Individual Report Report - 60 marks
You have to write an Individual Report on a topic from the topic list. The Individual Report must be
based on one of the topics listed in the syllabus. You can choose one of the specified topics and
identify an important or interesting global issue relating to the topic they have chosen. The global
issue that you choose should be one that divides opinion.
You need to devise a global research question based on some initial research into the topic and the
global issue. You have to use this question as the title for their report. The report must be 1500–2000
words. In the Individual Report, you are assessed on the skills of research, analysis, evaluation,
reflection and communication. You should focus your initial research on identifying and exploring the
context of a topic, chosen from the topic list. You should then select a global issue of importance or
interest with present-day impacts. The issue chosen could be one that raises an ethical dilemma or
causes conflict, damage, difficulty or hardship, or simply leads to disagreement. You should research
a range of different perspectives on the global issue. The focus of the report should be the
perspectives of different people, groups or nations. You should formulate a question, based on your
initial research, that gives you scope to explore the selected global issue and a range of different
perspectives.
The perspectives researched, explored and presented should include:
• local and/or national perspectives
• and global perspectives.
At each level, different perspectives could be included. For example, at the local level the report
could include the different perspectives of local farmers and local politicians. You should engage with
these perspectives and demonstrate that you understand the arguments, reasoning or claims upon
which these perspectives are based. You should also demonstrate that you understand why different
people have different perspectives.
You should analyse the issue by considering the reasons for conflict or disagreement/causes of
problems and the consequences/impacts of the issue. You should consider different possible courses
of action. Drawing on your analysis of the issue, you should propose a single course of action to
change, improve or resolve the issue.
The Individual Report should be presented as a structured essay of 1500–2000 words. This word
count does not include the bibliography or reference list. The essay should start by explaining the
issue researched so that it is clear it has some global impact, even if it has different impacts in
different places or for different people. It should also be clear what the different perspectives are.
These do not have to be opposing perspectives but they must be clearly different. Causes and
consequences of the issue should be presented and analysed in depth. Different courses of action
should be considered, and one chosen as most appropriate or effective. The chosen course of action
should be described in detail, with an explanation of how it could be implemented and what its
impact would be. You should explicitly cite all material used in the essay, with a clear referencing
system.
You should evaluate the evidence presented and sources, explaining their value to the research and
whether or not the sources are reliable and credible. You should present your own view on the
whole issue, reflecting on: • yor research findings •your learning • others’ perspectives.
You should conclude by answering your own question.
