| How to show initiative and be original |
| This is not as difficult as it seems. You have already made a good start by visiting this web page. Basically you have to show the examiner that you have shown some initiative and done something original, something different to everyone else. Do this and you can get into level 3 in the Methodology section |
| Re-visit the survey site One of the easiest ways of showing initiative is to revisit the site and take some more or different measurements. For example if you took measurements at 4 sites along a river you could take some more at a fifth site lower downstream. You could visit the four sites again and this time take different measurements, wetted perimeter for example. Visiting the site under different conditions or at a different time of year allows contrasts to be made. Dont forget to take photographs as evidence. Visit a different site As well as visiting the same site again you could visit a different site and take similar measurements. Again if you were doing a river study try the same experiments on a different river. [Do ask about safety requirements and take an adult with you] |
| Use of secondary data You can use relevant secondary data to back up the primary data that you collected on the field trip. For example, if you are doing a river study you may be able to find secondary data about another river. You can compare this data to your data and see if it agrees with the hypothesis that you were testing. The internet is a good source of secondary data but often there are thousands of sites to search through. Ask your teacher for some suggested sites. Asking for help is also showing initiative. Dont forget to use the library and text books for secondary data. The school network may also have useful programs e.g. Riverside Explorer |
| Presenting your results You may be able to use different methods to present your results or to analyse the data that you have collected. Examiners tend to give high marks when different techniques are combined for example adding cross-section onto a map of a river with each cross-section next to its location. Even quite simple techniques like adding annotation to maps and diagrams can make your work stand out from the rest. |