Starting your

EPQ

For students studying the AQA Level 3 Extended Project

Qualification at Wirral Grammar School for Girls

Advice Booklet 1

An Overview of the EPQ

The AQA extended project requires you to complete the following:

The completed production log This is a document summarising your journey through your EPQ; it

details your meetings with your subject supervisor including:

- Initial meeting

- Mid-year meeting

- Final meeting

Evidence of your project* This evidence is likely to have different forms, depending on the topic or

the nature of your subject.

It may be:

- An artefact/piece of art

- A performance or recording

- A model

* You don’t need this if you are submitting an entirely written report

A written report You must provide a written report to gain the EPQ; the length of the

report depends on the nature of your study. If you have submitted an

artefact then you may produce a minimum of 1000 words. However, if

your EPQ is entirely report-based, it should be approximately 5000

words (5000 words is the maximum

A presentation Your presentation may be oral or written, but can be delivered through

a range of media: it could be a PowerPoint presentation, an exhibition,

a performance or a collection of photographs/art work.

How will I be Assessed?

The EPQ assesses 4 key areas (assessment objectives).

Total marks = 10 marks Total marks = 10 marks

Total marks = 10 marks Total marks = 20 marks

Detailed information about each assessment objectives can be found in the AQA specification.

To gain marks here, you need to make sure you write a concise title, project aims and objectives. Your project plan should be very detailed with clear evidence of how you will monitor progress

against your project plan.

To gain the marks here, you must select a wide range of sources. You must evaluate these sources and reference them carefully. You need to analyse the research critically and try to find links.

You need to ensure that provide evidence that you have followed your plan; where you have made changes, these need to be clearly explained and justified. You need to draw your findings together and communicate them fluently.

Here you will need to provide a conclusion to your project. You will also need to produce a detailed evaluation of your project, including strengths and weaknesses in your ability to conduct the project.

Stages in your EPQ

STAGE 1: Starting out on your

project

Select your topic/area of interest

Decide on a project outline and the

main objective of your project

Plan your project to meet the

initial objective

Agree the project title with your

supervisor (initial meeting)

Complete the Project Proposal

Form in the Production Log.

STAGE 2: Researching your project

Conduct your planned research

Record your research findings (and

ensure you keep a record of all your

sources)

Meet with your subject supervisor to

share your research (mid– year

meeting)

Amend your planning, if necessary, and

keep detailed notes about any changes

made to your plan.

Record your research in your

Production Log.

STAGE 3: Producing your

project/artefact/performance

Create your written report*

*remember this should be between

1000 and 5000 words (5000 words if

the project is entirely report based

(without a performance/artefact)

Written reports and artefact/

performance submitted.

STAGE 4: Presenting your

Project

Share your project using

appropriate media (This may be

PowerPoint presentation or an

exhibition.

Your presentation needs to be

recorded in your Production Log

STAGE 5: Reviewing/finalising

and submitting your project

You need to reflect on your project,

discussing challenges and how you

overcame these.

Complete your Production Log,

including your reflections

The first step in the process of the EPQ is selecting your project title.

When selecting your proposal title, you need to consider the following:

Your title must not overlap with any aspect of your current A-Levels or other academic

awards (e.g. Silver Crest Award in Science)

Your title should be original (please don’t use a title you know has been covered before, or sub-

mit something you have produced before)

Your title may be a question or a hypothesis

Your title may take one of two forms:

A working title if the end product is a report

A working objective where the end product is an artefact, software program, event or

performance

Once you have submitted your initial proposal, which should be recorded in your Production Log,

your supervisor will review it and then arrange an initial meeting with your to discuss how you will

break this down into objectives. You will then be able to draw up an action plan before moving to

stage 2: research.

Stage 1: Proposal Title

How has English affected the German

language?

Concrete or asphalt for motorway surfaces?

A drama based study of the illness,

schizophrenia

Is the banning of plastic bags in Lyme Regis

making Lyme Bay a greener place?

What implications does the Eurozone crisis have

for the UK’s economic growth?

Does the media have a greater impact on the body

image of girls than of boys of the same age?

The reasoning behind and construction of a bass

guitar

Previous Examples of Titles