2500 words 24 hrs Econ essay

Formative TASK 1: Extended Project Proposal

All students must provide a proposal for their Extended Project. The aim of the proposal is to show your Class Tutor that your choice of topic is 1) suitable to task, 2) allows you to find recent, relevant and reliable sources, and 3) that you have a realistic workplan. You will need to research your topic well and refer to relevant lesson materials in order to provide appropriate answers to the questions. There is also an Extended Project Proposal Guide on the VLE, which can help you write an effective proposal.

The project proposal below contains three sections: A. Project Topic, B. Finding Sources and Information, and C. Work Plan – Time management. Your responses should be more detailed than some of the examples in the Extended Project Proposal Guide and written in complete sentences. The proposal must be clearly written and completed as fully as possible in your own words.

A. PROJECT TOPIC

1. What is your topic area? What is your preliminary project aim/s? (30-60 words)

General topic area:

Example: Water scarcity and water supply technologies

Preliminary project aims:

Example: I want to investigate the problem of water scarcity and examine different water supply technologies as possible solutions to overcoming the water shortage issues. In my project, I want to focus on the effectiveness of such technologies.

2. Why have you chosen the topic? This can include, for example, how the topic is relevant to your pathway or future degree programme, related experience/background, knowledge you want to improve, personal interest. (70-120 words)

Example: My foundation course is in Science and Engineering, and I would like to go on to study Civil Engineering at university. One key area of study in Civil Engineering is Environmental Engineering, which explores the sustainable development of water resources. I believe that my chosen topic will help me increase my knowledge in this area and prepare me for my studies. In addition, I find the topic extremely interesting and this project will give me the opportunity to explore the water shortage crisis and existing engineering solutions to this problem. Ultimately, this will help me develop my own understanding of the prospects and challenges of water supply technologies.

3-A. What is the research problem or debate you have identified within your topic area?

B. Why is the problem or debate of current interest and importance?

Summarise the research problem or debate by providing examples supported with data to indicate the extent of an issue. (90-140 words)

Example:

(General Topic and Problem identified) There is increasing regional water scarcity, which means that there are insufficient water resources to meet standard water demands. It is estimated that around one fifth of the world’s population currently live in areas affected by water shortages. (…)

(Specific Focus and Problem explained) Research shows that the lack of freshwater resources is a threat to food security and overall human wellbeing.

(Possible Solutions) Therefore, it is important to investigate the effectiveness of water supply technologies which can mitigate the problem of…

N.B.

· The problem identified in the above example is water scarcity (the general problem). This response refers to question 3-A.

· The student has also provided information about this problem which explains why it is important to investigate water supply technologies (e.g. water scarcity threatens food security and human health). This response addresses question B.

B. FINDING SOURCES AND INFORMATION

4. What is some key terminology and related abbreviations within this topic? Which of these do you need to provide a definition for? List at least five subject-specific terms.

Example:

1. Water stress: When the demand for water exceeds the available amount during a certain period or when poor quality restricts its use.

N.B. Use your own words as much as possible when providing definitions to show you understand the meaning. Copying and pasting the definition is inappropriate and considered bad academic practice.

5. What do you need to know about your topic? Indicate five key questions which will help your understanding of the topic and/or develop a topic focus for the critical evaluation.

What I need to know (e.g. what/why/when/where/how questions)

Examples:

1. What parts of the world are affected by water shortage?

2. What are the most common water supply technologies?

3. Which factors determine the choice of a water supply technology?

4. What is the difference between arid and semi-arid regions?

5. Which criteria can be used to evaluate the effectiveness of water supply technologies?

N.B.

· Questions 1, 2 and 4 in the above example are useful and may provide more in-depth information about the topic.

· Questions 3 and 5 are important for the purpose of the Extended project. These questions are directly related to the student’s project aims and the critical evaluation of the topic (examining the problem of water scarcity and the effectiveness of different water supply technologies).

· You are encouraged to include both types of questions.

6. What kind of resources will be most useful/appropriate to find information for your topic and why? Include information on what sources you will use and why, and where you can find these sources. Refer to specific resources, such as databases, journals and library. (80-120 words)

Example: I will mostly use journal articles that can be found on the GU Library Online Catalogue and…

The reason I will use journal articles to do research for my Extended Project is because…

N.B.

· Write a few lines about where you can find journal articles by including the name/s of specific databases and the GU library website.

· Explain what types of information sources you intend to use for the Extended project and why.

7. Explain the appropriateness and relevance of THREE sources you have found. Identify the source by providing the following information: (a) type of source – e.g. journal article, book, (b) title of source, (c) name of author, (d) year

Source 1:

Example: Journal article: “Energy consumption and water production cost of conventional and renewable-energy-powered desalination processes” by Ali Al-Karaghouli and Lawrence L. Kazmersk (2012). Since this source is a journal article, which I found on the GU library website, I think it is suitable for my Extended Project. This article is relevant to my topic because it will help me understand…

Source 2:

Source 3:

C. WORK PLAN – TIME MANAGEMENT

It is essential that you work on the project continuously, and carefully plan and organise the tasks in order to increase your chances of successfully completing the Extended Project.

8.

· Complete the work plan overleaf in as much detail as possible, with all the key tasks you want to complete before week 19.

· You need to work out:

a. (1) the earliest start date (week) of a task, (2) how long each part of the project is likely to take, (3) whether any activity depends on the completion of another, and (4) whether tasks can be done concurrently.

b. For example, working on establishing a clear focus can be done and start at the same time as you are reading and researching your topic. In fact, several of the tasks can be done concurrently. However, some tasks, such as proof-reading, cannot be done until a first draft has been written.

· If you would like to display your workplan another way, for example as a Gantt chart, this is also possible, as long as the required elements are provided (i.e. timeline, tasks and most challenging tasks of the project). Y

Task	Earliest start date (week)	Duration (weeks)
Decide on a broad topic	e.g. 1	e.g. 5
Check that sources are available accessible
Work on establishing a clear focus
Think of a working title for the project	e.g. 2	e.g. 8
Start working on Formative 1 Project Proposal
Search for relevant journals/books/information in the library and on the Internet.
Do some critical reading – think about the quality and relevance of the sources as you read
Highlight/take notes of relevant information
Submit Formative 1 Project Proposal	e.g. due week 5
Revise Proposal based on feedback
Bring Revised Proposal to class for peer feedback (Formative 2)
Prepare presentation slides
Practice delivering the presentation
Submit Summative 1 Project Presentation slides
Start working on Formative 3 First Draft of Project Introduction
Submit Formative 3 First Draft of Project Introduction
Critical reading – Make connections between your sources; identify similar/contradictory ideas, influential research and/or scholars.
Plan the content in detail – work out chapters, sub-chapters and paragraphs.
Organise the ideas from your reading roughly into the sub-chapters and paragraphs.
Start working on Formative 4 Main Body Outline
Submit Formative 4 Main Body Outline
Decide if you need to do more reading to fill the gaps.
Write the complete first draft
Edit the draft – decide objectively whether your ideas have been expressed clearly.
Write reference list, contents page, title page and abstract
Tutorial / feedback from teacher / peers
Review and revise content (add/rearrange/remove/replace)
Edit for clarity, grammar, tone
Proofread the final draft and make any necessary changes before submission.
Submit Written Project to Turnitin
What aspects of this project will be the most time-consuming and/or challenging to complete?

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