Week 10/11

How do we tackle a research assignment?

learning outcomes

I can identify the command terms in an assignment and understand how to answer the specific command terms in the research assignment.
I can use a rubric to guide how to to answer the command terms.
I can identify key search terms.
I can identify and extract information from strong sources.
I can summarise the information coherently, using technical and scientific language where necessary.
I can record those sources in a bibliography using Harvard style formatting.

Tasks

Literacy & research

Define "Biodiversity". Analyse in the context of healthy resilient ecosystems.
Identify and explain the greatest threat to biodiversity in Australia and focus on a specific ecosystem
Provide a specific example of how scientific technology or knowledge is being applied to address the identified threat.
Analyse the positive and negative impacts of this scientific intervention, focusing on either the environment, economy, or society.
Use technical language e.g. habitat, species, interdependence, food webs, trophic levels, sustainability, resilience.
Create a bibliography of at least 3 different types of sources using Harvard formatting

Knowledge and understanding

Task 1 & 2: understanding the essay requirements

Use your research skills to begin the essay - survey what is required - read Student Services Study Skills recommendations below.

Make highlights on the assessment task and break down the task into smaller pieces - the assignment scaffold will do that for you as well.

Only once you have clearly seen what is required do you start your googling. Begin by defining Diversity, and how that impacts ecosystem health. Make dot points on the scaffold and keep track of your links - they will be needed later to make the bibliography. DO NOT JUST INSERT LINKS INTO THE BIBLIOGRAPHY BY THEMSELVES. (See the rubric!)

Student Services (A3) TPS - Study Skills This section is designed to help you understand and manage the workload in high school. It can be confusing and overwhelming to begin with, because you have 7 subjects, and each class will require you to complete tasks and assignments. Often you will have more than one task due at the same time.

How to approach a large task

This is from the Student Services page - opens up every time you open Chrome. Worth reading!

How to use a rubric

Identify the command terms in the assignment - what do they mean?

Investigation skills

task 3 & 4: online investigation and analysing skills

Use the Water is Life Pathfinder and the skills gained in the library lesson to research the way scientific knowledge is used to address specific threats to an Australian ecosystem.

Analyse positives and negatives of this use of technology.

Literacy & research

task 5 & 6: structuring an essay

Turn your dot points into sentences and paragraphs. Keep the word limit in mind and decide how many words you should use for each paragraph.

Use technical language

Document your sources completely.

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