Can anyone give me ideas of an actual question around this topic?
I don't think it needs to be controversial just as long as you have enough to say, I know people who are doing theirs on a non controversial topic- e/g coastline protection in Holland. Not sure if this helps the April 2012 copy of Psychology Review had a big article on the biological treatment of schizophrenia which might give you information and more sources!
That's great! Thanks everyone, I really want to do a question on ancient philosophy but can't seem to get a question relevant or worded right? Any help? Greatly appreciated if you message me the advice!!!
I am wondering if the EPQ has to be related to the course you are enrolling for university.
I am considering medicine/engineering/maths, i was wondering if I could do an EPQ on a different subject (humanities)
is this a bad idea? will universities think i dont show interest in the course i want to do if i do an epq on a different topic.
I am considering medicine/engineering/maths, i was wondering if I could do an EPQ on a different subject (humanities)
is this a bad idea? will universities think i dont show interest in the course i want to do if i do an epq on a different topic.
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