Over a three-week period you will research a socio-scientific issue, analyse the information/secondary data collected, evaluate the claims and opinions studied, and draw evidence-based conclusions about the issues involved, with support/guidance from your teacher.
The Science in Society Investigation (SSI) gives you an opportunity to explore a scientific topic or issue. The development of research and reporting skills are central here. For example you will have to search for information (discriminating between biased and unbiased sources), document and reference the sources you use, present evidence in a report, apply knowledge of science to new situations and analyse different points of view on the issue. You will then have to draw conclusions and communicate personal opinions based on the evidence.
The SSI is an individual research project comprising of three activities: initiating research, communicating, and evaluating. You may collaborate with classmates in gathering relevant information and data, but you must produce a report on your own to meet the Features of Quality of this assessment.
adapted from curriculumonline.ieThese are the criteria used to assess your CBA.
To ensure that you achieve the level that you are hoping for make sure that your CBA includes ALL the Features of Quality necessary for that level.
Click this link to see the Features of Quality.
Explanation of the levels:
This video explains the steps needed for meaningful research.
This sheet on carrying out research gives some useful websites to start you research.
Make sure that all your work is YOUR OWN.
Be sure to reference your sources and that any direct quotes are placed in "quotation marks".
A CBA which contains plagiarism CANNOT be awarded a level of achievement.
The following anonymous examples of student work have been provided to let you see what is expected to achieve work that is regarded as 'In Line with Expectations', 'Above Expectations' or 'Exceptional' . The work has notes added to it by a teacher to explain what has been included and where it could be improved.
In Line with Expectations
Above Expectations
Exceptional
Over the course of three weeks, you will be engaged in three activities that contribute to the generation of your evidence of learning and achievement in the Science in Society Investigation:
You must work individually to conduct this investigation but you are encouraged to discuss, in small groups, various aspects of your investigation.
1. Initiating research
The SSI requires you to investigate a scientific topic or issue and its impact (positive or negative) on society and/or the environment. The chosen topic may be directly related to the JC Science course content or you may decide to study an issue of personal or local relevance. Your chosen topic should relate to at least one the following areas:
It is important that the topic chosen can be researched, has a sound base of scientific understanding and ideas, and can be turned into a question. In SSIs there should be two or more views of the topic or issue, you should therefore consider more than one point of view.
You can use this worksheet to explore ideas for topics with a partner.
Your research should be focused on a response to a clearly-defined research question. It may be useful to do some background reading of the chosen topic. The research question may be revised or changed as you begin researching for information on the chosen topic.
To help develop your research question, you could:
It is advisable to avoid questions which:
In general avoid questions which start what, where, when, why, who or how. 'Should' can be a useful word to start your question with.
Check your research question against the flow-chart to test if it is appropriate for the CBA.
Once you have sufficiently developed your research question, you can begin to gather data/information from the internet, newspapers, science journals/magazines, or any other appropriate source e.g. a survey to support your research findings, or observations of experiments/investigations which you have undertaken.
It is very important to record the source of all the information you gather in order to assess its reliability and quality (relevance, accuracy and bias) and to ensure that the sources of information used can be referenced in the report.
2. Communicating findings
You have to select information (e.g. written text, audio/visual recording, interview notes, charts, tables, survey responses, observations, diagrams) relevant to developing a response to your stated research question. Information will be selected to:
Information should not be copied exactly from sources; (see video above on plagiarism) it is important for you to be able to explain the information in your own words to demonstrate your personal understanding of the knowledge and ideas relevant to the chosen topic.
3. Evaluating the information to respond to the chosen research question
The following steps can support you in developing a personal opinion that is justified on the basis of the selected information:
You must work individually to compile the report of your investigation.
The following evidence of learning is required:
You can report your research and findings in a format of your choice. The report can be completed at the end of the investigation or at the end of each main area of activity as outlined above. If a typed or hand-written report is the format of your choice, the total length of a written report would typically be in the 650-800 words range (excluding reference list and research notes), but this should not be regarded as a rigid requirement it may be longer.
You may present your SSI in other formats (e.g. posters, podcasts, or multimedia), but care must be taken that all the research you have done can be judged on the final product alone. For example, a poster presentation may allow you to show that you can select and present highlights of your research, but it may be important to include a written report of approximately 400 words to demonstrate the deeper research behind it. Depending on your chosen format, the reports may involve fewer words, but nonetheless you must present all the research and findings using other media. When planning the content of your report, you should be familiar with the Features of Quality used to judge the level of achievement which will be awarded to your work.
adapted from curriculumonline.ieClick the link to view the checklist
After completing the CBA you will complete a written Assessment Task to be submitted to the State Examinations Commission for marking. The marks you get for this will form 10% of the overall grade you get for the exam in Science.
The Assessment Task is directly related to the Science in Society Investigation CBA that you will have just completed. The purpose of the Assessment Task is for you to undertake a focused reflection on your own CBA report.
The Assessment Task will assess the following areas of learning:
The Science Assessment Task is at a common level and will be completed during the week after the completion of the Science In Society Investigation (SSI).
The Assessment Task is completed over 80 minutes (a double class period or two single class periods). The 80-minutes is divided into two stages (40 minutes each):
1. Discussing stimulus material
Your teacher will arrange you into groups and present the Stimulus Material Booklet. They will ask you all to read and discuss the information presented in the booklet, prompt questions are included to help shape the discussion. This first stage is for preparation and to get you thinking.
2. Writing up your responses to the questions in the Assessment Task booklet.
The writing up of the booklet should last for 35 minutes approximately. You should have your individual SSI with you as the questions you will be asked refer to your CBA. Your answers will be written into the booklet and must be completed on your own under exam conditions.
You will then have 5 minutes to label your answer booklet clearly and hand it up to your teacher.
The booklet will then be securely stored in the school to be sent away with your completed exam paper in June for marking.
Click the link to see a Sample Assessment Task Booklet