This is a template to use for planning and recording an ESS Investigation.

Make a copy of it,

save it with your name and the title of the assignment. The grey boxes are giving you
instructions on how to fill in the report, the green boxes will show you the assessment criteria.
The report should be between 1,500 to 2,250 words long. External moderators will not read
beyond 2,250 words and no grades will be awarded after 2.250 words.

1. Identifying the Context

This criterion assesses the extent to which you establish and explore an environmental
issue (either local or global) for an investigation and develop this to state a relevant and
focussed research question

a. Environmental Issue

What is the environmental issue

(either local or global) that you will
be investigating?
How does your issue connect to
your research question?
What information can you find out
about this issue and what are the
connections to the research
question? Remember to record
your sources in MLA format in your
bibliography at the end of the
document.

b. Research Question

Very specifically, what is the problem that you will be investigating? Advice, phrase your
research question as: How does the Independent Variable affect the Dependent
Variable?

c. Hypothesis

IF (explain how you will change the thing you are testing) THEN (what you think will
happen because of the change you made) BECAUSE (the scientific reason you think it will
happen)

1-2
● state a research question,
but there is a lack of focus
● outline an environmental
issue (either local or global)
that is linked to the research
question
● lists connections between
the environmental issue
(either local or global) and
the research question but
there are significant
omissions.
Identifying the context
3-4
● state a relevant research
question
● outline an environmental
issue (either local or global)
that provides the context to
the research question
● describes connections
between the environmental
issue (either local or global)
and the research question,
but there are omissions.
5-6
● state a relevant, coherent
and focused research
question
● discuss a relevant
environmental issue (either
local or global) that provides
the context for the research
question
● explain the connections
between the environmental
issue (either local or global)
and the research question.
2. Planning

This criterion assesses the extent to which you have developed appropriate methods to
gather data relevant to the research question. This data could be primary or secondary,
qualitative or quantitative, and may use techniques associated with both experimental or
social science methods of inquiry. There is an assessment of safety, environmental and
ethical considerations where applicable.

a. Variables

Independent Variable (IV)

If applicable, what
different values will you
use? Having at least 5
values for your IV will
ensure you can collect
enough relevant data.

Dependent Variable (DV)

How will you measure
this?

Controlled Variables Why are you controlling How will you make sure it’s
this? controlled?
1.
2.
3.
add more if needed

b. Materials
Fill out the materials you will need. If there is a specific size for it, include this below. Also
include the number of objects that you will require. Add more rows if you need to.
Material Size (if possible) Number

c. Method
Make a detailed version of your method. This should be done step by step. Add more rows
below if you need to. Your method should allow you to collect sufficient and relevant data.
Step 1
Step 2
 Step 3
Step 4
Step 5

d. Risk assessment
Demonstrate that you have considered issues around safety, environment and/or ethics.
Describe the possible risk and how you mitigate the risk (prevent it from happening)
Safety risks
Environmental
risks
Ethical
considerations

Planning

1-2 3-4 5-6

● design a method that is ● design a repeatable method ● design a repeatable method

inappropriate because it will
not allow for the collection of
relevant data
● outline the choice of
sampling strategy but with
some errors and omissions
● list some risks and ethical
considerations where
applicable.
appropriate to the research
question but the method does
not allow for the collection of
sufficient relevant data
● describe the choice of
sampling strategy
● outline the risk assessment
and ethical considerations
where applicable.
appropriate to the research
question that allows for the
collection of sufficient
relevant data
● justify the choice of sampling
strategy used
● describe the risk
assessment and ethical
considerations where
applicable.
3. Results, analysis and conclusion

This criterion assesses the extent to which the student has collected, recorded, processed
and interpreted the data in ways that are relevant to the research question. The patterns
in the data are correctly interpreted to reach a valid conclusion

a) Quantitative raw data

Fill in what the Independent and Dependent Variables are. Do not forget your UNITS!

Dependent variable (unit)

Independent trial 1 trial 2 trial 3 trial 4 trial 5
variable (unit)

b) Quantitative processed data

What mathematical (and/or Explain why it is important to do this. Give a worked
statistical) calculations did you example
use for your data?

Dependent variable (unit)

Independent trial 1 trial 2 trial 3 trial 4 trial 5 Average
variable (unit)

c) Graph(s)

Create one or more graphs and insert it/them below. Make sure to have titles, labels, units
and if applicable error bars.
 d) Qualitative data

Describe or show (e.g. via photos) your observations that you cannot measure (in numbers).

e) Statistical Analysis

If possible also run a statistical test to demonstrate correlation between your independent
and dependent variable.

f) Conclusion
Make a list of trends in your data that you noticed or observed during the experiment. For
each one, you have to explain what happened with scientific reasoning (use science vocabulary
& science ideas!). Record any sources you used in MLA format in your bibliography.
Trends you noticed in your data What does that mean based on scientific
reasoning

Results, analysis and conclusion

1-2 3-4 5-6

● construct some diagrams, ● construct diagrams, charts ● construct diagrams, charts or

charts or graphs of
quantitative and/or qualitative
data, but there are significant
errors or omissions
● analyse some of the data but
there are significant errors
and/or omissions
● state a conclusion that is not
supported by the data.
or graphs of quantitative
and/or qualitative data which
are appropriate but there are
some omissions.
● analyse the data correctly
but the analysis is incomplete
● interpret some trends,
patterns or relationships in
the data so that a conclusion
with some validity is deduced
graphs of all relevant
quantitative and/or qualitative
data appropriately
● analyse the data correctly
and completely so that all
relevant patterns are
displayed
● interpret trends, patterns or
relationships in the data, so
that a valid conclusion to the
research question is
deduced.
4. Discussion and Evaluation

This criterion assesses the extent to which the student discusses the conclusion in the
context of the environmental issue, and carries out an evaluation of the investigation.

a. Evaluation of hypothesis
Looking at your results, do
you support or reject your
hypothesis? What makes you
say that?

What background scientific

knowledge makes you
support or reject your
hypothesis?

b. Discussion of the environmental issue

Looking at your results and
your conclusion how does
your investigation link to the
environmental issue you are
investigating?

Connecting your
investigation to others from
literature (make sure to add
to your bibliography), are
your findings and conclusion
in agreement (the same) or
not?

c. Evaluation of Method
Strengths
Which steps from your
method were strong and
provided you with relevant
and sufficient data?

Weaknesses
Which steps from your
method showed weakness or
could have been a sources of
error?

Improvements
Describe how you would
improve the weak steps in
the method for future
investigations.

d. Extensions for Method

After doing your
investigation, what would
you be interested in
investigating further?
and
What changes can you make
to your method that will
allow you to investigate this?

Discussion and evaluation

1-2 3-4 5-6

● describe how some aspects
of the conclusion are related
to the environmental issue
● identify some strengths and
weaknesses and limitations
of the method
● suggest superficial
modifications and/or further
areas of research.
● evaluate the conclusion in
the context of the
environmental issue but there
are omissions
● describe some strengths,
weaknesses and limitations
within the method used
● suggest modifications and
further areas of research.
● evaluate the conclusion in
the context of the
environmental issue
● discuss strengths,
weaknesses and limitations
within the method used
● suggest modifications
addressing one or more
significant weaknesses with
large effect and further areas
of research.
5. Applications

This criterion assesses the extent to which the student identifies and evaluates one way to
apply the outcomes of the investigation in relation to the broader environmental issue
that was identified at the start of the project.

After doing your

investigation, what
solution(s) to the
environmental issue would
you recommend?
For each solution ensure you
evaluate the strengths,
weaknesses and limitations
of the solution.

Application

1 2 3

● state one potential ● describe one potential ● justify one potential

application and/or solution to
the environmental issue that
has been discussed in the
context
● describe some strengths,
weaknesses and limitations
of this solution.
● evaluate some relevant
application and/or solution to
the environmental issue that
has been discussed in the
context, based on the
findings of the study, but the
justification is weak or
missing
strengths, weaknesses and
limitations of this solution.
application and/or solution to
the environmental issue that
has been discussed in the
context, based on the
findings of the study
● evaluate relevant strengths,
weaknesses and limitations
of this solution.

6. Bibliography/Works cited

You must use appropriate in-text referencing and record your sources in MLA format.
Please follow these rules for creating your list of referenced

For the Communication criterion you do not have to write anything extra. The criterion
assesses whether the report has been presented in a way that supports effective
communication in terms of structure, coherence and clarity. The focus, process and
outcomes of the report are all well presented.

Communication

1 2 3

● The investigation has limited
structure and organization.
● The report makes limited use
of appropriate terminology
and it is not concise.
● The presentation of the report
limits the reader’s
understanding.
● The report has structure and
organization but this is not
sustained throughout the
report.
● The report either makes use
of appropriate terminology or
is concise.
● The report is mainly logical
and coherent, but is difficult
to follow in parts.
● The report is well structured
and well organized.
● The report makes consistent
use of appropriate
terminology and is concise.
● The report is logical and
coherent.