Lesson 2 - Choosing and defining a topic

In Term 3 Week 2's lesson, you are to choose and define your topic for IRS. Here are the tips:

Choosing and defining a topic for IRS is like setting your own exam question. Therefore, you must choose a topic that allows you to score well by ensuring that:

1. The topic is FOCUSSED. This is because it is easier to give an in-depth and insightful answer to a more focussed question compared to one that is very broad and general.

2. The topic is examining an important and SIGNIFICANT issue. The way you present the topic must bring out its significance.

3. The topic is feasible, the required information is ACCESSIBLE and the scope is MANAGEABLE. This ensures that you do not set yourself up for failure or put yourself in a difficult situation.

4. You can find SUFFICIENT INFORMATION about the topic. This gaurantees that you have the necessary information to substantiate your ideas in the written report.

5. There are 5 types of data collection method that you can choose from. They are:
(a) To make generalisations about a target population by usingSURVEYS
(b) To gain an in-depth and holistic understanding of an issue or about a group of people by using INTERVIEWS
(c) To examine a particular behaviour by using OBSERVATIONS
(d) To make a causal claim by using EXPERIMENTS
(e) To draw out general principles or recommendations for a macro or complex issue by using
CASE STUDIES


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CREATE, USING YOUR CLASS IRS BLOG, YOUR PRELIMINARY IDEAS AS A GROUP, AND POST YOUR ANSWER TO THIS MESSAGE IN THIS FORMAT:
(A) A STATEMENT OF YOUR RESEARCH TITLE
(B) EXPLAIN WHY IS IT FOCUSSED
(C) EXPLAIN WHY IS IT SIGNIFICANT
(D) EXPLAIN WHY IS IT FEASIBLE
(E) EXPLAIN WHY IS IT MANAGEABLE
(F) EXPLAIN WHY IS IT ACCESSIBLE
(G) STATE AT LEAST 3 SOURCES OF INFORMATION THAT YOU WILL BE DRAWING YOUR RESEARCH UPON (3 web links) AND WHY YOU CHOOSE THEM.
(H) STATE YOUR TYPE OF DATA COLLECTION AS IN TIP 5

PLEASE INDICATE YOUR NAME AND CLASS AS IN E.G. (TAN HOE TECK, XXX XXX XXX, YYY YYY YYY, ZZZ ZZZ ZZZ) IN THE HEADER OF THE POSTING. YOUR POSTING WILL BE EVALUATED BASED ON (A) TO (H) ABOVE, AND A FEEDBACK WILL BE GIVEN TO YOU LATER. DEADLINE: TODAY'S IRS PERIOD.