As a Society and Culture teacher with considerable experience, I have some advice for those of you who wish to use online forums and networking sites, like this one, for primary research for your PIP. Over the last few years more and more PIPs have been using less and less valid, reliable primary research and in order to access decent marks you need to avoid this trend. If you need to do a questionnaire, think about whether it is absolutely necessary for you to do so on the internet - can you do it by hand, in person? The PIP is all about you developing skills as a social researcher and becoming a more socially and culturally literate person, and if you never leave your desk and computer that's unlikely to happen. You also have to ask some very hard questions about whether the data you collect is valid and reliable - how do you know that people who are responding online are who they say they are? And how valid is your data if your respondents can view all of the previous responses before they answer?
Sometimes online research IS the only way, but most of the time it will be perceived by most markers as being a bit lazy, really. If you can do it the old-fashioned way, please do. And if you can't, be super-aware of questions of usefulness, validity, reliability and bias in writing up your PIP.
Sorry for invading the 'yoof' territory, but I have been increasingly concerned about the number of you who seem a bit misguided where this is involved. Most of you are working hard, and deserve to access the best marks you can!
All the very best for the HSC!
Sometimes online research IS the only way, but most of the time it will be perceived by most markers as being a bit lazy, really. If you can do it the old-fashioned way, please do. And if you can't, be super-aware of questions of usefulness, validity, reliability and bias in writing up your PIP.
Sorry for invading the 'yoof' territory, but I have been increasingly concerned about the number of you who seem a bit misguided where this is involved. Most of you are working hard, and deserve to access the best marks you can!
All the very best for the HSC!