Choosing a Topic

The great thing about the Added Value Assignment is that you can choose any Modern Studies topic.  You should choose a topic that interests you and that you think you will be able to find enough information on.

You should choose a topic from what we have studied/will study in class:

  • Democracy in Scotland
  • Crime and the Law
  • United States of America

There are some key rules that your topic must be:

    • It has to be up-to-date: either it is still going on or has happened recently.
    • About people – Modern Studies is about people and society
    • A topic that allows you to use your Modern Studies skills, such as making a decision or drawing a conclusion.

Choosing a Good Topic

You should think carefully about the topic that you choose.  You won’t be able to find enough useful information on every topic, so make things easy for yourself and choose a topic that is easily researched.  A reminder that this is a Modern Studies assignment… Don’t choose a topic that would be considered an English, RMPS or Social Education topic.  This can be tempting but steer away from moral questions, such as euthanasia, as they are not Modern Studies.

Below is a list of possible topics.  Not every topic is covered here, but it’s a good place to start, especially if you’re finding it tough getting started.

Democracy in Scotland Crime and the Law United States of America
Voting Systems
Voting Behaviour
Pressure Groups
Devolved Powers
The Work of an MSP
The First Minister and the Cabinet
Minority Representation in Politics
The Media
Election Campaigns		 Crime Rates
Causes of Crime
Police Scotland
Victims of Crime
Scottish Courts
Children’s Hearing System
CCTV
Prisons
Alternatives to Prison		 Opportunities for Individuals to Participate
Interest Groups
Election Campaigns
Federal, State and Local Powers
The Work of Representatives
Minority Representation in Politics
Social and Economic Inequalities
Government Responses to Inequalities
Influence of the USA

Creating a Research Question and Hypothesis

Research Questions

A topic is a great starting point, but your assignment must be specific.  Creating a research question will help guide your assignment.  This question is your starting point and will be answered through your research.

Here are some examples of research topics and questions:

Topic Prisons in the UK
Question Are prisons in the UK effective at rehabilitating prisoners?
Topic The Media
Question Are newspapers still influential at election time?

You’ll see that the question narrows your focus, and makes it easier to consider what you will be researching.  You wouldn’t want to blindly start researching without a focus as this is unmanageable.

Hypotheses

A hypothesis is a hypothetical answer to your research question.  You make a hypothesis at the start of your research so that you can conclude that you were correct or incorrect at the end of the assignment.  Don’t make this too complicated – it’s just what you think you will find out – it’s a prediction.  Here are some examples:

Question Is the Children’s Hearing System effective at reducing youth crime?
Hypothesis The Children’s Hearing System is effective at reducing youth crime in Scotland.
Question Is the Additional Member System a fairer voting system than First Past the Post.
Hypothesis The Additional Member System is not fairer than First Past the Post.

Once you’ve made your hypothesis, don’t worry too much about it until you get to the conclusion of your assignment.  Park it, and move on.