Name Class/Teacher
Year/Subject Instrument no.
11 PHYSICS 3
Technique Research Investigation
Unit Unit 1: Thermal, Nuclear and Electrical Physics
Topic Topic 3: Electrical Circuits
Conditions
Duration 10 hours class time Date Term 2 Week 6 Lesson 3
Mode Written response - scientific essay Length 1500-2000 words
Individual/ Individual Other Size 11 Arial font, single line
group spacing, normal margins
Resources School library (online: internet and school intranet, databases, journals)
available
Context
Investigate one of the following claims:
Introducing technology into the electrical design of a household improves energy efficiency.
Star ratings have changed how we view energy consumption.
Electricity consumption has increased exponentially since the invention of the smart phone.
Solar power is the only sustainable source of powering the future digital world.
Task
Gather secondary evidence related to a research question in order to evaluate the claim. Develop
your research question based on the possible claim/s provided by your teacher.
Obtain evidence by researching scientifically credible sources, such as scientific journals, books by
well-credentialed scientists, and websites of governments, universities, independent research bodies
or science and technology manufacturers. You must adhere to research conventions.
To complete this task, you must
Identify the relevant scientific concepts associated with the claim
Pose a research question addressing an aspect of the claim
Conduct research to gather scientific evidence that may be used to address the research
question and subsequently evaluate the claim
Analyse the data to identify sufficient and relevant evidence
Identify the trends, patterns or relationships in the evidence
Analyse the evidence to identify limitations
Interpret the evidence to construct justified scientific arguments
Interpret the evidence to form a justified conclusion to the research question
Discuss the quality of the evidence
Evaluate the claim by extrapolating the findings of the research question to the claim
Suggest improvements and extensions to the investigation
Communicate findings in an appropriate scientific essay genre
Stimulus
-
Checkpoints
Week 3 Select claim and develop research question.
Week 4 Identify sources and fill in retrieval charts.
Week 4 Analyse and evaluate evidence.
Start of
Submit draft.
Week 5
Week 6 Submit final response.
Criterion Marks Allocated Result
Research and Planning 6
Analysis and Interpretation 6
Conclusion and Evaluation 6
Communication 2
Total 20
Authentication strategies
The teacher will provide class time for task completion.
Students will provide documentation of their progress at indicated checkpoints.
The teacher will collect and annotate the draft.
The teacher will conduct interviews or consultations with each student as they develop the
response.
Students will use turnitin at submission of the response.
Students must acknowledge all sources using Harvard standard.
Scaffolding
The response must be presented using an appropriate scientific essay genre and contain:
A claim
A research question
A rationale for the investigation
Justified scientific arguments using evidence
A conclusion to the research question based on the interpretation of the evidence
Evaluation of the claim and suggestions of improvements and extensions to the investigation
A reference list
Completed retrieval charts in appendix.
Examples of how claims could be developed into a research question
Claim: Scientists will soon be able to cool substances to absolute zero.
Research Question: Is the existence of an absolute zero temperature consistent with the laws of
thermodynamics (namely, the zeroth, first, second and third law)?
Claim: Bruce Banner absorbs ambient gamma radiation, converting its energy into mass during the
transformation into the Hulk.
Research Question: Assuming there was a way to convert gamma radiation directly into mass, how
much gamma radiation, and from what source, would change Bruce Banner’s mass into the
Incredible Hulk’s mass?
Note: You cannot use these sample research questions for your investigation.
Instrument-Specific Marking Guide (ISMG)
Criterion: Research and planning
Assessment objectives
2. apply understanding of electrical circuits to develop research questions
5. investigate phenomena associated with electrical circuits through research
The student work has the following characteristics: Marks
• informed application of understanding of electrical circuits demonstrated by a considered
rationale identifying clear development of the research question from the claim
• effective and efficient investigation of phenomena associated with electrical circuits
5-6
demonstrated by
− a specific and relevant research question
− selection of sufficient and relevant sources.
• adequate application of understanding of electrical circuits demonstrated by a reasonable
rationale that links the research question and the claim
• effective investigation of phenomena associated with electrical circuits demonstrated by 3-4
− a relevant research question
− selection of relevant sources.
• rudimentary application of understanding of electrical circuits demonstrated by a vague or
irrelevant rationale for the investigation
• ineffective investigation of phenomena associated with electrical circuits demonstrated by 1-2
− an inappropriate research question
− selection of insufficient and irrelevant sources.
• does not satisfy any of the descriptors above. 0
Criterion: Analysis and interpretation
Assessment objectives
3. analyse research evidence about electrical circuits
4. interpret research evidence about electrical circuits
The student work has the following characteristics: Marks
• systematic and effective analysis of qualitative data and/or quantitative data within the
sources about electrical circuits demonstrated by
− the identification of sufficient and relevant evidence
− thorough identification of relevant trends, patterns or relationships 5-6
− thorough and appropriate identification of limitations of evidence
• insightful interpretation of research evidence about electrical circuits demonstrated by
justified scientific argument/s.
• effective analysis of qualitative data and/or quantitative data within the sources about
electrical circuits demonstrated by
− the identification of relevant evidence
− identification of obvious trends, patterns or relationships 3-4
− basic identification of limitations of evidence
• adequate interpretation of research evidence about electrical circuits demonstrated by
reasonable scientific argument/s.
• rudimentary analysis of qualitative data and/or quantitative data within the sources about
electrical circuits demonstrated by
− the identification of insufficient and irrelevant evidence
− identification of incorrect or irrelevant trends, patterns or relationships 1-2
− incorrect or insufficient identification of limitations of evidence
• invalid interpretation of research evidence about electrical circuits demonstrated by
inappropriate or irrelevant argument/s.
• does not satisfy any of the descriptors above. 0
Criterion: Conclusion and evaluation
Assessment objectives
4. interpret research evidence about electrical circuits
6. evaluate research processes, claims and conclusions about electrical circuits
The student work has the following characteristics: Marks
• insightful interpretation of research evidence about electrical circuits demonstrated by
justified conclusion/s linked to the research question
• critical evaluation of the research processes, claims and conclusions about electrical circuits
demonstrated by
5-6
− insightful discussion of the quality of evidence
− extrapolation of credible findings of the research to the claim
− suggested improvements and extensions to the investigation, which are considered
and relevant to the claim.
• adequate interpretation of research evidence about electrical circuits demonstrated by
reasonable conclusion/s relevant to the research question
• basic evaluation of the research processes, claims and conclusions about electrical circuits
demonstrated by
3-4
− reasonable description of the quality of evidence
− application of relevant findings of the research to the claim
− suggested improvements and extensions to the investigation, which are relevant to
the claim.
• invalid interpretation of research evidence about electrical circuits demonstrated by
inappropriate or irrelevant conclusion/s
• superficial evaluation of the research processes, claims and conclusions about electrical
circuits demonstrated by 1-2
− cursory or simplistic statements about the quality of evidence
− application of insufficient or inappropriate findings of the research to the claim
− ineffective or irrelevant suggestions.
• does not satisfy any of the descriptors above. 0
Criterion: Communication
Assessment objectives
7. communicate understandings and research findings, arguments and conclusions about electrical
circuits
The student work has the following characteristics: Marks
• effective communication of understandings and research findings, arguments and
conclusions about electrical circuits demonstrated by
− fluent and concise use of scientific language and representations
2
− appropriate use of genre conventions
− acknowledgment of sources of information through appropriate use of referencing
conventions.
• adequate communication of understandings and research findings, arguments and
conclusions about electrical circuits demonstrated by
− competent use of scientific language and representations 1
− use of basic genre conventions
− use of basic referencing conventions.
• does not satisfy any of the descriptors above. 0
