Achieving the maximum mark

To score the maximum of two marks the Individual Scientific Investigation needs to:

• Show clear evidence of significant independent thinking or creativity.
• Demonstrate personal significance, interest or curiosity in the choice of research question or topic under investigation.
• Provide evidence of personal input and initiative in the design, implementation or presentation.

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The following three areas are particularly important when it comes to assessing 'Personal engagement'.

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1. Choice of research question

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No one expects a student to come up with something new to mankind in ten hours. Students can show personal engagement in their choice of research question in several different ways. It may be that the topic is related to their own or a family member’s interest. For example, a particular drug someone has been prescribed, a possible pollution problem in the neighbourhood etc. They may take a standard approach but apply it to a novel situation or they may wish to extend or examine something they have met in their theory lessons, during their practical programme or read about or seen elsewhere (e.g. chemistry journals, Internet etc.). What is clearly important is that in their written investigation they clearly state why they chose the research question and explain its significance.

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2. Design and implementation

Students should avoid simplistic investigations where a ‘recipe’ is followed and the results are obvious. Some of the ways in which personal engagement can be shown include:

• Modifying apparatus or a standard method in order to fit the research question,
• Designing a novel method using simple materials or ideas,
• Combining seemingly unrelated areas to make connections
• Extending a known method to previously untried examples.

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3. Presentation

The presentation of the investigation is also assessed under the Communication criterion. What is required under ‘Personal engagement’ is whether the presentation is intellectually neat in the way that it addresses the research question and how it shows and presents evidence of personal input. For example, it might include a drawing or photograph of how equipment has been modified or explain how simple materials have been adapted to help solve the problem.

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