You will submit a report that shows your investigation of your focus question.  Your report must be 1500 - 2000 words in length written for the journal Health Australia, a journal aimed at teenagers between the ages of 15 - 17.   You must show in your report conclusions that you have reached through your own practical investigation, as well as, evidence of your research that backs up your own findings.

Some Areas you could look at are:

• Effect of diet and exercise on the body
• Eating disorders
• Effects of some foods on behaviour in children
• Effects of fast food on the body
• Different 'fad' diets that are in vogue
• Or an amalgamation of two or more of these.

Make sure you show your teacher your focus question and a plan for conducting your primary research before you start your investigation.

Remember:

You must design and implement a/a series of practical investigations/experiments in order to collect your primary data.  However, there are many different ways that you can collect primary data, and you don't just have to collect primary data in one way.  It is advisable to use more than one method for collecting primary data as each method will present you with a different side of the story.  Some suggestions for other ways to collect data are:

• Surveys (public views on situations, public experience with certain situations, knowledge of situations, etc)
• Interviews (professionals, people who have life experience of your focus area, etc)

These methods should be used to back up your findings from your practical experiment/s and should be evident in the conclusions that you make.

It is important that your report focuses on the primary data that you have collected and only uses secondary data to back up your own findings.

Do not under any circumstances undertake exercise or eating regimes that could be detrimental to your health!  Always be sensible in the choices that you make!

Your Journal:  a journal is to be submitted as proof of your research with your final report.  It must include:

• Response to stimulus materials
• Evidence of how and why you came up with your research question
• interpretations of relevant research findings, articles, references, news clippings
• records of and reflections on in class discussions
• Teacher annotations, feedback on drafts, confirmation of checkpoints.
• charting of personal ideas and responses to an issue as an aid to reflection
• media files
• critiques of scientific journals
• drawings, photographs, videos, audiotapes with your individual thoughts on each
• Feedback from your peers
• Outlines of practical investigations and conclusions reached
• A logical sequence of your thought processes that shows HOW you came to your conclusions

Conditions:

• Extended practical investigation
• 1500 - 2000 words
• Audience: 15 - 17 year olds

Your practical investigation should cover a period of no less than 2 weeks.  You will have a total of 6 weeks to design, modify and implement your investigation.  You will have class time to plan and conduct your research however, some of your investigation will need to be implemented/completed in your own time.

The following MUST be evident on the due date and all evidence to support the following must be handed in with your final report (use this as your check list):

• Shows the development of a planned course of action and has maintained a journal.
• Has clearly articulated the research question, providing a statement of purpose for the investigation.
• Provides detailed descriptions of the practical activity.
• Shows evidence of design and modification of practical investigation.
• Provided evidence of primary and secondary data collection and selection.
• Has executed the practical activity/ies.
• In-depth analysis of the data collected (both primary and secondary), showing the relationships between each.
• Has discussed the outcomes of the practical activity, in-depth, making links.
• Has evaluated and justified conclusion/s from the primary data which is backed up with secondary data.
• Has presented relevant information in a scientific report.

Focus Areas and Key Concepts: In order to meet all criteria, you must address each of the following Focus areas and Key concepts within your research and final report.

• Structure and properties of matter

1.      Molecular nature of matter

2.      Gases, liquids, solutions, solids

• Living Systems

1.      Cell as a basis for life

• Energy

1.      Forms of energy

• Information and Communication

1.      Storage, transfer and interpretation