Individual Research Project

Section 1: Understanding the Individual Research Project

  • Familiarise yourself with the purpose of the Individual Research Project, its requirements, and its significance in the overall assessment.
  • Recognise the need for autonomy and creativity in choosing a topic.
  • Keep in mind that the topic selected should be relevant to the German-speaking world and must hold your interest.

Section 2: Selecting Your Topic

  • Consider areas related to German culture, history, society, or literature that genuinely fascinate you.
  • Ensure that the chosen subject is complex enough to facilitate in-depth exploration but is not so broad that it becomes overwhelming.

Section 3: Planning Your Research

  • Break down your chosen topic into manageable sub-topics or research questions.
  • Plan an approach to gather the needed information and resources including books, online sources, firsthand experiences etc.

Section 4: Conducting Your Research

  • Access multiple credible resources to ensure a comprehensive understanding of your topic.
  • Employ note-taking strategies to keep track of relevant data and sources.
  • Learn how to reference sources correctly to avoid plagiarism.

Section 5: Developing Your Findings

  • Analyse the information gathered by referencing, comparing and debating various perspectives.
  • Develop your own interpretation based on the research conducted.
  • Consider the implication of your findings in the larger context of the German-speaking world.

Section 6: Presenting Your Project

  • Create a cohesive and structured presentation that provides your findings and your interpretation.
  • Practice communicating your research in German, ensuring correct usage of grammar and vocabulary.
  • Prepare to respond to teacher’s questions on the research project during the speaking assessment.

Section 7: Reflecting on Your Research

  • Reflect on what you have learnt during the process, the challenges faced, and how they were overcome.
  • Consider the relevance of your research in understanding the German-speaking society.
  • Take pride in completing this independent research, recognising it as an important step in developing critical thinking and language skills.