Recommendations for Students – The Independent Project (IPP)

This entry will be a little dry, as it really is just a list of key tips, to help you be more successful in your Independent Project (IP).

The assessment task will be broken down into key areas that are commented on by the examiners. Please take note of the key points and advice to apply in your own work.

 Independent Project

a)    The range of work

• Option B is exploratory based, so if you choose this option make sure there is a good range of sources consulted and applied in practical terms
• Always be willing to take risks, as this gives you more to comment on – where you succeed or not!

b)   Performance against each assessment task:

Criterion A – Preparation

• Have evidence of perseverance and initiative. You can do this with examples of failures and how you addressed them and show what steps you took to find information or resolve problems. An imaginative range of sources helps here.
• Have visuals and written accounts/reflections throughout the work, not just during the early stages of the project.

Criterion B – Process

• If you are a director, designer or performer you need to identify the skills required of this role (and research it!)
• As a director, designer or performer you must indicate your understanding of the specific skills-base of that role, and provide evidence of how these skills were developed.

Criterion C – Reflection

• Your reflection should not be narrative but needs to reflect progress and learning.
• The progress and learning needs to be evidenced through visuals and written descriptions.
• Your reflections need to be sustained – therefore written during the entire process of the project.
• You need to identify how your project links to the course and where the starting point came from, in relation to the course

Criterion D – Presentation

• Be aware that if you exceed the word count you cannot get more than a 4.
• All your visuals must be properly sourced (this includes photos taken by a parent, friend etc), if not this is academic malpractice.
• You need to have a range of sources to illustrate range and depth of your research

Criterion E (HL only) – Application of Research in Practice

• Make sure that you integrate research and apply it authentically throughout the project. This illustrates theoretical underpinning, and this will be recognised as strong work.
• Work underpinned by research is fundamental to an understanding of the process and development of the IPP.

Final recommendations for candidates

• Have a consistent and regular use of the journal for reflection and recording process
• Explore a creative use of the journals for visuals, mind maps, photos, other forms of note-taking etc
• Get into the habit of recording work and reflecting on progress, problems, research referred to and initiatives taken