1.4 Using Exemplar Research Reports

1.4.1 Nature and Purpose

Exemplar research reports are examples of the responses of learners to the assessment task in Component 2 of Global Perspectives and Project Work. They are the final outcomes of the research process and are presented in the form used for final assessment. They may be written and produced by teachers or examiners for training and guidance, or be selected from the work of learners in the past. The exemplars should represent attainment in the Assessment Objectives at different levels. Usually exemplars are selected at Grades A, C and E. The exemplars should present work which is typical of learners achieving these grades.

There are many ways in which exemplar research reports can be used in different teaching and learning activities. However, the main aims of using exemplar reports in the context of Global Perspectives are to enable teachers and learners to understand:

• the main conventions of the Social Sciences, Humanities and Sciences for communicating the outcomes of research

• the main sections that should be contained within a research report

• the length and level of detail generally required

• how marks are awarded for the research report

• the standards and quality of work needed to achieve different grades

• how to improve a research report to achieve a higher mark.

By analysing, evaluating and attempting to improve the exemplar research reports through redrafting learners may develop their own skills of critical thinking and communication.

Teachers must inform learners that exemplar Research Reports are used for their benefit and general guidance and to support learning. They must not be copied or plagiarised. Copying other people’s work and plagiarism may lead to disqualification and other forms of punishment. Sophisticated software can detect plagiarism very easily.

1.4.2 Teaching and Learning Strategies

Exemplar research reports may be used in the following ways.

1.4.2.1 Models

The exemplar research reports could be used simply as models from which learners can develop general understanding. Teachers may:

• simply give the reports to learners as examples and use them to illustrate good and bad practice.

• read the exemplars section by section with learners in class explaining what should be done in each section.

• use them for paired or group work in which learners undertake a simple deconstruction exercise to analyse the reports to learn about what a report should contain and the level of detail required for each section.

• ask learners to compare each of the reports with the suggested content described in the table in Section 2 above to identify parts that have been left out.

1.4.2.2 Marking and Assessment Exercises

The exemplar research reports could be used to help learners understand how the reports will be marked and the standards required for different grades. Teachers may:

• give individual or pairs of learners the marking criteria from the mark scheme, or a simplified ‘learner-friendly’ version adapted by the teacher, to use to mark the reports one by one. A form should be used to record the marks for each assessment criteria and the reasons. The exercise might begin by establishing a rank order for the reports through a preliminary reading, and then proceed to detailed marking.

• ask pairs to discuss the marks awarded with another pair and explain the reasons for the marks to one another; the groups of four then have to agree marks; a whole class discussion led by the teacher determines a final mark and justifies the differences between the reports using the marking criteria.

• encourage learners to use different coloured highlighter pens to analyse and annotate the report to show where there is evidence of attainment in different assessment objectives.

• break the reports down into sections and get learners to mark and compare the reports section by section (rather than as whole complete reports) to make the task more focused and manageable.

1.4.2.3 Improvement Exercises

The exemplar research reports could be used to help learners understand how to improve a research report. The Improvement Commentary that accompanies each of the reports is particularly useful for this activity. Teachers may:

• give individuals or pairs a report, or a section of a report, and ask them to identify three or four strengths and weaknesses; ask learners to make practical suggestions for improvement to build upon the strengths and to remove the weaknesses; compare the learners’ suggestions with the Improvement Commentary.

• share and discuss the ideas together as a class, maybe through mini-presentations or posters.

• ask learners to write their own ‘improvement commentary’ on a report or section.

• ask individual learners to implement the practical suggestions for improvement on electronic versions of the reports, or sections, and then undertake a peer assessment exercise with another student.

1.4.2.4 Developing Drafting and Communication Skills

The exemplar research reports could be used to develop drafting and redrafting skills. Teachers may:

• ask learners individually to improve practically and amend printed or electronic versions of the reports (or sections) by adding new material or sentences, or re-writing unclear arguments and language; learners use ‘track changes’ or different coloured fonts to show amendments. Teachers review of the improvements or peer assessment of the improvements could be undertaken.

• write their own versions of a section of a report to illustrate different strengths and weaknesses and ask learners to redraft to improve the content or the quality of the argument and communication.

• use the higher quality exemplars with learners when reviewing first drafts of learners’ own research reports.

1.4.2.5 Critical Thinking Exercises

The exemplar research reports could be used to develop critical thinking skills. Teachers may:

• use sections of the reports for learners to analyse and evaluate using the key ideas and skills of critical thinking; for example the use of sources and reasons as evidence to support the argument in the context section might be evaluated for ‘ability to see’, ‘authority’ and potential ‘bias’; alternatively the conclusions section could be analysed and evaluated for ‘implications’ and ‘consequences’.

All of these suggested teaching and learning activities may be adapted to meet the needs of different schools, teachers and learners.