It is best to think of the research investigation as not an A-level essay, but a first year undergraduate degree essay. It's a big step up in difficulty, and you will be expected to read a number of sources in order to expand your knowledge of your chosen subject.
However, the plus side is that you can pretty much choose any music related topic you want to study for the next half term. Your teacher will help you narrow your research interest down, so start off by choosing your favourite band, solo artist, genre or music video, and then working from there.
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| Skoob Books in Kings Cross: one of the best second-hand academic bookshops in the UK! You too will need to hit the books to get the highest possible grade in this assignment. |
What is the research investigation?
- 1,800 words (+/- 10%)
- Research essay, making reference to 15 sources
- The main body of text cites sources
- The bibliography lists sources
- Students create an individual question related to the music industry, and based around either/or genre, representation and narrative
- Fully illustrated essay with a range of images
Structuring the research investigation
Actually starting the research investigation is probably the hardest bit: even after your excellent research interest has been given the thumbs up by your teacher. Therefore you're going to need a solid plan.
Check your email for a template that you should follow to the letter, at least until you get the first five or six-hundred words sorted.
This blog post gives you some more tips on how to structure your research investigation.
Getting your head round the Harvard referencing system
At Long Road, we require you to use the Harvard referencing system when citing your research and presenting a bibliography. There's lots of examples of how to do this in the template that has been emailed to each and every one of you.
Here's a more in-depth article on the Harvard referencing system, with lots of specific examples.
Reading academic essays
For this essay, you're going to have to get your hands dirty and actually read some theory! This is going to be a big step up for a lot of you, but although things seem tricky at first, it's actually easier than you may imagine.
We recommend heading down to the library in your next free period, and checking out the film and media sections for a wealth of information on our subject.
This series of tips on how to read academic essays should set you up nicely.
Reading exemplar research investigations
There have been many excellent research investigations written by Long Road students in the past few years, and you will have access to printed copies. These are great for inspiration, and can help you to structure and pan your investigation.
You can also check out this excellent, A grade response hosted on the blog.
Deadlines
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| Please note that deadlines may be subject to slight changes, and there may be slight differences between classes. Click image to see in full resolution |