Advice for teachers -
Extended Investigation

Teaching and learning activities

Unit 3: Designing an extended investigation

Central role of critical thinking

Outcome 1

Design and justify a research question.

Examples of learning activities

students brainstorm everything they know about their area of interest. They add questions about things they do not know or would like to know. They organise these notes into categories, looking for common questions or themes. Based on this, students formulate at least five questions about their area of interest.
students choose a general area of interest (e.g. swimming, television) or a specific area of research interest (e.g. vaccinations, nuclear power). Teacher then guides them through the development of questions using the SHEEP-T model (docx - 80.67kb) (i.e. focusing on social, historical, environmental, economic, political, technological aspects of the research area).
concept mapping: students develop a concept map of their particular field of interest, indicating different fields of research and scholarship that may be of relevance. They identify three main fields of research that their investigation may be concerned with and the potential interconnections between these three.
question analysis: teacher gives the class a set of research questions of varying quality and approach. Students assess each one using the ‘Criteria for research questions’ on pages 10 and 11 of the study design. Students can work in pairs to rewrite questions that are deemed to be weaker. As a whole class activity they then compare the rewritten questions and discuss them in light of the criteria.
purpose and scope: teacher discusses the notion of research purpose and scope within the context of VCE Extended Investigation. Teacher gives the class three or four research questions to brainstorm, focusing on purpose and scope in terms of location, population, key terms and concepts.

Detailed example

Mind maps

The development of mind maps can form an integral part of the research process. Mind maps can be used to encourage students to explore the relationship between different ideas and to deconstruct the details of concepts. They are useful at the start of the unit, enabling students to sketch out connections between concepts related to their area of interest. As they begin to read more, students can add more content to this relational tree. Encouraging students to continue expanding their mind maps allows them to reflect on the development of their own thinking and the connection between the aspects of their research. Some suggested uses for this kind of thinking activity include the following.

Mind mapping to explore research fields

The purpose of this activity is to explore the relationship between intersecting or interrelated research fields. This can be used in two ways: to discover a research area or to refine a field of interest. Teachers should keep in mind when assisting students to develop their research ideas that they need to be looking for a sufficiently ‘meaningful’ idea that would benefit from research.

Deductive approach: This method can be used to generate possible research areas. Students choose three broad areas of interest. These can be academic (e.g. shellfish, pollution, entertainment) or generic (e.g. surfing, music, summer). They sketch a Venn diagram and write questions they want to ask about each of the concepts and intersections involved.

Inductive method: This method is best used to refine a research idea. Students break down an area of personal academic interest into broad fields; for example, deadly diseases may involve medicine, microbiology and pharmacy; football may involve sports science, statistics and physiology. This enables students to identify areas of research and scholarship that may offer insightful and productive pathways for research.

Literature review map

Literature maps can be used to help students understand the relationship between different research results. Students map out research fields based on their research area and locate each of their readings within one or multiple fields. They draw connections between various pieces of literature based on shared or contrasting methodologies, perspectives, opinions, findings, etc.

Mind mapping to create a focused research question

Students write their proposed question in the middle of the page. They then sketch out definitions, existing knowledge, ideas, and questions related to each aspect of the question. This can be further expanded through adding more knowledge and ideas related to each of the sub-concepts. The following questions may prompt the development of this mind map:

What interests me about this topic?
How is the question relevant to society?
Why is this question significant?
What are potential research methods and approaches that I might use?

Mind mapping to scope out a focused research question

Teacher explores with class the need to thoroughly understand all aspects of a selected research question. Using an example research question, teacher supports students while they brainstorm sub-questions related to the overarching research question. Teacher then explains how these sub-questions can be used to guide subsequent literature reviews and to focus data collection.

Selection of research area

Outcome 2

Write a research plan, begin research and present an oral report to an educated non-specialist audience that explains the investigation and justifies the selected research method/s.

Examples of learning activities

students present a one-minute presentation on their research question, focusing on potential avenues of data collection and justifying why the research area is of value.
students plan a flow chart for their research method, detailing what knowledge issues need to be addressed. They transfer this flow chart to a yearly calendar, planning and identifying milestones for the collection of data, its analysis and the writing-up stage.
research: students complete a concept map, linking together at least five articles on their research area: What do they share? Where do they differ?
matching question to method: students are given a range of questions and methods and discuss which question and method are best suited.
different data forms: students consider what different forms of data they could collect in their investigation. In doing so, they focus on the sort of observations and findings that the different forms of data would lead them to and the development of a rich understanding that would result.
terminology glossary: students make lists of key words or phrases related to their area of research. They write definitions for each word, along with a separate explanation for their educated non-specialist audience. Some students may wish to consider where definitions differ across the literature as a means of entry into the literature review.
method and question match: teachers discuss the need for a research question to be matched by an appropriate method. They provide two example research questions and the whole class discusses the pros/cons of different method approaches.
synthesising literature: teachers work with students to develop an understanding of academic research. Using a sample piece of academic research, students read and teacher models note-taking by providing a range of approaches such as Cornell notes or KWL chart.

Detailed examples

Key concepts

Students make a list of key concepts, phrases or categories relevant to their research area. These should not be confined to technical terminology, but relate to features such as methods, major concepts, major figures or research traditions.

For each idea, they find at least two direct text references in the form of quotations or findings from their literature.

Students write at least 20 separate sentences about their research, making explicit use of key terminology, evidence or ideas central to their investigation. While doing this, students keep in mind the educated non-specialist audience.

Students use these sentences and ideas in the construction of their written research plan.

Research milestones

Teacher models the organisation and breakdown of key research milestones using a timeline to ensure students break their investigation down into smaller sections. The timeline includes key dates for tasks such as:

drafting and piloting of data collection
commencement of data collection
conclusion of data collection
conduct of literature review (e.g. read two articles per week and take notes)
ethical approval (where necessary).

Students then work together to create a timeline that is applicable for most of them. Individual students can subsequently adjust it to suit their own project.

Teacher may wish to consider how authentication milestones and question refinement can be included in this process.

In Extended Investigation, students develop research skills and a sense of the ownership of their investigation. The teacher’s role is to facilitate this experience for the students. They can assist them by:

Outcome 3

Develop and apply the skills of critical thinking.

Examples of learning activities

generic: examine a selection of assorted documents (from legal cases to personal letters); explore the stakeholders, values and conventions associated with each text.
generic: create a Pro Con table, writing arguments for (Pro) and against (Con) different aspects of an issue.
applied: organise a table to categorise readings completed in a number of ways (by research method, findings, discipline, etc.). Identify key arguments outlined within each reading and begin to map connections between sources. Where no rebuttal for any of the arguments can be found in the literature or research, students should develop one.
construct a PMI (Positive, Minus, Interesting) of the issues surrounding the research topic; students assign literature or research from their own investigation to as many items as possible.
students adopt each of Edward de Bono’s Six Thinking Hats, looking at their data in a range of ways. They write statements for each of these perspectives. Literature or research specific to their investigation may be assigned to each of the arguments.
argument mapping: teacher provides students with a written text that presents an elaborated argument. After reading the article, the teacher leads a discussion about the use of arguments, evidence and bias within the article. Students then apply this to the literature they are reading in their own research area.

Detailed examples

Information analysis

Students collect 10 to 20 articles of relevance and interest to their investigation in order to broaden the range of relevant connections in their reading.

Students select three to five different ways of categorising their articles. These categories may include:

Students then group individual articles in different ways and write statements that explain the common theme. For example, ‘Both Green, Smith and Brown (2005) and Ivak and Chow (2007) make use of anonymous, large-scale surveys to measure population sentiment.’

Stakeholder activity

Teacher introduces a current topical issue. Students form groups that represent the key stakeholders in the issue. Each stakeholder group develops two or three arguments (with reasoning and evidence) for the issue, keeping in mind the biases that the other groups may have and accounting for them in their own arguments. Each group presents their arguments to the class before displaying them on the board. Counter-arguments are then developed for each one (either as a whole class or small group activity).

Advice for teachers - Extended Investigation

Teaching and learning activities

Unit 3: Designing an extended investigation

Unit 3 – Area of Study 1: Designing a research question

Unit 3 – Area of Study 2: Planning and commencing the investigation

Unit 3 – Area of Study 3: Critical thinking

Advice for teachers -
Extended Investigation