SPECIFIC GUIDELINES

The outline of the investigative report for the Double Award is explained. An example is given to assist. Leave any questions or comments in the Discussion sections at the end of the page.

INTRODUCTION

A brief Literature Review is written up at the beginning of the project.

A literature review does presents relevant literature that you would have looked at when reading up on the topic/problem that has led to the formulation of your solution to the problem. So important information that you have read that has led to you formulating a solution (whether an idea or a method) to the problem would be referred to under this section.

It ALSO presents your own ANALYSIS of the literature that you have read. This means that you would present your own views on the literature, e.g. if you encounter two conflicting pieces of literature, you can give your view on why it is conflicting and present your own conclusions on the conflict.

What is important to remember is that it is not just recalling the information that you have read but involves commenting on how the pieces of information fit together to form a whole picture.

The Citing Sources Research Guide: Literature Review webpage provides a list of resources that will help you better understand what is a Literature Review and how to write a literature review.

Check also the Resources page for a pdf on how to go about writing a literature review.

The problem is based on one of the specific objectives outlined in Section B (for the crop investigation) and Section C (for the animal investigation) of the syllabus. It should be real and clearly and specifically stated. It describes the real issue which needs to be addressed.

e.g. Commercial chicken feed is costly and in some cases, difficult to obtain in rural areas..

This is clearly a problem for poor, rural farmers.

The technical objectives is the aim of the project, which is usually to investigate the problem; while the business objectives refer to the economical aim of the project, e.g. to see which feed is more economical.

e.g. Technical objectives may include:

To compare over six weeks the change in weight of chickens fed duckweed, a local alternative feed, to that of chickens fed commercial feeds.

While business objectives may include:

To compare the total and marginal costs of producing chickens using duckweed as compared to commercial feeds.

Notice that the objectives are SMART:

• Specific: stating exactly what is being done

• Measurable: both weight and cost can be easily measured

• Achievable: the study should be one that can be done given the time and resources available.

• Relevant: related to the problem and overall aim of the investigation

• Time-bound: stated within a specific time frame

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

An experimental design involves carrying out and comparing two controlled tests (one of which is called a control) in which there is a slight change (in an independent or manipulated variable) to one of the tests and the impact of this change on some other factor (i.e., the dependent or responding variable) is measured and compared across tests. This change is usually what is being tested for. For example, two sets of birds may be reared under exactly the same conditions except, in one case, the birds are fed duckweed instead of commercial feed. The weight of both sets of birds are then taken and compared. Because they are reared under exactly the same conditions except for the difference in feed, any changes in weight between the two sets of birds can be attributed to the changes made to the feed.

The list of equipment and materials that are used in the entire study are provided along with a brief description of how they are used in the study, e.g.

• • waterers: to provide water for the chickens

  • chicks: fed to increase weight which is used to measure impact of feed

  • duckweed: used as an alternative feedstuff for commercial feeds.

The methodology requires that you state step by step how you carried out your two tests and includes:

• • how conditions were controlled so that both tests were the same,

  • the changes made to the independent variable,

  • the measurements taken to test the result of the change and how these were taken,

  • any possible sources of errors that may arise during the experiment,

  • any precautions that must be taken to ensure accurate and reliable results,

  • any limitations in the method that are beyond the control of the experimenter.

A list of the types of activities that should be included in such the example experiment are provided

RESULTS/FINDINGS

The data collected must be relevant to the objectives and ultimately the problem being investigated.

Pictures should illustrate the major steps of the investigation, e.g. baby chicks fed different feeds, pictures of chickens at different ages after being fed different feeds, picture of the different feeds, picture of the weighing of the birds, to name a few.

Pictures should be labelled with a title, e.g. Figure X: Picture of researcher weighing birds.

The two sets of information refer to the independent and dependent variables: i.e., information about the factor changed and information about the measurements taken.Data must be collected on both sets of information… e.g. the total amount of normal feed and the compost given to the chickens would be one set of information while the weight of the birds at different ages would be another set of information recorded. The details on how these information are gathered must be presented.

It is better to present the results of your data as a story rather than as just data.

Ask yourself:

‘What is the story in this data?’,

and then

‘How best can I tell this story to my audience?’

Use figures and numbers whenever they give the best evidence to back up your argument, or to tell your story.

This makes it easier for your audience to follow.

Results should be presented using the most appropriate figures, i.e. pictures, graphs or pie charts or flowcharts that help you tell your story. Using pictorial representations makes numbers much easier to understand and than using tables and makes trends and proportions more obvious. So, e.g., line graphs are better than tables when comparing values over a period of time,e.g., a change in weight over time, while pie charts are best for showing proportions, e.g. the composition of different feed in the feed-stuff.

When choosing a picture, choose one that presents the results accurately, clearly and simply. Your story must be obvious at a first glance.

Choosing the appropriate method requires knowledge of the different methods of presenting data and when it is best to use them. See Choosing a Means of Presenting Data for further information.

Also include the necessary labels on figures, i.e., a title, title of axes, scales and keys, as shown in the pie chart above.

After presenting a figure, make sure to highlight the major story told by the figure, i.e. the trends shown by the data, e.g., for a line graph showing change in weight, you would talk about whether weight increases or decreases and how so over the time period studied.

Refer to these figures when telling your story, e.g., "As shown in Figure Y, there was an increases in weight fourfold the initial weight of the chicks at 1 week."

If you can’t summarize your analysis in one or two brief and clear sentences, then don’t include it. Cut out all unnecessary data, and focus on what you really need to tell your story.

Be sure to use the correct data and tell the 'true story' told by your data.

DISCUSSION

To discuss is to present a reasoned argument for the study. Your discussion allows for you to take a holistic view of your results and what they mean for the problem at hand.

It also allows for you to present what you have learnt from your readings on the problem and the proposed solution (change) that is being tested. Reference to website articles or books that have informed your choice of a solution to the problem or that have increased your knowledge about the proposed solution are referred to in text or in brackets, as shown in the example below.

When the low cost of duckweed is considered along with the fact that the rate of gain of weight is the same regardless of the feed, one can see that the better alternative is the use of duckweed as a chicken feed. However, as Andrews (2018) indicated in his article "Duckweed as a Chicken Feed Alternative", this applies only when duckweed is readily available to the farmer in large amounts. The farmer is tasked with gathering sufficient supplies of duckweed to be made available to chickens through the six weeks of growth. Farmers uninterested in the extra work may opt to use commercial feeds because of the simplicity of obtaining them. However, in areas where there is an abundant supply of duckweed, it is a more viable option (Andrews, 2018).

Examine the two ways in which the article is referred to. In the first case it is referred to in the text and in the other case it is referred to via brackets.

Notice how this discussion not only proposes a case for the use of the alternative feed-stuff, it also highlights the challenges in utilizing the feed-stuff and what these challenges mean for the use of this feed-stuff as a solution to the problem. Also note how reference was made to the profitability of the venture within this brief discussion.

CONCLUSIONS/LIMITATIONS/ RECOMMENDATIONS

State a clear conclusion of your experiment. Either one was better than the other or neither one was better. Whatever the conclusion, be sure to state it.

Provide conclusions to each objective stated at the beginning of the study and what it means for the overall problem.

Include limitations of the studies which include aspects that the study you could not look at yet were important to understanding and solving the problem. These limitations are usually things beyond the control of the researcher, e.g. the nutritional quality of the duckweed obtained. It provides a basis for further study or improvement of the study. If there are no limitations, then state that there are no limitations. Do not leave it blank.

Recommendations should be specific and tailored to addressing the limitations identified in the study. These include suggestions on how to apply the results of the study to real life in a way that brings about the best solution to the problem. It covers things learnt by the researcher as he/she conducted the study.It also includes suggestions on further studies that are needed to better understand the problem/solution or a part of the problem/solution not covered in the study

REFERENCES

References are for some people, perhaps the most troublesome aspect of the report, yet it does not have to be.

Examine the order given in the figure above.

An example of the reference for this page is:

Use clear, grammatically correct language. Avoid wordy or flowery language that makes your report look like more than

it is. Get to the point. Keep your sentences short, simple and clear. If you're not sure how it should be written, try writing

it another way that you are certain of. Also, always run it by a spell chekcer (person or program) to ensure correct spelling.

Remember, typos happen!

COST ANALYSIS

In this section, you are expected to prepare at least two budgets (depending on the investigation).

The first is a complete budget showing your projected income, expenditure and profit/loss (surplus/shortfall).