Ultimate EPQ thread

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I'm currently doing it - just written 5000 word essay! Because I'm doing a subject at uni I don't do at A Level, I've used the EPQ to great advantage at uni interviews. If you're planning on doing one which relates to your A Levels, it could really be an advantage for proving to unis your interested in your chosen degree.

:smile:

(edited 3 years ago)

Reply 541

ghast

Anyone got any tips for the presentation aspect?

Reply 542

littlebear

Hey everyone,
i'm in year 12 and my school has just introduced the "extended project" that we are due to start after sitting our AS' (before anyone asks i'm not sure whether it's with AQA/Edexel etc) and as i want to continue to study politics at university, i thought it would be sensible to have my extended project based on politics as this compliments my application to do politics after sixth form.
I have a few ideas but i'm really struggling to come up with an idea i think i could write about for 5000 words!
- as we'll begin working on our extended project in june/july, this is literally only a short time after the General Election so i was thinking of writing about the new government/hung parliament whatever the outcome may be.
- a "politics throughout the years" type report, looking on how politics began, that type of thing
- lastly, i was thinking of doing a "political profile" on a PM (haven't yet decided which one)

but i really am stuck and am open to any other suggestions or criticisms of the above ideas i've already had!

thanks,
Ursula :smile:

Reply 543

Banburyhammer

Could you cobble together some of the some of your local parlimentary candidates for a mini question time thing at you school, as a sort of prelim before the election. My mate has organised something like this, and I think that would be great for your future PS.

Reply 544

Jing_jing

My school is offering the EPQ (Extended Project Award) to anyone who'd like to do it during year 13, and I am interested in whether it is viewed favourably by universities, especially those which make up the Russell Group, and Oxbridge.

If I were to do the EPQ, I'd like to do it on the Economics of Happiness, but I don't want to spend my time on a qualification which isn't viewed as particularly advantageous by the universities that I'd like to apply to (to study maths with economics)

I'd greatly love some feedback on whether universities like it, or how much of a time commitment it is, it does sound quite strenuous!

Thank you!

Reply 545

littlebear

ohh, yes that sounds good! i know we're holding a "Mock Election" about a week before the actual election at my school.
I will definitely look into that! Thank you! :smile:

Reply 546

Cesare Borgia

I have my presentation on Thursday, EPQ's a badun, steer well clear.

Reply 547

Bax-man

I suppose it depends where your own political interests lie - ie, whether it's political philosophy of some sort, or the modern UK political system, etc.

Reply 548

Jing_jing

Cesare Borgia

I have my presentation on Thursday, EPQ's a badun, steer well clear.

I wish you luck! My friend had hers a couple of weeks ago.
Really? Would you say that it wasn't worth doing because of the workload?

Reply 549

situationostrich

If you have time after the general election perhaps you could base it on voter satisfaction after the winning party eventually comes into power, with primary data collected before to act as a control? I can imagine that that could be fairly interesting, if you're more interested in the practical side of politics.

Reply 550

littlebear

well i'm planning on applying to do either International Relations or a joint Politics and German at university
(languages are also a big interest of mine - i study french, german, government and politics and english lit.)

Reply 551

Cesare Borgia

Jing_jing

I wish you luck! My friend had hers a couple of weeks ago.
Really? Would you say that it wasn't worth doing because of the workload?

Nahhh, should be alright if you do the work when you're supposed to, as a pose to leaving it all 'til the last minute like I did. 5000 word report in 2 days :gthumb:

Reply 552

Jing_jing

Cesare Borgia

Nahhh, should be alright if you do the work when you're supposed to, as a pose to leaving it all 'til the last minute like I did. 5000 word report in 2 days :gthumb:

Now that is a feat to be admired! I think that I'd do the majority of the research and begin my report over the summer holidays, and hopefully I'll have enough time. I'm just wondering whether its worth doing it, or whether it would be better to carry on with 4 A2s or pick up physics/chemistry AS instead.

Reply 553

Mister_Chris

I'm supposedly doing an EPQ, but I'm so confused as to when the deadlines are because of the blatant lack of communication going on at my college.

I've got one teacher telling me I need some preliminary work in to send off by next week (ie. introduction, etc) with the overall deadline in May, another saying the entire 5000 word EPQ has to be sent off by next week but 'he's unsure'.

The first I've already done, but if it's the latter then I'll fall far short on UCAS points and be stuck at home/in college for another year. And also be majorly pissed (plus there's the waste of a UCAS application). There's no way I can pull together 5000 words by next week - I struggle to write 500 sometimes.

*sigh*

Reply 554

matt1993

I am doing the EPQ and i am trying to think of ideas. I have narrowed it down to something to do with chemistry or physics or maybe both not sure. Any one have any ideas on what i could do?

Reply 555

antwan93

Hi, sorry if this is posted in the wrong section.

I am considering topics for an extended project (Edexcel I believe), and am trying to think of something in the field of law that's not too in depth (considering word count - not enough for me, 10,000 words maybe!!). I'm thinking about something to do with human rights/civil liberties and how new legislation is impacting on them, such as the anti-terror legislation, anti-piracy & copyright enforcement, surveillance, Iraq even....
I just want to find a topic that is complex without being overly so, while being a controversial/topical subject matter.

Thanks for your help in advance.

Reply 556

diskohuelga

I'm on the same boat. No ideas either so far. :frown:

You can talk to your teachers and maybe they'll tell you something?

Reply 557

username313645

You seriously HAVE to do it on something you love and have a major interest in, especially if you're doing some weighty A-Levels too. And try to steer clear of topics you're covering already in your subjects.
Go for something really different that you know you can explore through loads of different means.
I'm a languages geek but I did my EPQ on females in motorsport because I'm mad about Formula One! I gathered loads of articles and stuff, did interviews with karting instructors, females already in motorsport, I did physiological examinations on the differences between male and female drivers and sociological theories!
I'd never studied any of it but it was brilliant, and it's that kind of stuff that the examiners love and uni admissions tutors love because it shows you can adapt your skills.
The fact that someone gave me an A* for 7,000 on a subject I could ramble on about whatever was grand!

Sorry for the ramble, hope it helped?! And good luck!

Reply 558

purplemagic150

Just about finished my EPQ :smile:

sooo much work if its a topic you really love the time flies by :biggrin:

I chose to do mine on Global Warming. Other people in my class have done such things as the death penalty, changes in the BBC news, motherboards, social networking sites, film script among many other things :smile:

Reply 559

MissSimi

Can you do an EPQ on a historical event?
I want to do one about the women's suffragette movement in Britain in 1918?
I want to do a 4000 word essay on it using different historical perspectives