Exemplar Individual Research Reports
Review the example paragraphs under the various sections below in order to see how your should structure your work. Review each against the IGCSE assessment criteria and also the teacher feedback. You can then find a selection of exemplar individual research reports at the bottom of this page.
Causes & Consequences
What does the assessment rubric say?
- Researches and analyses a balanced range of relevant information from different perspectives.
- Analyses in depth the causes and consequences of relevant issues and makes pertinent, well thought-out and successful comparisons.
- The report is very well-structured, cohesive and comprehensive.
- Relevant arguments, evidence and perspectives are presented clearly and effectively.
- Citation and referencing of sources are in a consistent format and complete.
IRR Question: To what extent is the meat industry harmful to human society?
The meat industry has always existed in some form, from hunting and herding to small pastures. However, intensive animal farming as we know it today, i.e. factory farming, is a relatively recent innovation in agriculture. The meat industry began to grow rapidly in the late 19th century as growing population sizes made more meat output necessary, and scientific discoveries like vitamins, vaccines, and genetic modification made it possible. In recent years, the composition of meat industry has shifted from mostly being composed of many smaller businesses, to being controlled by a few very large businesses raising many more animals at a time. Modern cattle feedlots for example, can contain up to 32,000 cattle at a time. The global meat industry total is worth almost 850 billion dollars and supports over 1.3 billion jobs worldwide. Last year, over 350 million tonnes of meat were consumed world wide. The size of the meat industry means that any small issues with meat production are magnified to major problems, but some things about the meat industry make it more harmful than other similarly large industries. Livestock act like a middle-man in the human food system, consuming calorically sparse plants and biologically processing them into much more calorically dense meat for human consumption. This role is partly beneficial, as it means humans can get more nutrients and calories from a lower volume of food, but it also means the meat industry can be very inefficient, since much of the food consumed isn’t perfectly translated into edible body mass and therefore a high amount of resources is needed to produce a small volume of meat. For example, the total water consumption of one kilogram of meat accounts for both the water needed to produce their food, and the water they themselves consume. This all considered, the total water consumption for one kilogram of meat is between 5000 and 15,000 litres, 98% of this being water used to produce livestock feed. In contrast, most edible crops only require between 500 and 4000 litres per kilogram. Using these large amounts of water on livestock farming can sometimes mean water is taken away from other places that need it. For example, in California huge amounts of water are used to grow alfafa, a crop mostly used in cattle feed. This usage exacerbates the problems California’s frequent droughts by using up valuable water on growing a crop that doesn’t actually end up being consumed by people, leaving less water available for other farms and private citizens alike. Conversely, in some cases the role livestock take as middle-men in the human food chain can actually make resource use more efficient. In some cases livestock can consume plants inedible to humans, and still properly digest and process these into calorie rich meat. This means in some cases, otherwise useless plants can be transformed into nutritious meat. In Sub-Saharan Africa for example, cattle mostly consume grasses and crop leftovers from harvest, and only eat small amounts of grain. Since these things wouldn’t be used anyways, livestock are actually a quite efficient way to increase caloric intake, which is especially important since the average Sub Saharan diet contains mostly grains and root vegetables. People who eat a high protein diet also tend to eat more high sugar and high fat foods, while people who are vegetarian tend to also exercise more frequently and are less likely to be smokers. The presence of these external factors makes it difficult for scientists to conclude the true effect of meat on their subjects. Members of the meat industry can be even more dismissive of these results, with far less justification. For example, the president of North American beef dismissed WHO meat-cancer correlation finding with the statement, “Red and processed meat are among 940 substances reviewed by International Agency for Research (IARC) and found to pose some level of theoretical hazard. [WHO] says you can enjoy your yoga class, but don't breathe air, sit near a sun-filled window, drink wine or coffee, eat grilled food, or apply aloe vera.” However, most evidence suggests reducing meat consumption can benefit one’s health, considering numerous studies have shown patients with existing conditions like high cholesterol showed improvement after lessening their meat consumption. Thus, many health organisations recommend limiting the amount of meat eaten daily to under 90 grams. These possible health risks make meat consumption harmful to human society, and therefore the meat industry could be considered harmful for promoting it. Conversely, meat can sometimes be important to human health. Certain nutrients commonly consumed from meat can be difficult to find in vegetables, or can only be found in smaller quantities. This can induce serious health consequences. This can be seen in India’s problem with anemia. Anemia rates in India are extremely high, at 55% for women, 78% for children below 3, and 24% for men. Each of these figures are almost double the global averages. Anemia increases chances of birth issues, maternal deaths, and infections. It also decreases productivity in workers, so it ends up affecting India’s entire economy. India’s anemia levels have been found to be connected to its unusually high proportion of vegetarians, who account for between 29 and 40% of their total population. The reason for this connection is connected to poverty levels in India. A much higher quantity of vegetables than meat is needed for the body to absorb the same amount of iron, since the form of iron found in vegetables is much harder for the body to absorb. This quantity can unaffordable for the 23% of impoverished people in India, even if meat prices tend to be higher than vegetables. Hong Kong is a massive meat consumer, despite the fact that 90% of Hong Kong’s food is imported. In 2015, Hong Kong had the highest per capita meat consumption in the world, at an average of 140kg per capita in one year, and had a vegetarian population of only 200,000. However, people have become vegetarian and vegan increasingly in recent years. Peggy Chan, founder of a health food shop in Hong Kong, attributes the change to social media education and information aimed to educate young people “to understand that the biggest impact they can have on the planet is to eat less meat“. Since most of Hong Kong’s food isn’t locally produced, there’s a wide variety in the food market, making it relatively easy to find healthy vegetarian options. This supports the transition to vegetarianism. While meat consumption levels are still high, it's likely they will fall significantly in future years if this trend continues. |
Teacher Feedback:
|
Courses of Action
What does the assessment rubric say?
- Researches and analyses a balanced range of relevant information from different perspectives.
- Proposes well-developed and relevant course(s) of action, drawing clear and fully supported conclusions.
- The report is very well-structured, cohesive and comprehensive.
- Relevant arguments, evidence and perspectives are presented clearly and effectively.
- Citation and referencing of sources are in a consistent format and complete.
IRR Question: To what extent does parental separation have an impact on the psychological development of children?
The proposed solution is to enact stricter divorce laws. Recently, three states in America, Louisiana, Arkansas, and Arizona, have made "covenant" marriage an option for couples. It requires them to take an oath and receive premarital counseling. Other than that, couples must be separated for a period of time before a divorce can be granted. There must also be a valid reason for the divorce such as abuse or adultery. In a recent study, researchers polled people regarding covenant marriage. This study found almost 40% of the adults surveyed were strongly supportive whilst under 15% were strongly opposed to covenant marriage. Covenant marriage is a relatively new option that only first came up in 1997. And until now only 5% of marriages in Louisiana are covenant marriages. Therefore, there is no conclusive research on the effects it has on divorce rates. However, I feel that this method, if more people participated, will effectively reduce divorce rates as it will cause couples to take their marriage more seriously and be more committed to making their marriage last. Marriage will not be considered “disposable” under the rules of covenant marriage. Therefore, I think covenant marriage should become an option in more countries around the globe. Another solution would be to mandate premarital education or counseling. Marriages can be made better from the start by making premarital counseling a requirement for obtaining a marriage license. Some states in the US (e.g., Maryland and Michigan) give longer waiting periods to couples that didn’t receive counseling in an attempt to encourage more couples to participate. According to a survey conducted in Missouri, 80% of people agreed that premarital education is crucial. However, over 66% of people are unhappy with the government’s decision to prolong waiting periods for those who did not receive marriage counseling. Prevention and Relationship Enhancement Program is a popular marriage education program. Some studies found that couples who participated in PREP have a higher marital satisfaction when compared to those who didn’t. They are also less likely to get divorced 5 years after the program. Therefore, I believe that mandating marriage counseling will be a good way to reduce parental separation as couples will be better equipped for marriage and have a better understanding of what marriage entails. Although the two solutions above might successfully lower divorce rates, there is no way to eliminate parental separation altogether. There are bound to be couples who split up due to countless reasons. There will definitely still be children who will experience parental separation. Thus, the most paramount thing to consider is the children’s well-being after the divorce. To ensure the children are being cared for properly, the government should provide programs to help children cope with divorce. Therapeutic emotional support should be provided to help children work through their feelings and eradicate their tendencies toward self-blame, anxiety, and depression. Through these programs, children can also interact with other participants experiencing the same problems. That way, the children will have a safe space to express their feelings to other sympathetic children and adults. |
Teacher Feedback:
|
Conclusion & Personal Perspective
What does the assessment rubric say?
- Justifies personal perspective(s) using full evidence and reasoning.
IRR Question: How do attitudes toward euthanasia vary across the world?
To conclude, it is evident that attitudes towards euthanasia vary across the world depending on one’s religious belief, medical knowledge, financial capability, as well as societal and cultural values. I personally believe that euthanasia should not be legalised. Although I previously believed that certain forms of euthanasia, such as passive euthanasia, should be legalised because of the unbearable suffering patient has to go through, and the ‘right to die’, conducting this research has gave me an insight into possibilities of passive euthanasia laws being abused, and legalising one form of euthanasia leading to the acceptance and legalisation of other unacceptable forms of euthanasia, such as non-voluntary and involuntary, like the case of Netherlands. Additionally, I have become more aware of the clashing of viewpoints of various stakeholders of this issue, and thus learnt that both legalising or banning euthanasia may lead to further protests if not carefully considered of perspectives of the major stakeholders in the issue. |
Teacher Feedback:
|
IRR: To what extent is the empowerment or status of women impacted by prevailing religious beliefs?
In conclusion, the status of women throughout the years has largely been based on religious and cultural beliefs, impacting billions of people everywhere in the world. I am no exception. As a Christian myself, I was taught that God is good and that he loves everybody equally. However, I can see that although the original intentions of Christianity had been love and salvation, many have deviated from the original intentions of Jesus. As Hong Kong is a mass melting pot of different cultures, this issue is particularly important, to me and to the citizens of Hong Kong. The positive and negative influences of religion and belief have left its mark on the status of women in this city, as many women are still not given the status and respect they deserve. Studies show that the pay gap between the genders has widened in the last decade, with women earning 22% less than their male peers. Additionally, the length of the maternity leave still remains one of the shortest in the world at 10 weeks -- something that has not changed in the past 22 years. Whilst Hong Kong has seen its fair share of groundbreaking women, many aspects of their rights still remain to be unchanged from the older religious views that years of colonialism and war have left behind. Researching this issue has led me to realize that whilst the church, sangha, or imam are not entirely faultless, the biggest issue at large is the people’s perception of women. People over the ages have twisted the words of religion to suit their own ideals, and whilst some of their beliefs do take root in religion, most of it is based upon the social, economical and cultural influences of the day and age. There is no easy way to solve this, as it is not easy to change the beliefs or perception of women that has lasted for centuries, but it is something that has to change in order for society to advance. If all women are offered more opportunities to education, this can be the first step towards achieving gender equality, eventually empowering the future generation of women. |
Teacher Feedback:
|
Exemplar IRRs
Below are a series of exemplar IRR written by previous Year 11 students. PLEASE NOTE That some of these essays have the APA in-text citation method of referencing and some have the footnote system- the school prefers you to use the APA in-text citation system.
trade_benefits_developed_and_developing_countries.pdf | |
File Size: | 560 kb |
File Type: |
irr_essay_example_consumption of wildlife affects socieities.pdf | |
File Size: | 489 kb |
File Type: |
how_do_attitudes_toward_euthanasia_vary_across_the_world_.pdf | |
File Size: | 114 kb |
File Type: |
to_what_extent_are_people’s_political_beliefs_affected_by_the_media_.pdf | |
File Size: | 95 kb |
File Type: |
to_what_extent_are_islamic_extremist_groups_affecting_the_attitudes_of_people_towards_muslims_.pdf | |
File Size: | 148 kb |
File Type: |
to_what_extent_can_divorce_impact_the_psychological_growth_and_development_of_children_.pdf | |
File Size: | 134 kb |
File Type: |
to_what_extent_do_violent_video_games_affect_individuals_and_society_.pdf | |
File Size: | 215 kb |
File Type: |
to_what_extent_does_parental_separation_have_an_impact_on_the_psychological_development_of_children_.pdf | |
File Size: | 219 kb |
File Type: |
to_what_extent_is_the_empowerment_or_status_of_women_impacted_by_prevailing_religious_beliefs_.pdf | |
File Size: | 121 kb |
File Type: |
to_what_extent_is_the_meat_industry_harmful_to_human_society__-_google_docs.pdf | |
File Size: | 130 kb |
File Type: |
what_are_the_driving_factors_for_declining_family_size_.pdf | |
File Size: | 104 kb |
File Type: |
0414_001.pdf | |
File Size: | 571 kb |
File Type: |
0415_001.pdf | |
File Size: | 531 kb |
File Type: |