You’re the Expert

Research Assignment

Name:

Date of My Seminar Presentation:

Your task is to choose a topic in which you are interested, find out enough about the topic for you to become an "expert" so that you can lead a mini- seminar in which you share your expertise with the rest of the class. 

In this unit you are being assessed on how well you deliver your seminar ie your speaking skills. Make sure you are aware of the key assessment indicators (see assessment.rtf) with which you are to be assessed, either by your classmates or your teacher or both. 

You may be able to work in small groups if you come up with a specific proposal to put to your teacher. 

Here is what you do:

1.	Your Topic 

Choose a topic, in which you are interested but which you currently know little about, eg. 

·	an issue which is currently prominent in the media 
·	a sport or sports personality 
·	a hobby you would like to take up (e.g. collecting, cooking, models)
·	a famous person 
·	an historical event 
·	a place or country 
·	a media topic e.g. animation, TV ads. 
·	A scientific topic 

The topic needs to one for which you can access both primary and secondary information (see below). 

2.	Your Research Objective 

Write down 3 specific questions you would like to answer as a result of your research. 

Ask your teacher to check that they are not so broad that they are too difficult to research or so narrow that there is no research challenge involved.  

3.	Your Method 

You must use at least TWO different sources of information to gather the answers to your questions. 

a.	One must be from a primary source ie information that you generate for yourself. This will include at least one of the following:

·	conducting an interview (including phone interviews)
·	writing a letter seeking information 
·	emailing for information or joining an Internet Forum related to your topic 
·	conducting a survey 

b.	One must be from a secondary source ie information generated by others. This will include at least one of the following:

·	books, magazines, articles, vertical file 
·	the media e.g. television, radio, newspapers 
·	web sites 

4.	Your Seminar 

Prepare a 15-minute seminar to be presented to the class which reports the results of your research. In this seminar you must have:

a.	Something to tell i.e. the questions you wanted answered, how you went about your research, the answers to your original questions if you have been able to answer them, the most and least successful research methods and what you would do differently if you were going to do the assignment again. Make sure you let your classmates ask any questions they need to clarify their understanding. 

b.	Something to show (pictures or posters, a demonstration, over-head transparency, model, map, video, computer display, dramatic skit, wall-chart, diagrams, web site etc.) - whatever will help you explain and illustrate your topic in a more informative and interesting way. 

c.	A listening quiz. Part of the purpose of this assignment is to improve listening skills. As part of your seminar presentation prepare a listening quiz with 5 questions which you give the class (orally) at the end of your seminar. Your quiz could include:
·	recall questions 
·	true/false questions 
·	multi-choice questions 
·	'spot the mistake' type activities 

Perhaps as a class you could discuss with your teacher the possibility of providing prizes for those who do best in the listening quiz. 

5.	In groups of 3 practice delivery of the seminar. As each member of the group goes through their practice delivery, the other two members could use the key indicators (see assessment.rtf) to provide feedback about which aspects need improvement prior to delivery to the whole class. 

6.	Seminar Check-list 

Several days before you are due to deliver your seminar make sure you can place a tick beside each of the following:

   	I have had my research questions approved by my teacher.	
    	In my research I have used at least one primary and one secondary source of information.	
    	My seminar includes my original research questions, how I went about finding the answers, the answers to my questions and what I would do differently next time.	
    	My seminar has a visual component which adds interest and helps my explanation.	
    	My seminar has a listening quiz. 	
    	I have practised the delivery of my seminar so that I:	
    	•	have my notes on easily held cards	
    	•	know my seminar well enough to be able to maintain eye contact with my audience.	
    	•	have practised varying my pitch and pace to hold the interest of my audience and to ensure I convey my ideas clearly.	

© Ministry of Education, Wellington, New Zealand (First published 1998)