Research reflection: explain a decision and its effect
| English | 中文 | Pinyin |
|---|---|---|
| decision/dɪˈsɪʒn/ | 决策 | jué cè |
| alternative/ɔːlˈtɜːnətɪv/ | 备选方案 | bèi xuǎn fāng àn |
| reflection/rɪˈflekʃn/ | 反思 | fǎn sī |
A promising question needs a new route
- A student plans to compare river samples from two sites. Access to one site is refused, so the original comparison cannot proceed. How should the student document a change without pretending the first method succeeded?
- A decision 决策 record explains the choice, the evidence available at the time and why the next action fits the research question. A diary of dates alone does not explain the reasoning.
Bring evidence to the supervisor
- Bring the current question, proposed method, source notes and the access restriction to the school supervisor. Explain which comparison is no longer possible and what an approved alternative could answer.
- The student owns the research and writing. Supervision helps clarify feasibility, permitted methods and the applicable assessment requirements; it does not supply an invented result or a replacement essay.
What evidence should be brought to the supervisor?
Discuss the actual feasibility limit and its consequences.
Evaluate the effect of a change
- If only one site remains available, a narrower question about that site may be feasible. Explain how this change removes a two-site comparison and limits the conclusion.
- An alternative 备选方案 should be evaluated for relevance, access and the subject’s methods. Changing a title without changing an unsuitable method does not solve the problem.
Removing a study site leaves the original two-site conclusion equally supported.
A one-site study cannot by itself establish the original comparison.
Which record best explains a research decision?
A decision record connects circumstances, reasoning and action.
Reflect on learning rather than list tasks
- A reflection 反思 explains what an experience changed in your understanding and future choices. Identify the initial assumption, the evidence that challenged it and the resulting action.
- Use actual records. Do not claim that you developed a skill merely because the project required it; describe a decision or piece of work that shows the development.
Which reflection gives evidence of learning?
Learning is shown through a concrete change in understanding and action.
Keep the assessment version clear
- The acquired Extended Essay brief is labelled first assessment 2027. Confirm your session’s guide and reflection process with the school before using any required form, word limit or submission rule.
- A practice explanation of a research decision is useful across methods. It is not a completed official reflection form, and an online check cannot verify authorship or replace the school’s supervision process.
Match the record to its role.
Keep evidence, decisions and formal requirements distinct.
Which actions preserve an honest research process?
Traceable real records and the correct assessment version support integrity.
The student initially assumed access to both river sites. After a documented refusal, the student discusses an approved one-site study with the supervisor. The question and comparison plan are narrowed before collecting data. The reflection explains that feasibility must be checked early, shows how the restriction changed the possible conclusion and identifies earlier access checks as a future action. It reports the actual process instead of inventing the missing comparison.
Do not write a successful-sounding account of a method you could not use. Explain the actual restriction, decision and learning.
Use a traceable decision, evaluate its effect on the research question and explain what you learned; confirm session-specific reflection requirements.