epq final dissertation

How To Write An EPQ Essay & Dissertation (9 Steps)

Writing an EPQ essay involves several steps to ensure a well-structured and compelling piece.

Here is a 9-step guide to help you write an effective EPQ essay:

• Brainstorm EPQ topic ideas : Choose an engaging topic that interests you and is relevant to your academic or career goals.
• Conduct research : Gather information from various sources to support your arguments and provide evidence.
• Create a structure : Organise your essay with a clear introduction, main body, and conclusion. Outline the main points and arguments you will cover in each section.
• Write an introduction : Begin your essay with an introductory paragraph that introduces the topic, outlines the scope of the essay, and provides an overview of the structure 4 .
• Develop the main body : Write the main body of the essay, focusing on presenting your arguments, evidence, and analysis. Ensure each paragraph has a clear topic sentence and flows logically from one point to the next.
• Use proper referencing : Cite your sources correctly to avoid plagiarism and demonstrate your research skills.
• Write a conclusion : Summarise your main points and answer the question you posed at the beginning of the essay.
• Review and revise : Proofread your essay for grammar, spelling, and punctuation errors. Ensure your arguments are clear, coherent, and well-supported 1 .
• Seek feedback : Ask a teacher, tutor, or peer to review your essay and provide constructive feedback to help you improve your work

The article below is designed to help you develop a strong foundation for writing your EPQ essay by providing practical tips and guidance from an expert in the field.

You’ll learn about key elements such as structure, formatting, research methods, argumentation techniques and more so that you can craft a compelling paper that stands out from the crowd.

By following these steps, you’ll have all the tools necessary to make sure your EPQ essay stands out and meets its desired goals.

• 1 Understanding The EPQ Essay Requirements
• 2.1 Organizing Ideas
• 2.2 Outlining Content
• 3 Formatting Your Essay
• 4 Researching For Your Essay
• 5 Developing Your Argument
• 6 Crafting A Compelling Conclusion
• 7 Writing a good EPQ essay

Understanding The EPQ Essay Requirements

Navigating the world of EPQ essay writing can be intimidating, and even overwhelming at times! But never fear – with a little bit of knowledge and preparation you’ll find yourself soaring towards success.

At its core, crafting an effective EPQ essay comes down to analyzing expectations and exploring options. It’s important to take into account the specific requirements for your topic or course; many professors will have different standards that need to be met.

Once you’re clear on what needs to be accomplished, it’s time to get creative – start brainstorming ideas and looking for relevant sources that support them. Be sure to record everything as you go along so you don’t forget any key details later on in the process.

Research is essential here, but make sure not to lose sight of the bigger picture: Your paper should still reflect your unique perspective and originality. With this approach, you can create an engaging work that will stand out from the crowd — one which takes readers on a journey of exploration through freedom-filled imagination!

Structuring Your EPQ Essay

Organizing your ideas is an important part of writing an EPQ essay.

Start by making a list of the main points you want to make and then organize them into groups that fit with your argument.

Once you have your ideas organized, you can start outlining the content. This will help you create a logical flow of information and ensure that your essay is structured in a clear and concise way.

It’ll also make it easier to write the actual essay, and make sure that you haven’t skipped any important points.

Organizing Ideas

Organizing your ideas is an important part of writing a successful EPQ essay. Before you start jotting down notes or typing away on your computer, identify the sources that will be most useful in completing your project.

Ask yourself questions like “what do I already know?” and “where can I find more information?” By identifying these sources early on, you’ll ensure that all the research needed to write a quality paper has been done ahead of time.

Once you’ve identified the best source material for your project, it’s time to develop a structure for your essay. Think about how each point should flow logically from one to another and what order would make the most sense when reading through your work.

As with any type of academic writing, having an outline helps keep everything organized and makes it easier to create well-structured argument points throughout your paper.

Additionally, if there are sections where multiple topics require further discussion, consider breaking them up into separate paragraphs so readers can easily digest each idea independently.

Writing an EPQ essay doesn’t have to be overwhelming; by taking proactive steps to organize ideas before starting the actual writing process, you’re sure to craft an impressive piece of work!

Outlining Content

Once you’ve identified the sources and outlined your structure, it’s time to start brainstorming techniques for what content should be included in your essay.

This is an important step to ensure that all the key points are covered in a logical order. Brainstorming can include anything from writing down ideas as they come to mind or even mapping out each section with bullet points.

Additionally, if there are any specific topics you’d like to discuss further, consider breaking them up into separate paragraphs so readers can easily digest each idea independently.

No matter which strategy works best for you, it’s essential to make sure that each point has been thoroughly researched beforehand—this will guarantee that only quality information is presented throughout your paper.

Writing an EPQ essay doesn’t have to be daunting; by taking proactive steps such as outlining the content of your project ahead of time, you’re sure to craft an impressive piece!

Formatting Your Essay

The formatting of your essay is as important as the structure. When structuring, you made sure all the pieces were in place and ready to go; now it’s time to make them look nice.

You should consider several stylistic choices when formatting:

• Word choice – Use precise language that adds power and meaning to each sentence without detracting from its original intent
• Font size – Choose a font size that looks professional yet comfortable for reading
• Headers/subheaders – Create visual breaks between sections using headers or subheaders with interesting titles that capture readers’ attention
• Margins – Establish margins so your reader can easily find where one section ends and another begins

By implementing these subtle but powerful formatting techniques, you will improve the overall quality of your EPQ essay and ensure a successful submission!

Researching For Your Essay

The research phase of an EPQ essay is one of the most important steps to ensure you can write a quality paper. Defining your objectives clearly and citing sources accurately are essential for success. As such, it’s important to take your time during this step, as any mistakes here will be difficult to recover from later on in the writing process.

When researching for your essay, begin by getting organized. Gather all pertinent information related to your topic and compile them into separate folders or files so they’re easy to access when needed.

Once that’s completed, start reading up on relevant materials and taking notes along the way – summarize each source and make sure you properly cite authors at the end of each note taken. Doing so will help you save valuable time looking back through books or articles once you move onto actually putting pen to paper (or fingers to keys).

Ultimately, if done correctly, research should provide a solid foundation which allows you to create an innovative and unique piece of work without having to worry about accuracy or plagiarism issues!

Developing Your Argument

Having completed your research, it’s time to develop your argument.

To do this, start by brainstorming ideas about the topic and evaluating sources for their relevance and suitability. Consider which evidence is best placed to support your position on a particular issue or idea.

After gathering all of your information from various sources, try to identify the common themes that emerge in relation to the topic you are researching. In order to form an effective argument, you will need to assess how each piece of evidence fits together in order to demonstrate its relevance and importance.

This could include looking at different perspectives on an issue or comparing multiple results of research studies into a specific field. Additionally, make sure that when forming your argument you take note of any counter arguments which may be presented as these can help strengthen your overall conclusion.

Once you have identified all relevant points related to your argument, consider how they work together and analyse them more deeply – this will allow you to draw meaningful conclusions from the data available.

Crafting A Compelling Conclusion

The conclusion of your EPQ essay is essential to summarizing all the points you have made and discussing their implications. It’s important to remember that this section should be both succinct and clear, so as not to confuse or distract from the main message of your paper.

When writing a compelling conclusion, start by restating your thesis statement in a different way than you did at the beginning of your paper.

Take some time to review each point discussed throughout the body paragraphs and summarize them briefly. This will help remind readers what they just read and why it matters.

Additionally, make sure to tie up loose ends, such as unanswered questions, by either providing an answer or referring back to prior sections.

Finally, conclude with a strong sentence that drives home the importance of your topic while offering insight into future research possibilities or other relevant discussions.

Writing a good EPQ essay

In conclusion, writing an EPQ essay is a unique challenge that requires serious attention and hard work.

With the right structure, research, argumentation, and conclusion in place however, you can put together a compelling piece of writing that will impress even the most discerning master’s student.

One interesting statistic to consider when crafting your essay is that only 50% of students who submit an EPQ are successful in achieving their desired grade.

This serves as a reminder to emphasise quality over quantity in your work: focus on making sure each element of your essay is thoroughly researched and well-written before submitting it for review.

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EPQs: designing your research question

The Extended Project Qualification (EPQ) is an opportunity for you to work independently on a topic that really interests you or that you think is important. It is equivalent to an A-level qualification. These articles are designed to help you if you are enrolled on an EPQ.

Why do research?

Pause for a moment and think about this. You could think about this on your own, or you could talk to friends, colleagues in the same class, or your family.

Perhaps there’s something that you’re already very interested in and you want to take a bit further. It might be that you want to develop skills that will be useful to you at university, such as studying independently, understanding how research works and communicating well. Perhaps it’s as simple as you’d like something to put on your UCAS statement, to show you can be self-motivated and self-managed. It might be that you enjoy finding things out, asking a question no one has asked before and uncovering answers that no one else has found.

All of these are excellent reasons for undertaking an EPQ.

Understanding why you want to do a research project will help you in your first task: designing a research question.

Designing your research question .  

The research process is a cycle (Figure 1): we design a question, we gather some evidence we hope will help us answer that question, we analyse the evidence to find the answer, we communicate with other people about our answer and from that we realise there is probably another question to ask!

What makes a good research question ?

Once you have decided on a topic to research, the first step for a dissertation/research review EPQ is to design a good research question.

In other words, how do you move from ‘this is a topic I’m interested in’ to ‘this is the question I want to ask’? 

Alessandra, a Senior Research Fellow in AstrobiologyOU, offers her thoughts on what makes a good research question. As you listen, pick out what you think are her main points.

Alessandra : What makes a good research question? 

Many people would say that it is important to have a research question that deals with the big problems of our time, that impacts on most of the world population, that can provide an answer to some of the big challenges, the big questions. 

Well, I will say that this perspective needs to be reversed. To have a good research question you need to start from what bothers you? What’s your original perspective? 

Where is it that you have an original point of view on the problems? The challenges of our time? It’s only through your voice and your unique point of view that some of the problems, the challenges, can become opportunities.

Doing something  novel  means   asking a question that no one has asked before and finding answers that no one else has found. 

Vague questions are very tricky to answer, especially if your time is limited, so keeping your question  focussed  helps it to be  answerable . 

Leaving  room for development  helps ensure you will stay interested through the process of planning, research, development and review. 

Questions that are open to a  range of perspectives  will give you much more opportunities to develop your skills in presenting arguments and discussing their strengths and weaknesses.

Finally, the question should be  interesting  – for you, of course, but also for those who will read your dissertation or watch your final presentation.

The ‘ten words’ technique and exercise.

Developing a research question is a cycle of refining, considering and re-stating. You will have to go round a few times until you settle on something you’re happy with. One tool you can use to develop a draft research question is ‘ten words’.

EXERCISE: Hold in your mind the thing that you are interested in and, without thinking too much about it, jot down ten words that relate to it.

• Sevasti’s ten words
• Ann’s ten words

Sevasti, a microbial ecologist in AstrobiologyOU, wrote down ten words to describe her research interests (Figure 2). A microbial ecologist studies micro-organisms’ relationship with one another and with their environment; in other words, their ecology.

Sevasti cheated a bit – some items on her list are more than a single word – but then she does work on some very complex science!

Ann is a researcher in science communication and lecturer in astrobiology education. The ten words she chose (Figure 3) look very different to Sevasti’s because they have very different research interests.  

Your ten words will be unique to you and your interests.

To design a draft research question, you could look to how these words could be combined. For example, a question that comes out of Ann’s ten words in Figure 3 might be:  how important were social media to the #blacklivesmatter movement?

Refining your question .

Once you have come up with a draft question, it’s a good idea to share it with others so that you can benefit from their feedback. If you are studying for your EPQ at school, you could ask fellow students or your teacher for feedback; if you’re studying at home, you could ask friends or family.

However, please remember that your EPQ must be your own work and that ideas gathered through conversation must be written from your perspective and cannot be copied from, or written by, another person

Discussing your proposed question can help you be sure it makes sense, and that it really describes what you want to research. Sometimes the comments people make will suggest a different – but still interesting – direction to go in. Sometimes you might disagree with the feedback, or it might prompt you to think so differently about your question that you decide to change it entirely. Remember that this process is a cycle!

The following audio discusses some of the comments Ann received when she asked for feedback. Recall that the first draft of the question was:

How important were social media to the #blacklivesmatter movement?

Having come up with your question, it’s time to start thinking about how we can criticise and improve it to make sure it’s a really good question that meets all the criteria we discussed earlier.

So once you’ve come up with your question, it’s time to discuss the idea with friends, family, teachers. Whoever makes sense to you. It’s about asking if this question makes sense outside your head. 

Can you clearly describe what it is you want to do? What the question is you want to ask? And also think about the questions that people ask you back. There might suggest an interesting different direction or some sub-questions that actually might be more interesting to answer. 

To take a few examples, these are the kinds of questions that colleagues might ask me if I proposed this question. Well OK, which social medium? There are lots of different social media. Is there one that’s more prominent than another and therefore more worth looking at? 

What about the role of the movement? Is this movement different to other campaigns? Are there other social movements I could compare it to, to make the question more interesting? There’s a time element.

Am I thinking about very recent events or events going back a few years? Am I interested in the momentary flowering of a movement? Or the development of a movement? Is there enough evidence for me to be able to answer this question? 

You might say that Black Lives Matter is a relatively recent movement, and therefore there might not be enough material in the research literature. By asking and answering these kinds of questions, you eventually come down and shape your question into a really solid one that’s worth your while answering.

Comments on Ann’s question

Ann received feedback such as:

• which social medium would you look at?
• is one social medium more worth looking at; is there one that is more used by young people?
• is this movement different to other campaigns?
• are there any other social movements you could compare it to?
• you haven't mentioned time – are you looking at the last ten months, the last ten years, or what?
• this is quite a recent social movement – will there be enough evidence?

Thinking about these comments, how would you change the question to meet all the criteria for a good research question? Look back at  ' What makes a good research question '  if you need a reminder.

Ann’s question could be refined to compare different social media-based movements: 

How are young people using social media for activism?: comparing #blacklivesmatter and #FridaysForFuture

This version still covers all of Ann’s interests and is novel, but it’s more answerable because: 

• it’s more focussed – it considers a specific community (young people) 
• it contains a range of perspectives (compares two different movements) 

To make it even more answerable, she could make a few more changes; perhaps the question could look at just one kind of social media (say Instagram) and perhaps over just one year (such as 2020). 

How did young people use social media for activism?: comparing the content of Instagram posts on #blacklivesmatter and #FridaysForFuture during 2020 

This version still leaves some room for development. In future, Ann could expand it to look at other social media platforms, other date ranges or other campaigns.

It’s ok to change your mind.

By thinking, discussing and refining, you come to a strong question that you will want to focus on during your EPQ.

But it’s important to remember that questions are never static. As you read more about your topic, gather more evidence and look into the question further, you might change your mind about the topic or want to refine your question even more.

That’s absolutely fine, and it’s a completely normal part of research. As we said earlier, getting to the right question is a cycle of refining, considering and re-stating. Don’t forget to ask for feedback each time – this will help you to reflect on what you are doing and make improvements where needed.

Getting – and giving – feedback .

Although feedback from friends, teachers and colleagues is helpful in improving our work, it can be difficult to deal with. Sometimes it can feel as if people are criticising us personally, rather than commenting on our work.

You will want to receive – and will be asked to give – feedback all the way through the EPQ, from designing your question to writing your dissertation and preparing your presentation, so it’s a good idea to think about how you will cope. 

• Receiving feedback
• Giving feedback
• Start stop continue

When you  get feedback:

First,  take a breath . Remember all feedback is useful, no matter how it makes you feel the first time you see or hear it.

Read or listen to  all  the feedback before you make any decisions. Good feedback will offer you positive as well as critical comments, but sometimes we have to remind ourselves to look for the positive!

Remember that the people who give feedback aren’t automatically right. Think carefully about what they have said and  weigh their feedback  against what you intended to say or do. If you’re still happy with your decision, it’s your work and you have the final say.

Identify solutions  to the issues people have raised. Could you find more information to back up your points? Could you write from a different point of view to make things clearer? Could you cut out material that is less relevant?

Implement your solutions , then go back to the people who gave you feedback to see if they make sense.

When you’re asked to  give  feedback:

• focus on the work, not the person
• be kind, but don’t be afraid to give constructive criticism
• make specific suggestions about actions the person could take

• give one piece of positive feedback. For example:  ‘this is a really clear question … ’
• give one or more pieces of critical  but constructive  feedback. For example:  ‘but did you mean … here?’  or  ‘it would help me to understand if you talked more about …’
• give one piece of positive feedback. For example:  ‘I’d like to know more about …’

Another method is the ‘start stop continue’ technique, which is where you suggest one thing they could:

• start doing
• continue doing

In this resource, we have looked at the first part of the research cycle – how to design a research question, and how you can refine and improve it through feedback. When you have settled on your research question, you’re ready to move on to the next step: gathering evidence (or data) to help you answer it.  

Other articles in this series...

EPQs: finding and using evidence

Finding the evidence that will help you understand a topic or answer a question is an important stage in the research process. And once you have found it, you will need to examine it closely and carefully, to judge how reliable it is and whether it is useful to help you answer your question.

EPQs: writing up your dissertation

You have collected and analysed your evidence and considered it in relation to your research question. The next step is to communicate all that you have done. Your dissertation is the element of the EPQ that is read and assessed by others who haven’t been involved in your research.

EPQs: why give a presentation?

What are the guidelines for the presentation?

Become an OU student

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• Originally published: Wednesday, 3 May 2023
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• Image 'Photo of Ann's ten words' - Copyright: Ann Grand
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How To Write An EPQ Essay (Step-by-Step Guide)

In A-Level by Think Student Editor March 29, 2019 8 Comments

Whatever the reasons were for you choosing to write an EPQ, the grade you get is most definitely important to you. That is why I have written this (hopefully) detailed guide on how to write an EPQ.

1. Think Of An EPQ Topic That Genuinely Interests You 

It’s important to choose an EPQ you’re interested in, or you may run into some problems . Many students take EPQs each year, and many students fail because they make this mistake.

If you don’t take an EPQ you’re interested in, you’ll have no motivation to work on it . This will be because you start to want to do other things, anything instead of your EPQ.

Think about revision, for example. Is it interesting? Nope. Would you rather be playing videogames, watching Netflix, or literally anything else? Yeah, me too.

If you’re not motivated to write your EPQ essay, then you’ll either not do it or do it badly. If you don’t work hard for it, you won’t get good marks – and therefore there’s less point in even taking it in the first place .

If you find an EPQ topic to write your essay on that genuinely peaks your interest, you’ll find it much easier to get better grades in it.

A more interesting EPQ essay topic will mean that your focus is better . This will result in a better EPQ, meaning more marks when you hand it in.

You’ll also enjoy the EPQ a lot more if you find it interesting . You’ll find the whole experience a lot more fun, and therefore a lot easier too.

To find an EPQ topic that genuinely interests you, you just have to think about what you like. There are lots of different things you can do, but you only get to choose once – so choose carefully.

And if you’re really stuck on ideas, take a look at this list of 600+ EPQ ideas that guarantee an A* . Any of these ideas will be great for your EPQ, so just choose one that interests you and that you’ll actually enjoy.

2. Create A Mind Map Surrounding Your EPQ Topic

A mind map is where you write down everything you know about a topic . In this case, you’d be writing down all the ideas and concepts surrounding your EPQ topic.

That way you can see everything you need to write about in your EPQ essay. You’re essentially making a mood board for whatever EPQ idea you’ve chosen, and it will help you get in the right mindset for the task ahead.

Mind maps are most commonly used to identify gaps in your knowledge . Students tend to use them when revising to work out what they don’t know, whilst also helping them consolidate what they do know.

In terms of your EPQ essay, a mind map will provide a loose structure for you to follow . You’ll come up with lots of different things you can write about, and that will make the essay a lot easier.

In addition to this, whilst creating your mind map you may even decide to change your topic entirely. You might find that the topic you’ve chosen isn’t giving you any idea inspiration, and so you move on to a different topic. 

To make sure you get your mind maps right, you might want to follow this helpful guideline . It’s mainly about studying, but the same things can be said for planning your EPQ essay.

Don’t try rushing in to your EPQ essay without first creating a mind map . Mind maps are more useful than most students think…

Mind maps will help you avoid getting lost in what you’ve written, what you’ve missed, and what you’re planning on doing. You can use your EPQ topic mind maps as a sort of checklist as you write your EPQ essay.

3. Use Your Mind Map To Think Of A Question Related To Your Main EPQ Topic

Many students forget to think about this, but it’s probably the most important part of your EPQ . If you get this bit wrong, you can say goodbye to a good grade in your EPQ.

The question relating to your EPQ topic of choice is what you’ll spend your time working on . The 5000 words you write will be about this question, and so it really needs to be a good one.

If you don’t make it a question that interests you, then you’ll find it harder to write as much about it. Find a question that genuinely peaks your interest (relating to your EPQ of course) and the rest will come naturally.

It’s also important, however, that you choose a question where there’s a lot to write about . If you choose a question with lots to write about, you can use that to your advantage when trying to reach those 5000 words.

However, if you don’t choose a question where there’s a lot to write about, you’ll find that your EPQ is slow and drains you. Not only that, but it’ll probably be worse in terms of grade too.

I’d suggest doing a little background research into your question before you start writing your EPQ essay . Just check that there’s lots to write about and then you can avoid starting something you can’t finish.

As a general rule, you’ll want questions that don’t have definitive answers. If you can find a question that is inconclusive, you’re onto a winner.

If you can’t be bothered to look up EPQ questions, then there’s an alternative . Take a look at this list of 600+ EPQ ideas that guarantee an A* .

4. Write Down Subtitles That Relate To Your Main EPQ Question

Writing down subtitles for your EPQ question means that you’ll have a better idea of what’s actually going into your EPQ essay .

When you create your subtitles for your EPQ essay, you’re essentially writing down all the mini-topics you’ll write about. You split up the massive 5000 word count into smaller, more manageable parts.

I’d suggest making as many subtitles as you can that relate to your main EPQ question. Just go for a massive brainstorm ( potentially using your mind map ) to try and come up with lots of subtitles.

That way you maximize the chances of you making some actually good subtitles. You’ll have lots of options to choose from, and your EPQ will benefit from having such a varied range of points.

You also put yourself in the right mindset for your EPQ essay . You’ll be much more open to different ideas and approaches whilst actually writing the EPQ, and examiners will see this and give you extra credit.

However, you need to make sure that the subtitles you’re writing actually relate to your EPQ question . If they don’t, you could run into some serious problems.

If you choose to work on a subtitle that doesn’t wholly relate to your EPQ question, you risk filling up your word count with irrelevant information. That means less room for the important stuff, and less marks for you.

Make sure you check all your subtitles before you start writing . Work out what the plan is before you start writing, so that you don’t have to rewrite a large portion of your EPQ essay.

So grab a pen and paper, sit down, put on some nice music, and get to writing those subtitles.

5. Triple Check That Every Subtitle Question Actually Relates To The Main EPQ Topic

By this point, you should have around 16 subtitles that you want to include in your EPQ essay . 16 subtitles will give you a nice 300 word per subtitle guide, give or take a few.

Any more subtitles, and you run the risk of overcomplicating your EPQ. Any fewer, and you’ll struggle to reach that gargantuan 5000 word count.

It’s essential that you break down your EPQ essay into smaller modules like this, to make it easier for you in the long term. 16 subtitles will mean the best productivity for you when you actually come to write your EPQ essay .

The next step is to order your subtitles, for easier reading. You’ll want to make the layout of your subtitles as sensible and as easy to follow as possible for your examiner .

If you please your examiner like this, they’ll be more inclined to give you more marks. They mark you on your written communication, and therefore you’ll want to make sure you’re communicating the most effective way.

Try ordering your subtitles by the order of most important to least important . Laying out your subtitles this way will show your examiner that you’ve really thought about your EPQ and understand what they want to see.

Alternatively, you could lay out your subtitles chronologically . What I mean by this is that you start with your question, move onto research, then explanations, and finally a conclusion.

This is probably the best way to lay out your EPQ essay subtitles . It’s the easiest way to follow the process you went through, and examiners like to see EPQ essays that are laid out like this.

It’s how I laid my EPQ essay subtitles out, and I got an A* – so I’d suggest doing the same.

6. Allocate A Word Count To Each Element Of Your EPQ Structure

You’ll want an introductory paragraph to start with, and that should only take about 200-300 words . Don’t go overboard with your introduction, as you should aim to make the bulk of your essay about your EPQ question.

I’ve already mentioned it, but you want to write about 300 words per subtitle . This is the perfect amount of words to write if you want the EPQ essay to go as smoothly as possible.

16 subtitles at 300 words each will put you at just under 5000 words – 4800, to be exact. That will leave you just enough room to add a short introduction too.

You can go for less subtitles, but that means a higher word count for each individual subtitle . If you make your word count per subtitle too high, then you’ll struggle when it comes to actually writing your EPQ essay.

You could also try more subtitles if you want, but that then means you’d write less per subtitle . That means there’s less room for all your explanation, and less marks when you hand it in.

I’d recommend keeping your subtitle count between 14 and 18 . That way you give yourself the best chances of your EPQ being easier to write.

You also make it easier for you to enjoy, too. Making your EPQ essay subtitles this long means you’ll find it easier and less monotonous, and therefore you’ll enjoy it more.

The word count of each element in your EPQ essay has an impact on your productivity and focus, too . Generally, the shorter the piece of writing you have to do, the more productive you’ll be.

Setting yourself short-term goals like this will help you stay focused and make your EPQ that little bit better. It’s worth setting effective word counts for your EPQ essay elements for those extra marks .

7. Research, Research ( And A Little Bit More Research )

Research should make up about 40%-50% of your total EPQ essay . That’s a lot of research, and you can see from this figure that quality research is crucial to your success.

The reason research takes up so much space is because you need to explore all opportunities within your question. Research will help you develop ideas and improve your knowledge of the subject, helping you to better answer your EPQ essay question.

And besides, who doesn’t want help reaching the massive 5000 word count?

There are many ways to research, with the most common being the internet, and books . Both ways of researching are valid and useful, but you still need to be careful.

Especially with the internet, you may come across facts and information that isn’t entirely accurate. This is because anybody can access anything, and usually the information you see online is edited by people who aren’t professionals.

Try to stay away from websites like Wikipedia, where anybody can change the information you see . There are much better alternatives out there, like Google Scholar for example.

Whereas with books, they have to go through a long-winded process to ensure they’re accurate . Books tend to be slightly more reliable than the internet, especially if they have an ‘exam-board approved’ label on them.

I’d also recommend keeping track of all the sources of your information, as you’ll have to write a bibliography at the end of your EPQ .

What that basically means is that you have to reference each individual source of information after you’ve written your EPQ essay. That’s just so examiners can check to see if you’re plagiarising any content, in case you were wondering.

8. Check That Your EPQ Structure Still Makes Sense

You should have around 16 subtitles ready to go, in chronological order or order of importance . I’d suggest chronological order, but that’s up to you.

You should also have space to add an introduction and conclusion paragraphs . They shouldn’t take up too much space, but still leave some room for you to add them in.

You’ll actually want to wait until the end of your EPQ essay to write either of these paragraphs, so it might help to add placeholders until you get to writing them.

Around 7 of your subtitles should be based on research . You’ll want to leave yourself a nice amount of in-depth research, whilst also allowing room for all that explanation.

If you don’t give the right proportions for your research and explanation subtitles, your EPQ can become lopsided. Examiners will easily spot this and take away precious marks.

You’ll want your conclusion to be longer than your introduction, as you’re essentially summing up all that you’ve written . Your conclusion should be about the same size as your subtitles, but maybe just a little bit bigger.

If all else fails, just read through your structure and think about it from an examiners’ point of view. Does it all make sense? Are the subtitles in a sensible order? Have you left space for your introduction and conclusion paragraphs?

If you reckon you’ve got all these elements in the right order and the right sizes, you should be good to go. Just keep a clear focus on your EPQ essay question, and you can’t go wrong.

9 . Write Down The Answers To Each Of Your Subtitles

Start with your subtitles to get the main bulk of your EPQ essay underway . The quicker you get your subtitles done, the sooner you can finish your EPQ.

Starting your subtitles first is a good idea, as they make up most of your EPQ. You’ll want to get them done first, and then you have time after that to work on the finer details.

As I’ve said, your subtitles should be around 300 words long . This will allow you just enough space to answer the subtitle, without repeating yourself or going overboard.

If you go too far over 300 words, you risk either repeating yourself or just extending your points so much that your words become empty. Empty words = no marks, which is what you definitely don’t want.

If you don’t write 300 words, the points you make are likely to be underdeveloped. This means you can’t get into the top band of marks no matter how good what you’re saying is – there’s just simply not enough of it.

Of course, if you think you can express yourself in more or less than 300 words, go for it . Everybody’s different, and some people have better writing skills than others.

The amount of words you write per subtitle can also depend on how many subtitles you have . If you have less subtitles, you write more words per subtitle, and vice versa – simple maths.

Try to explore every possibility within your subtitle. The more routes you go down and the further the detail you go into, the more marks you’ll get from the examiner.

10 . Write The Introduction And Conclusion Paragraphs

Your introduction paragraph needs to be slightly shorter than your average subtitle paragraph . Usually about 200-300 words, the introduction will basically talk about what’s to come in your EPQ essay.

If you make your introduction too long, you waste space that you might need for your research/explanations. You also take up space that could be used for your conclusion, which is very important.

It’s a good idea to write your introduction paragraph after you’ve written all of your subtitles . It may sound odd, but there’s method to the madness.

If you write your introductory paragraph last, it’ll be a lot more accurate than if you’d have done it at the start. You’ll know exactly what’s in your EPQ, and therefore your introduction can accurately ‘introduce’ your essay .

Your conclusion paragraph should be slightly longer than your average subtitle, and definitely longer than your introduction . I’d say about 400 words, your conclusion should sum up everything you’ve talked about in your EPQ essay.

Your conclusion should essentially answer the question you asked at the start of your EPQ essay. You should aim to include everything you talked about in your other subtitles (that’s why it’s a little bit longer).

You’ll obviously want to write your conclusion paragraph after everything else, or you’ll have nothing to conclude. Once you get on to your conclusion, you’re on the home stretch.

11. Get Someone To Proof Read It To Make Sure There Are No Errors

Proof reading your EPQ essay is so, so, SO important to your success . If you don’t proof read your EPQ essay, you may miss some pretty crucial mistakes…

I’m not just talking about the spelling mistakes you may have made (although you might want to fix those too). I mean the mistakes where you contradict yourself, go off topic, or even just get your facts wrong.

I’m sure I don’t need to explain it, but these mistakes will cost you dearly when your EPQ gets examined . Sometimes just a few marks can be the difference between an A and an A*, so you need to maximize your chances of success.

A good way to ensure your EPQ essay is perfect is to get someone else to look through it. Having a second opinion ensures that everything you’ve written is accurate and concise, and it’s better than just checking through it yourself.

If you rely on your own methods of checking through your work, you’re more likely to miss mistakes . Having a fresh perspective on your work broadens the chances of catching every mistake you make.

It doesn’t matter who you get to check your work . You can ask friends, family, or even your teachers/tutor – just get it proof read before you send it off to be marked .

If you need to check through it for spelling mistakes or wording issues, there’s a handy little trick I used for my EPQ essay. Paste your entire essay into google translate, and have it read out to you .

That way you can listen and check for anything that’s not quite right, and sort it out in time for your EPQ essay to be examined.

Thanks so much for the help !

This is so, so helpful, thanks so much!

How many resources should I have for my EPQ?

20-25 should be the right number

Hi, thanks for the cool tips! I will definitely keep it for myself

Hello, thanks for the cool advice, but the most difficult thing for me is 1 point – to think through the topic itself. Therefore, already at the first stage, I give up and turn to the college essay writing service. This service helped me more than once or twice. My friends also use it. Also, it is difficult for me to create a mental map, which is in point 2. Therefore, I would rather spend my writing time on purposes that are useful to me.

This is so useful! I have been working on my EPQ over the past few weeks and have had a few big quandries about how I should go about forming an answer to my question and this has made it much clearer. Thank you!

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• Knowledge Base
• Dissertation
• How to Write a Thesis or Dissertation Conclusion

How to Write a Dissertation Conclusion | Checklist and Examples

Published on 9 September 2022 by Tegan George and Shona McCombes. Revised on 10 October 2022.

The conclusion is the very last part of your thesis or dissertation . It should be concise and engaging, leaving your reader with a clear understanding of your main findings, as well as the answer to your research question .

In it, you should:

• Clearly state the answer to your main research question
• Summarise and reflect on your research process
• Make recommendations for future work on your topic
• Show what new knowledge you have contributed to your field
• Wrap up your thesis or dissertation

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Table of contents

Discussion vs. conclusion, how long should your conclusion be, step 1: answer your research question, step 2: summarise and reflect on your research, step 3: make future recommendations, step 4: emphasise your contributions to your field, step 5: wrap up your thesis or dissertation, full conclusion example, conclusion checklist, frequently asked questions about conclusion sections.

While your conclusion contains similar elements to your discussion section , they are not the same thing.

Your conclusion should be shorter and more general than your discussion. Instead of repeating literature from your literature review , discussing specific research results , or interpreting your data in detail, concentrate on making broad statements that sum up the most important insights of your research.

As a rule of thumb, your conclusion should not introduce new data, interpretations, or arguments.

Prevent plagiarism, run a free check.

Depending on whether you are writing a thesis or dissertation, your length will vary. Generally, a conclusion should make up around 5–7% of your overall word count.

An empirical scientific study will often have a short conclusion, concisely stating the main findings and recommendations for future research. A humanities topic or systematic review , on the other hand, might require more space to conclude its analysis, tying all the previous sections together in an overall argument.

Your conclusion should begin with the main question that your thesis or dissertation aimed to address. This is your final chance to show that you’ve done what you set out to do, so make sure to formulate a clear, concise answer.

• Don’t repeat a list of all the results that you already discussed
• Do synthesise them into a final takeaway that the reader will remember.

An empirical thesis or dissertation conclusion may begin like this:

A case study –based thesis or dissertation conclusion may begin like this:

In the second example, the research aim is not directly restated, but rather added implicitly to the statement. To avoid repeating yourself, it is helpful to reformulate your aims and questions into an overall statement of what you did and how you did it.

Your conclusion is an opportunity to remind your reader why you took the approach you did, what you expected to find, and how well the results matched your expectations.

To avoid repetition , consider writing more reflectively here, rather than just writing a summary of each preceding section. Consider mentioning the effectiveness of your methodology , or perhaps any new questions or unexpected insights that arose in the process.

You can also mention any limitations of your research, but only if you haven’t already included these in the discussion. Don’t dwell on them at length, though – focus on the positives of your work.

• While x limits the generalisability of the results, this approach provides new insight into y .
• This research clearly illustrates x , but it also raises the question of y .

You may already have made a few recommendations for future research in your discussion section, but the conclusion is a good place to elaborate and look ahead, considering the implications of your findings in both theoretical and practical terms.

• Based on these conclusions, practitioners should consider …
• To better understand the implications of these results, future studies could address …
• Further research is needed to determine the causes of/effects of/relationship between …

When making recommendations for further research, be sure not to undermine your own work. Relatedly, while future studies might confirm, build on, or enrich your conclusions, they shouldn’t be required for your argument to feel complete. Your work should stand alone on its own merits.

Just as you should avoid too much self-criticism, you should also avoid exaggerating the applicability of your research. If you’re making recommendations for policy, business, or other practical implementations, it’s generally best to frame them as ‘shoulds’ rather than ‘musts’. All in all, the purpose of academic research is to inform, explain, and explore – not to demand.

Make sure your reader is left with a strong impression of what your research has contributed to the state of your field.

Some strategies to achieve this include:

• Returning to your problem statement to explain how your research helps solve the problem
• Referring back to the literature review and showing how you have addressed a gap in knowledge
• Discussing how your findings confirm or challenge an existing theory or assumption

Again, avoid simply repeating what you’ve already covered in the discussion in your conclusion. Instead, pick out the most important points and sum them up succinctly, situating your project in a broader context.

The end is near! Once you’ve finished writing your conclusion, it’s time to wrap up your thesis or dissertation with a few final steps:

• It’s a good idea to write your abstract next, while the research is still fresh in your mind.
• Next, make sure your reference list is complete and correctly formatted. To speed up the process, you can use our free APA citation generator .
• Once you’ve added any appendices , you can create a table of contents and title page .
• Finally, read through the whole document again to make sure your thesis is clearly written and free from language errors. You can proofread it yourself , ask a friend, or consider Scribbr’s proofreading and editing service .

Here is an example of how you can write your conclusion section. Notice how it includes everything mentioned above:

V. Conclusion

The current research aimed to identify acoustic speech characteristics which mark the beginning of an exacerbation in COPD patients.

The central questions for this research were as follows: 1. Which acoustic measures extracted from read speech differ between COPD speakers in stable condition and healthy speakers? 2. In what ways does the speech of COPD patients during an exacerbation differ from speech of COPD patients during stable periods?

All recordings were aligned using a script. Subsequently, they were manually annotated to indicate respiratory actions such as inhaling and exhaling. The recordings of 9 stable COPD patients reading aloud were then compared with the recordings of 5 healthy control subjects reading aloud. The results showed a significant effect of condition on the number of in- and exhalations per syllable, the number of non-linguistic in- and exhalations per syllable, and the ratio of voiced and silence intervals. The number of in- and exhalations per syllable and the number of non-linguistic in- and exhalations per syllable were higher for COPD patients than for healthy controls, which confirmed both hypotheses.

However, the higher ratio of voiced and silence intervals for COPD patients compared to healthy controls was not in line with the hypotheses. This unpredicted result might have been caused by the different reading materials or recording procedures for both groups, or by a difference in reading skills. Moreover, there was a trend regarding the effect of condition on the number of syllables per breath group. The number of syllables per breath group was higher for healthy controls than for COPD patients, which was in line with the hypothesis. There was no effect of condition on pitch, intensity, center of gravity, pitch variability, speaking rate, or articulation rate.

This research has shown that the speech of COPD patients in exacerbation differs from the speech of COPD patients in stable condition. This might have potential for the detection of exacerbations. However, sustained vowels rarely occur in spontaneous speech. Therefore, the last two outcome measures might have greater potential for the detection of beginning exacerbations, but further research on the different outcome measures and their potential for the detection of exacerbations is needed due to the limitations of the current study.

Checklist: Conclusion

I have clearly and concisely answered the main research question .

I have summarized my overall argument or key takeaways.

I have mentioned any important limitations of the research.

I have given relevant recommendations .

I have clearly explained what my research has contributed to my field.

I have  not introduced any new data or arguments.

You've written a great conclusion! Use the other checklists to further improve your dissertation.

In a thesis or dissertation, the discussion is an in-depth exploration of the results, going into detail about the meaning of your findings and citing relevant sources to put them in context.

The conclusion is more shorter and more general: it concisely answers your main research question and makes recommendations based on your overall findings.

While it may be tempting to present new arguments or evidence in your thesis or disseration conclusion , especially if you have a particularly striking argument you’d like to finish your analysis with, you shouldn’t. Theses and dissertations follow a more formal structure than this.

All your findings and arguments should be presented in the body of the text (more specifically in the discussion section and results section .) The conclusion is meant to summarize and reflect on the evidence and arguments you have already presented, not introduce new ones.

For a stronger dissertation conclusion , avoid including:

• Generic concluding phrases (e.g. “In conclusion…”)
• Weak statements that undermine your argument (e.g. “There are good points on both sides of this issue.”)

Your conclusion should leave the reader with a strong, decisive impression of your work.

The conclusion of your thesis or dissertation shouldn’t take up more than 5-7% of your overall word count.

The conclusion of your thesis or dissertation should include the following:

• A restatement of your research question
• A summary of your key arguments and/or results
• A short discussion of the implications of your research

Cite this Scribbr article

If you want to cite this source, you can copy and paste the citation or click the ‘Cite this Scribbr article’ button to automatically add the citation to our free Reference Generator.

George, T. & McCombes, S. (2022, October 10). How to Write a Dissertation Conclusion | Checklist and Examples. Scribbr. Retrieved 27 May 2024, from https://www.scribbr.co.uk/thesis-dissertation/conclusion/

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EPQ Guide: Expressing your ideas

• The Inquiry Process
• Developing a line of inquiry
• Finding and selecting sources
• Working with ideas

Expressing your ideas

This is the stage you have been building towards - writing your report. Although that is largely the focus of this page , it is not all there is to the EPQ.

Your EPQ will be assessed on:

• Your completed Production Log
• if your project is a research based written report of any kind (e.g. a science investigation or an essay) it should be approximately 5,000 words long
• If your project is an artefact, it must be accomapanied by a research based written report of a minimum of 1,000 words. For artefacts, you may include photos showing various stages of the production process as well as the final product. You do not need to submit a large artefact as evidence - photographs or other media are fine.
• If your product was itself a presentation then you still need to produce a presentation about the process of producing it!
• Your presentation must be delivered live to a non-specialist audience and might use flipcharts or posters, presentation tools such as PowerPoint or Prezi or short video clips. The evidence for your presentation will  include a record in your Production Log of questions your supervisor asked and how you responded.

Am I ready?

Am I ready to start writing my essay?

Before you start writing, think:

• Is my investigation largely complete? As you write you may find that you need a few additional resources or information to support your argument, but you should not sta rt to write until you are largely sure where your argument is going.
• Have I filled in a Research Organiser (which you will find on the Working with Ideas tab)? This will help you to organise your thoughts and make sure you understand the argument you intend to make and have the evidence to support it. While not compulsory, it makes writing your final essay significantly easier.
• Do I understand how to write in an appropriate academic style? Guidance is given in the Academic Writing box below.
• Do I know how to import my sources from my Investigative Journal? Don't waste time putting all your citation data in again! Import all your sources as you set up your document. There are helpsheets in the Resources for PC / Mac users boxes to the right.

You should use the Oakham APAv3 Academic Writing Template (below) rather than a generic Word template to set up your essay.

(The image below is taken from the EE LibGuide, but the template is just as useful for EPQs)

Citing and referencing

There are many different ways to acknowledge the sources you use. These are called referencing styles . You are free to use any recognised referencing style you wish for your EPQ, but Oakham's 'house style' is APA. We suggest you use this because we already have a lot of support in place for it. APA is an 'Author-date' system, meaning that you show which source you have used by putting the author and date in brackets after it in your text, and then put the full reference in an alphabetical list at the end of the essay. The Library does not support 'footnote referencing', where you put all the information in a footnote at the bottom of the page. If you want help with this then please talk to the member of staff who suggested that you use it.

For detailed information and guidance on how to use sources in your writing and how to cite and reference them accurately using the tools in Microsoft Word, consult the Citing and Referencing LibGuide . This site includes information about how to reference all sorts of different kinds of sources, including videos and works of art, and what to do if you are using a source written in a language that is not the language of your essay. It also gives some examples of how to use in-text citations , whether quoting, paraphrasing or just referring to a source more generally, and how to use the automatic citing and referencing tools in Word .

Academic writing

Stages in an academic essay

Your thesis is the point you want to make. It emerges from your research and your task is to use the evidence you have found to establish it as the most reasonable response to that research.

In both approaches, you must state the research question in your introduction, and make sure you return to it in your conclusion .

Sections required in your essay

Have a look at the Formal Presentation guide in the sidebar for a guide to laying out your essay.

Paragraph Structure

Paragraphs themselves have a structure - the most common you will have come across is likely to be PEEL. The letters often stand for slightly different things in different subjects, but the idea is largely the same - introduce your main idea for the paragraph ( Point ), justify it with Evidence and/or Examples , and Evaluate this evidence. Finally, Link back to the Research Question and/or Link forward to the next paragraph.

This is not the only way to write a paragraph and, with experience, you will soon find that your argument develops a flow of its own that does not require a formula - indeed, your essay would be very dull if every paragraph followed exactly the same structure. However, this structure can be a useful scaffold to get you started and make sure you don't miss anything important.

The structure of academic writing

Note that the following graphic was originally produced for the IB Extended Essay, but is equally applicable to the EPQ.

Planning your essay

It is vital to plan your essay before you start writing. An essay plan provides an outline of your argument and how it develops.

What sections and subsections do you need?

Although this might change as you write your essay, you should not start writing until you have your overall structure. Then think about roughly how you are going to divide your 5000 words between the different sections. 5000 words seems like a lot before you start writing, but it is much easier to write to the limit, section by section, than to try to cut your essay down once it is written.

What will the reader will expect to see and where?

Look back at your checklist and think about where in your essay you are planning to include the required information. Make sure the flow of your essay makes sense to a reader who may be a subject expert but knows little about your topic. Have you included background information? Details of experimental methods? Arguments and counter arguments?

Now get writing!

You've read all the guidance. You've made your plan. Now you have a blank screen in front of you and you just need to get started! Start with the section you think you will find easiest to write and work outwards from there, or follow the steps below to get started. Don't forget to write with the word limit in mind though.

What if you are writing lots of paragraphs but your essay just doesn't seem to be coming together?

1. Condense each paragraph into a short statement or bullet point. This is the skeleton structure of your essay.

2. Look at the order of the statements.

• Is the order logical?
• Does each point follow another in a sensible order?
• Do you need to change the order?
• Do you need to add paragraphs?
• Do you need to remove paragraphs?

3. Add, subtract and rearrange the paragraphs until your structure makes sense.

4. Redraft using your new paragraph order.  

Image by OpenClipart-Vectors from Pixabay

Willard, D. (2003) My journey to and b eyond tenure in a secular university . Retrieved from: www.dwillard.org/articles/individual/my-journey-to-and-beyond-tenure-in-a-secular-university . Accessed: 9th May 2020

Oh no! It's too long!!

If you haven't managed to write to the word limit and are suddenly faced with cutting down an essay that is over the word limit, try these tips on concise writing from Purdue Online Writing Lab.

Use the menu on the left of this page from Purdue OWL to browse the four very practical pages on writing concisely and one on the Paramedic Method for reducing your word count.

AQA Guide to completing the Production Log: Expressing your ideas

AQA copyright notice

The presentation above contains slides from the AQA presentation  Teaching slides: how to complete the production log  (available from the AQA EPQ Teaching and Learning Resources website ).  These slides are Copyright © 2020 AQA and its licensors. All rights reserved.

A downloadable copy of the Production Log can be found here , on the Home tab of this guide.

Formal presentation

Guides for PC users

• Citing and Referencing in Word 2016 for Windows
• Managing Sources in Word 2016 for Windows
• Creating a Table of Contents in Word 2016 for Windows

Guides for Mac users

• Managing Sources in Word 2016 for Mac
• Citing and Referencing in Word 2016 for Mac
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• Next: Reflecting >>
• Last Updated: Feb 27, 2023 2:28 PM
• URL: https://oakham-rutland.libguides.com/EPQ

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Home › University › 600 EPQ Ideas and Examples – The Ultimate List

600 EPQ Ideas and Examples – The Ultimate List

• Published May 1, 2024

Table of Contents

The Extended Project Qualification (EPQ) presents a unique opportunity for students studying in sixth form or college. Not only can you earn extra UCAS points to get into university, but you can also develop strong research and writing skills.

The first step is to come up with a great project idea, which is easier said than done. Fortunately, the choice is yours–you can complete your project on whatever topic you want. On the other hand, with so many possibilities, it can be tricky to narrow it down.

Want to better understand EPQ? Read our guide: What is an EPQ.

This article will give you 600 EPQ topic ideas on a range of subjects to help you choose a good question and, more importantly, get an A*.

How to Choose a Good EPQ Idea

Getting a good grade in the EPQ relies on several factors, including meticulous planning, solid time management, and strong essay writing skills . 

Your idea is important, too. Here are some tips for choosing an idea:

• Pick your passion: Choose a topic you’re genuinely passionate about to maintain motivation.
• Be specific: You only have 5000-6000 words for your dissertation. This might sound like a lot, but it can be difficult to cram all your ideas into this space. Being specific will help.
• Push boundaries: Markers like to see topics they haven’t encountered before. If your topic is more popular, try to look at it from a unique angle.

Below are 600 EPQ ideas (including artefact EPQ ideas) organised by subject (in alphabetical order). Some of these ideas are much more vague than you should be for your EPQ; it’s important to put your own spin on these ideas and find an interesting angle. If you’re struggling, your supervisor can help you narrow down a topic.

25 EPQ Ideas for Anthropology

• How does cultural relativism shape anthropological perspectives on human behaviour?
• To what extent does language influence cultural identity?
• In what ways do rituals and ceremonies reflect cultural beliefs and values?
• How has globalisation impacted indigenous cultures and traditional practices?
• To what extent can anthropology shed light on the evolution of human social structures?
• What role does gender play in shaping cultural norms?
• How do human migration patterns impact cultural exchange and identity?
• What can the food consumption of a society tell us about its cultural values and social structures?
• Can anthropology contribute to our understanding of human prehistory?
• How has technology altered the dynamics of anthropological fieldwork?
• Can anthropology address issues of cultural appropriation and stereotyping?
• What impact does climate change have on indigenous knowledge, and vice versa?
• To what extent can anthropology contribute to conflict resolution?
• How does the class system in the UK differ from those of other countries?
• In a post-pandemic world, what role can anthropology play in medicine?
• Is it important to preserve endangered cultures?
• What impact does tourism have on local communities?
• Is it important to respect cultural practices that may harm people?
• How do kinship systems influence social organisation?
• How has urbanisation affected the social structure of large human groups?
• Is it possible to define a singular, homogenous British culture?
• What can consumption patterns tell us about a particular society?
• What’s the difference between society and culture?
• Can language shape the way we view the world?
• Can online spaces like the Metaverse be considered their own society?

25 EPQ Ideas for Architecture

• How can architecture foster community engagement?
• What role does cultural identity play in shaping architectural design?
• How does sustainable architecture contribute to environmental conversation?
• In what ways can architectural design mitigate the impact of natural disasters?
• How does urban planning influence the mental well-being of city dwellers?
• Can changing architecture serve as a catalyst for economic development in urban areas?
• How do historic preservation strategies balance tradition and innovation?
• What factors should architects consider when designing for aging populations?
• How can architecture promote a healthier lifestyle?
• What challenges and opportunities does inclusive design present for architects?
• How does the style of council housing feed into stereotypes about class?
• How can architects revitalise abandoned urban spaces?
• How does architecture influence human behaviour in public spaces?
• What impact does architectural iconography have on the identity of a place?
• What lessons can architects learn from pandemic responses in designing for health?
• Was the Grenfell Tower a complete architectural failure?
• What can architecture tell us about politics?
• In what ways does minimalist architecture correspond with contemporary societal values?
• What is the effect of feminism on architecture?
• How can architects incorporate biophilic design principles into modern urban environments?
• To what extent is architectural design a form of art?
• How can technologies such as VR and AR benefit the architectural industry?
• Were the houses of the past of higher quality?
• How does architectural lighting impact the perception of spaces?
• How can architects design for climate resilience in vulnerable regions?

25 EPQ Ideas for Art

• How does art reflect and influence cultural identity?
• To what extent does street art challenge traditional notions of public space?
• How can art be utilised as a form of social and political commentary?
• In what ways does the digital age impact contemporary art creation and consumption?
• To what extent can images created by artificial intelligence (AI) be considered art?
• Can art serve as a therapeutic outlet for mental health expression and recovery?
• How did impressionism reflect the sociopolitical environment of the late 1800s?
• What role does public art play in enhancing urban environments?
• How does art education impact development in children and adolescents?
• How can art contribute to environmental awareness and sustainability?
• What impact does public funding have on the accessibility of art institutions?
• How does art respond to and reflect changing gender norms?
• How can art museums adapt to the digital age to enhance visitor engagement?
• In what ways does art challenge or reinforce stereotypes?
• What role does art play in shaping public memory and commemoration?
• How has globalisation influenced contemporary artistic trends?
• Can art bridge the generation gap?
• Who decides what is defined as ‘art’?
• Should street artists be allowed to graffiti on walls?
• What can the vandalism of Barnett Newman’s Who’s Afraid of Red, Yellow, and Blue tell us about the way people view art?
• Who determines the value of art?
• Why do humans create art, and why have they done so for thousands of years?
• Can art be considered a form of language?
• Who determines the meaning of artwork, the creator or the viewer?
• Is it worth creating art if nobody sees it?

25 EPQ Ideas for Biology

• How do genetics influence self-esteem?
• How can gene editing technologies revolutionise medicine?
• How do neurotransmitters contribute to mental health disorders?
• Can synthetic biology offer solutions to environmental challenges?
• In what ways does the gut-brain axis influence mental well-being?
• What is the biology of laughter?
• To what extent can CRISPR technology be applied ethically and safely in humans?
• What genes have an influence on human behaviour?
• What factors contribute to the spread of antibiotic resistance in bacteria?
• Why do some people use parasites for weight loss, and what are the implications of this?
• How do circadian rhythms affect human health and performance?
• Could genetic engineering address environmental pollution?
• Is addiction a genetic or social issue?
• Will brain transplants ever be viable?
• How does the UK’s changing climate affect biodiversity?
• How can hormones influence behaviour?
• Can biotechnology address the global food insecurity crisis?
• Can gut microbiota affect the host’s appetite?
• To what extent can animal evolutionary traits inspire innovations in technology and engineering?
• What impact has the grey squirrel had on the distribution of native red squirrels in the UK?
• Are animals as “smart” as humans?
• What are the ethical implications of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in our food supply?
• How does air pollution affect the respiratory health of a given population?
• What is the role of the immune system in auto-immune diseases?
• Why do humans living in “Blue Zones” have lower incidences of chronic disease than elsewhere?

25 EPQ Ideas for Business

• How does corporate social responsibility impact consumer perceptions and purchasing behaviour?
• To what extent can employee motivation impact organisational performance?
• Can environmentally sustainable business practices lead to long-term financial success?
• How do social media marketing strategies influence consumer decision-making?
• How does leadership style impact employee productivity?
• In what ways does corporate governance affect organisational success?
• Can entrepreneurship drive economic development in local communities?
• What role does emotional intelligence play in effective business leadership?
• In what ways can businesses effectively manage and leverage diversity?
• Can AI enhance business operations and efficiency?
• Should businesses outsourcing to developing countries pay workers the same they would at home?
• Should businesses pay apprentices more?
• What has changed for women in the workplace since 1900?
• To what extent can the government be considered a business?
• Should there be a salary cap for CEOs?
• How has e-commerce affected physical retail locations?
• Will Amazon Go change supermarket shopping forever?
• Should the government lower the corporate income tax?
• How has social media changed the landscape of marketing?
• To what extent can football clubs be considered businesses?
• How can AI contribute to informed decision-making for business owners?
• What makes a successful start-up?
• How ethical are Amazon’s business practices?
• What responsibility do businesses have to their consumers?
• To what extent do small businesses rely on digital marketing strategies?

25 EPQ Ideas for Chemistry

• How can green chemistry principles contribute to sustainable industrial practices?
• To what extent can nanotechnology revolutionise drug delivery systems?
• In what ways do catalysts impact reaction rates in chemical processes?
• Can chemistry provide solutions for efficient energy storage?
• How did chemistry help us understand the COVID-19 pandemic?
• Can an understanding of chemistry help in the development of anti-aging products?
• What impact does polymer chemistry have on materials science and engineering?
• How does fluoride impact the water supply?
• How does analytical chemistry contribute to forensic science and criminal investigations?
• How can green solvents impact the environmental sustainability of chemical processes?
• At what point does a chemical become a hallucinogen?
• How did optical isomerism impact the drug Thalidomide, which caused fetal abnormalities?
• To what extent can chemotherapy drugs be targeted using medicinal chemistry techniques?
• How do organometallic compounds contribute to catalysis in industrial processes?
• How do metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) contribute to gas storage and separation?
• Can cheminformatics improve the prediction of chemical properties and toxicity?
• How can click chemistry be used to improve drug synthesis?
• How do photovoltaic cells work?
• Did the discovery of pharmaceutical chemicals change the course of history?
• Can cannabis use in adolescence cause mental health issues like schizophrenia?
• What are the benefits of computer-based, fragment-aided drug design?
• Why doesn’t plastic decompose?
• What are the chemicals involved in the human conception of love?
• Project: Make a collection of pleasant-smelling esters.
• Project: Extract limonene from a range of citrus fruits.

25 EPQ Ideas for Computer Science

• How can machine learning algorithms improve fraud detection in financial transactions?
• In what ways does natural language processing contribute to the development of intelligent chatbots?
• To what extent can blockchain technology enhance data security and integrity?
• To what extent can explainable artificial intelligence (XAI) improve trust in AI systems?
• Should we teach children to code in school?
• Are AI-assessed job applications inevitably biased?
• Will AI create or diminish the number of jobs available?
• What impact does cybersecurity have on the reliability of Internet of Things (IoT) devices?
• To what extent can machine learning predict and prevent cyber attacks?
• What role does augmented reality (AR) play in enhancing the user experience of mobile apps?
• How accurately can AI writing assistants (like Grammarly) express human language?
• Are AI-powered robots responsible for their own actions?
• The impact of technology on the future of law enforcement and criminal justice?
• Has technology made our daily lives more or less secure?
• Has widespread technology led to an increase in crime?
• How will 5G change our lives?
• How does parallel computing improve the performance of computational models?
• In what ways can deep learning algorithms contribute to medical image analysis?
• What role does computer vision play in image recognition and object detection?
• How does edge computing address challenges in real-time data processing?
• Can artificial general intelligence (AGI) be achieved?
• Can AI models be applied ethically to facilitate sensitive decision-making?
• How can we improve human-computer interaction to increase accessibility?
• Is internet access a human right?
• Project: Create a website and code it yourself.

25 EPQ Ideas for Economics

• Should the government implement a universal basic income?
• How does automation impact employment rates and income distribution in developed economies?
• Is capitalism ethical?
• Can economic incentives effectively address environmental issues?
• How has the Russo-Ukrainian war impacted the global trade economy?
• What would be the economic implications of a country adopting cryptocurrency as its official currency?
• Should countries prioritise economic growth or environmental sustainability?
• How does income inequality affect social cohesion?
• Can the circular economy model contribute to long-term economic sustainability?
• What economic factors contribute to the success or failure of international development aid programs?
• To what extent does government intervention influence economic stability during times of crisis, like the COVID-19 pandemic?
• How does an ageing population impact a country’s economic prospects?
• Is the concept of a ‘sharing economy’ a viable solution to address times of financial hardship?
• To what extent does access to education influence economic mobility?
• What impact did Brexit have on the UK economy?
• What factors contribute to the success or failure of economic sanctions as a foreign policy tool?
• How do interest rate changes impact consumer spending?
• Should governments prioritise economic growth or economic stability during times of crisis?
• How does income inequality impact access to healthcare and health outcomes?
• Why is paying taxes important?
• To what extent does the gig economy contribute to financial insecurity?
• How often should the minimum wage be reviewed?
• How does the rise of e-commerce impact brick-and-mortar retail and local economies?
• Does hosting a global event, such as the FIFA World Cup, benefit a country’s economy?
• How can the government address the housing crisis?

25 EPQ Ideas for Education

• How does technology impact student learning outcomes in primary education?
• To what extent does the quality of early childhood education influence later academic success?
• How can inclusive education practices benefit students?
• How does the school environment contribute to student engagement and academic performance?
• Is project-based learning an effective approach to enhancing critical thinking skills in secondary school students?
• What role does teacher training play in addressing the challenges of multicultural classrooms?
• To what extent does standardised testing accurately reflect student abilities?
• How does the flipped classroom model impact student achievement?
• Is the education system indoctrinating students?
• Should school uniforms be enforced?
• How can the education system better cater to students with high-functioning autism?
• Does banning mobile phones in school do more harm than good?
• Should parents have a say in what children are taught at school?
• Can schools effectively teach mental health and well-being?
• Do exams unfairly advantage boys, and why?
• How can schools address the digital divide?
• To what extent do extracurricular activities impact the development of secondary school students?
• Can outdoor education programs enhance creativity and problem-solving skills in primary students?
• Can alternative education models, such as homeschooling or unschooling, provide effective learning environments?
• What impact does the student-teacher relationship have on learning outcomes?
• What role does parental involvement play in student success?
• To what extent does parental socio-economic status influence educational opportunities?
• How important are creative subjects, like art and music, in secondary school?
• Should sports be compulsory at secondary school?
• How can teachers account for different learning preferences?

25 EPQ Ideas for Engineering

• How can sustainable engineering practices be implemented in urban development?
• To what extent can artificial intelligence enhance predictive maintenance in industrial engineering?
• How does 3D printing impact traditional manufacturing processes in the aerospace industry?
• Can engineering solutions effectively address the challenges of renewable energy storage?
• How can smart materials revolutionise civil engineering?
• In what ways can engineering design optimise water treatment and purification systems?
• Should the focus of transportation engineering shift toward autonomous modes of transport like self-driving cars?
• Why is there a gender imbalance in engineering?
• What’s the relation between architecture and engineering?
• Did the Titanic sink due to engineering faults?
• Can engineering innovation improve accessibility for people with disabilities?
• Would it be possible to run the UK entirely on energy from wind farms?
• How can engineering solutions address climate change challenges in coastal areas?
• In what ways can engineering principles be applied to enhance disaster resilience in infrastructure?
• What does it mean to be ethical as an engineer?
• How can a better understanding of robotics enhance efficiency and safety in manufacturing?
• How does bioengineering contribute to advancements in prosthetics and medical devices?
• What role does materials engineering play in developing sustainable packaging?
• What does the future of transport look like?
• How can advancements in aerodynamics and materials engineering help to create a more energy-efficient Formula 1 race car?
• What role does geotechnical engineering play in addressing challenges related to soil stability and landslides?
• Is genetic engineering the future of medicine?
• Should children be taught engineering in primary school?
• Project: Build a model plane or boat.
• Project: Design a modern solution for plastic recycling.

25 EPQ Ideas for English Literature 

• How does the portrayal of female characters in classic literature reflect changing societal attitudes toward women?
• To what extent does the use of symbolism contribute to the depth and meaning of Shakespearean tragedies?
• How does post-colonial literature challenge established perspectives on identity and power?
• How has the representation of mental health evolved in literature?
• Is it important to teach media literacy?
• What role does the unreliable narrator play in shaping the reader’s interpretation of a story?
• How does magical realism contribute to the themes and messages of contemporary literature?
• In what ways do graphic novels challenge the traditional notions of literature and storytelling?
• How has the portrayal of LGBTQ+ characters evolved in literature, and how does this impact societal perceptions?
• To what extent does the setting contribute to the atmosphere and mood in Gothic literature?
• How does the use of dialect and language contribute to the authenticity of regional literature?
• Can a study of literary adaptions for film and television provide insights into changing audience expectations?
• How does the concept of the ‘Byronic hero’ persist in modern literature and popular culture?
• To what extent does F. Scott Fitzgerald’s use of narrative perspective impact the portrayal of the American Dream in ‘The Great Gatsby’?
• How does the narrative structure in Virginia Woolf’s ‘Mrs Dalloway’ enhance the exploration of time and consciousness?
• Can the analysis of allegory and satire in George Orwell’s ‘Animal Farm’ offer insights into political and societal commentary?
• What does the popularity of TikTok’s ‘BookTok’ hashtag tell us about changing literary preferences?
• To what extent does the use of magical realism in Gabriel Garcia Marquez’s ‘One Hundred Years of Solitude’ contribute to the portrayal of Latin American culture?
• The author John Green frequently says that “books belong to their readers”. Is this true?
• How do platforms like Wattpad change what it means to be an author?
• Can fan fiction be considered a form of literature?
• Can works of literature oppress their female characters?
• What books should be taught in schools, and why?
• What makes a novel ‘great’?
• How does the portrayal of gender roles in Charlotte Brontë’s ‘Jane Eyre’ challenge or conform to Victorian societal norms?

25 EPQ Ideas for Ethics

• How can we address the ethical implications of artificial intelligence in policing?
• To what extent does the use of biometric data in surveillance impact individual privacy?
• How does the ethical framework of medical consent adapt to the challenges posed by telemedicine and remote healthcare?
• What are the ethical challenges posed by social media algorithms and their impact on information dissemination?
• Is it ethical to use autonomous drones in warfare and surveillance?
• Are designer babies ethical?
• How can we address the implications of deepfake technology?
• Do businesses have a responsibility to act sustainably?
• Do humans have a right to explore space?
• Should embryos have protected rights?
• Should students be taught ethics in school?
• Who decides what is ethical?
• Is it ethical to test for disabilities like Down’s Syndrome in unborn babies?
• Is cloning ethical?
• Should people undergo an assessment to vote?
• Do consumers have an ethical obligation to consider where material goods come from?
• Can ethical principles guide international cooperation in addressing public health crises?
• What are the ethical implications of using AI during the hiring process?
• Should people be able to sue their parents for bringing them into the world?
• Are morals innate or socially conditioned?
• Do celebrities have a right to privacy?
• Do countries have an obligation to take on refugees?
• Is it ethical to experiment on animals?
• Can the ends ever justify the means?
• Can ethics improve the world?

25 EPQ Ideas for Geography

• How does climate change influence migration patterns?
• How can GIS technology address urban sprawl and land-use planning?
• Can sustainable agriculture mitigate the impact of food insecurity?
• How did the 2004 Boxing Day Tsunami affect tourism in Thailand?
• How does the study of cultural landscapes inform heritage conservation?
• To what extent can sustainable tourism protect biodiversity in fragile ecosystems?
• How does water scarcity contribute to geopolitical tensions?
• Can better urban planning prevent the development of slums?
• Does the earth belong more to humans or animals?
• Does the placement of global supply routes inherently cause economic inequality?
• Is tourism good or bad?
• Should international borders exist?
• Can the study of coastal geography inform effective strategies for managing and adapting to sea-level rise?
• How does climate change influence patterns of disease migration?
• What are the environmental and social impacts of fracking?
• How do historical factors shape migration patterns and refugee flows?
• Can the study of plate tectonics help us predict earthquakes?
• What role does geopolitics play in shaping global resource distribution?
• What impact does infrastructure development have on regional economic disparities?
• What are the challenges presented by aging populations?
• Does the concept of sustainable development apply to resource extraction industries?
• Will Antarctica ever be habitable?
• Can a developing country ever become a developed nation?
• How does agriculture affect soil health?
• Should active volcanoes be tourist spots?

25 EPQ Ideas for History

• How did the Industrial Revolution transform social structures in 19th-century Britain?
• How did colonialism shape the cultural, economic, and political development of Tanzania during and after independence?
• Can the study of historical pandemics offer insights for future action?
• What role did propaganda play in influencing German public opinion during World War II?
• To what extent did the women’s suffrage movement contribute to advancements in gender equality?
• How did the Age of Enlightenment influence the development of political thought and institutions in Europe?
• How did the Reformation impact religious practices in 16th-century England?
• How did the Silk Road facilitate cultural exchange and economic development between the East and West?
• Who was Jack the Ripper?
• Are school history textbooks biased?
• How has fashion changed in the UK since the Middle Ages?
• Are works of fiction and art valid historical sources?
• How did the Scientific Revolution challenge traditional beliefs?
• Can the study of historical urbanisation patterns inform contemporary urban planning?
• What singular invention changed the course of history?
• Is history important for the future?
• How did the Cold War impact political ideologies and power dynamics?
• What can mainstream media tell us about historical political conflicts?
• To what extent did the Spanish Inquisition contribute to religious intolerance in Europe?
• How did the intellectual movements of the 1920s shape the character of the Roaring Twenties?
• How did the Opium Wars influence the socio-economic and political trajectory of 19th-century China?
• Did historical maritime exploration directly contribute to the establishment of modern global trade networks?
• Can the study of historical diplomacy offer insights into contemporary geopolitical challenges?
• How did the Green Revolution impact global agriculture and food production in the mid-20th century?

25 EPQ Ideas for Languages

• How did modern English come to be?
• What can cultural differences in ‘baby talk’ tell us about language acquisition?
• Can languages be considered alive?
• Is it important to preserve endangered languages?
• Can language influence our perceptions of time and space?
• How does bilingualism impact cognitive function?
• What role does translation play in understanding foreign literature?
• Is Scots a language or a dialect?
• How does technology aid in language learning?
• Should English have a language academy like The French Academy?
• Why did the Esperanto language policy fail?
• Is the Latin alphabet a good writing system?
• Can studying linguistic variation contribute to more effective education approaches?
• Is body language universal?
• Should learning sign language be mandatory?
• Is brail a language?
• Should we develop a universal lingua franca?
• How does the evolution of slang reflect societal changes and trends?
• How do language ideologies shape language policies?
• Are multilingual people more successful?
• Can language use reflect your identity?
• Is there a ‘correct’ way to speak a language?
• Will AI change the way we translate languages?
• How far back can we trace languages?
• Why is English so widespread?

25 EPQ Ideas for Law

• To what extent do privacy laws adequately protect individuals in the digital age?
• Who is responsible for implementing and upholding laws in the Metaverse?
• How has international law addressed the challenges of cyber warfare?
• How does the concept of corporate personhood impact legal liability in business?
• Can legal frameworks effectively address challenges in AI, such as algorithmic bias?
• How effective is international humanitarian law in mitigating humanitarian crises?
• Is there a legal responsibility to regulate emerging technologies?
• How do intellectual property laws balance the rights of creators in the digital era?
• How does the legal concept of self-defense apply to cyber-attacks?
• What impact do extradition laws have on transnational crime and terrorism?
• Does the legal system protect individuals’ rights in the context of surveillance technologies and mass data collection?
• How has the legal definition of marriage evolved and how does this impact society?
• How can environmental laws address the challenges of biodiversity loss?
• Should gene editing be legal?
• How do antitrust laws contribute to maintaining competition and preventing monopolies in the digital age?
• In what ways do laws regarding data protection and privacy impact the development of smart cities?
• Do animals deserve legal rights?
• How can legal frameworks address the challenges of regulating self-driving vehicles?
• How can the law address racial and ethnic discrimination in the criminal justice system?
• Are juries inevitably flawed?
• How does the law help society?
• How can freedom of speech laws adapt to the challenges presented by social media?
• What needs to be considered when creating a new law?
• Who should the law protect?
• How do laws that address gender-based violence contribute to social attitudes about gender inequality?

25 EPQ Ideas for Maths

• How can mathematical models predict climate change?
• To what extent can mathematical models enhance cybersecurity measures?
• How does the application of mathematical techniques improve supply chain efficiency? 
• Can mathematical modeling provide insights into the spread and containment of infectious diseases like COVID-19?
• Should students be forced to take maths at A-Level?
• How do mathematical concepts influence the development of AI?
• How can mathematical modelling inform traffic management?
• How can game theory shape strategic decision-making in business?
• Can number theory principles be applied to enhance the security of cryptographic systems?
• What has been the most impactful mathematical discovery to date?
• How does the study of chaos theory inform our understanding of complex systems in nature?
• How useful is generative AI for solving mathematical problems?
• Should maths education focus more on applied mathematics?
• Has maths always existed?
• Can mathematical analysis contribute to the optimisation of renewable energy systems?
• How does graph theory contribute to the optimisation of network design and communications systems?
• Can mathematical principles guide fair voting systems in democratic processes?
• What impact does mathematical symmetry have on artistic disciplines?
• What role does probability theory play in risk management?
• Is the concept of infinity useful?
• What was the role of maths in the code-breaking at Bletchley Park?
• How does maths inform the systems behind cryptocurrencies?
• To what extent can mathematical analysis contribute to predicting and managing financial market fluctuations?
• Can mathematical algorithms enhance personalised learning experiences?
• Should maths be optional in secondary school?

25 EPQ Ideas for Medicine

• Is personalised medicine the way forward?
• To what extent can telemedicine improve healthcare accessibility?
• Can machine learning and AI be effectively used in medical diagnostics?
• What role do social factors play in health disparities?
• How can robotics benefit minimally invasive surgical procedures?
• How can medical professionals balance patient autonomy with ethical considerations in end-of-life care?
• Is there a place for alternative medicine in Western healthcare?
• What impact do lifestyle factors have on longevity?
• Is gene therapy a viable option for managing genetic diseases?
• Were the public health interventions during the COVID-19 pandemic sufficient?
• Is nanomedicine the future of targeted drug delivery?
• Can medical interventions address the rising global prevalence of non-communicable diseases like diabetes?
• How does medical anthropology contribute to the understanding of healthcare?
• Could 3D printing technology provide the solution for personalised medical implants and prosthetics?
• Why are girls underdiagnosed when it comes to autism?
• Do government health incentives like putting calories on menus affect public health outcomes?
• Is plastic surgery a solution to body dysmorphic disorder?
• What is the effect of race and ethnicity on health outcomes during hospital treatment>
• What are the arguments for legalising medical cannabis?
• Did the Ancient Egyptians truly understand illness and medicine?
• Are we treating mental health disorders correctly?
• How can advancements in neurotechnology contribute to the treatment of brain injuries?
• Is preventative healthcare more important than treatment?
• Should healthcare be public?
• Should organ donation be mandatory?

25 EPQ Ideas for Physics

• How does quantum entanglement challenge our understanding of particle physics?
• Can string theory provide a unified explanation for the fundamental forces in the universe?
• Is the study of the universe important?
• Can advancements in quantum computing revolutionise information processing?
• Is time linear?
• Is nuclear power a viable future resource?
• Can the study of gravitational waves contribute to our understanding of black hole mergers?
• Can physics prove (or disprove) the existence of God?
• Could the moon be a tourist destination?
• How far can humans realistically travel in space?
• Is physics a male-dominated field and why?
• What role does physics play in daily life?
• Are any laws of physics breakable?
• Do parallel universes exist?
• What implications do the laws of physics have on free will?
• How can concepts in physics, like light and colour, influence art?
• How does physics inform our understanding of the origins of the universe?
• What was the role of Mileva Meric, Albert Einstein’s wife, in his findings?
• Should we eliminate nuclear weapons?
• What is the most important discovery in physics?
• How can physics be used to prevent climate change?
• What is the role of physics in medicine?
• What happens when the Sun dies?
• Will humans ever live on another planet?
• Project: Design and build a robot.

25 EPQ Ideas for Politics

• How does the voting system affect representation in democratic elections?
• To what extent do political debates influence public opinion?
• How do local policies impact the daily lives of citizens?
• Can political cartoons effectively convey complex political issues?
• What role does diplomacy play in resolving international conflict?
• How do modern political campaigns leverage social media?
• How can citizens actively participate in local government decision-making?
• What impact does the media’s portrayal of political leaders have on public perception?
• Should politics prioritise the needs of marginalised communities?
• How does the electoral college system influence presidential elections in the United States?
• How can governments increase youth participation in politics?
• Should politics be mandatory in schools?
• Should businesses be allowed to lobby governments?
• Should freedom of speech be protected at all costs?
• Do we need new political systems to govern international cyber-space (e.g. the Metaverse)?
• Should National Service be mandatory?
• Is the government’s responsibility to address climate change?
• Should there always be a separation of church and state?
• What were the main factors that led to Brexit?
• Does the government have a right to ban protests?
• How can the government reduce voter apathy?
• Is the national government more important than councils?
• Should Scotland be allowed a second referendum?
• Is there a fair representation of working-class people in the government?
• Should there be a global system of governance?

25 EPQ Ideas for Psychology

• How does the nature vs. nurture debate help us understand human behaviour?
• How do cultural factors influence mental health?
• Can cognitive psychology help us understand memory disorders?
• What makes humans happy?
• Can psychological research contribute to the prevention of substance abuse and addiction?
• What impact does sleep have on cognitive function?
• How does evolutionary psychology explain human mating behaviours and relationship dynamics?
• Can psychology explain the motivations for bullying and cyberbullying?
• What were the effects of isolation during COVID-19 lockdowns?
• Do gender-neutral toys give children less restrictive views of gender?
• Can education in psychology prevent bullying in schools?
• Does the media portrayal of mental health issues make it hard for teenagers to seek help?
• Do ethical constraints on research hinder our understanding of psychology?
• Can cannabis use cause schizophrenia?
• Is psychology a science?
• What effect does bipolar disorder have on the family of the patient?
• Do our genes or our experiences shape who we are?
• Do different cultures see mental health in different ways?
• Can psychology help us break bad habits?
• Why does the placebo effect happen?
• Is future criminal behaviour always evident in childhood?
• Why do people fall in love?
• How does online behaviour affect mental well-being?
• Can talking therapy help with anxiety?
• Is a full state of focus feasible for the human brain?

25 EPQ Ideas for Religious Studies

• Are science and religion the same?
• What role do religious rituals have in fostering a sense of community?
• Do Muslims and Christians share the same God?
• How do religious beliefs influence moral decision-making?
• Can religious texts explain cultural values?
• Is there an afterlife?
• What impact do religious teachings have on attitudes toward the environment?
• Is religious teaching the best way to create peace?
• In what ways do art and architecture reflect religious beliefs?
• How do religious practices contribute to individual well-being?
• How does the concept of forgiveness vary across different religions?
• How do religious leaders contribute to community development?
• Why is Christianity declining in the United Kingdom?
• What role does storytelling play in religious traditions?
• Why do some religions spread while others remain small?
• Why are certain animals considered sacred?
• How do holidays and festivals strengthen religious identity?
• Can the concept of karma influence ethical behaviour?
• What impact does religious pluralism have on society?
• How does Catholicism address the concept of suffering?
• What’s the difference between a cult and a religion?
• Does religion have a place in politics?
• How did the history of the church shape today’s society?
• Why are there different branches in major religions?
• Can studying religious history prevent future conflicts?

25 EPQ Ideas for Sociology

• Is the nuclear family structure important?
• How does education enforce or challenge social inequality?
• Does social media perpetuate negative perceptions of body image?
• Would studying sociology prevent bullying in schools?
• Why does racism exist?
• Is social media eroding our social skills?
• Does class really have an impact on access to opportunities?
• How do gender roles influence career choices?
• Can studying subcultures provide insights into youth identity?
• How does migration impact cultural diversity?
• Why do certain communities experience higher crime rates?
• How does socialisation contribute to individual identity?
• Can sociology help us understand voting patterns?
• Can sociology create positive social change?
• Does globalisation have a positive or negative impact on local cultures?
• How do religious beliefs influence social attitudes?
• Why are certain occupations gender-dominated?
• Can sociology inform effective public health campaigns?
• What is the next wave of feminism?
• Why do certain age groups experience social isolation?
• Who is to blame for poverty?
• What effect could polyamorous families have on children?
• How does technology impact social interactions among different generations?
• Has sociology neglected the study of emotions?
• How do social expectations influence individual choices about marriage and family?

25 EPQ Ideas for Sport

• What role does teamwork play in the success of a sports team?
• How important are grassroots sports for social inclusion and community engagement?
• How do sports influence cultural identity and national pride?
• Why are some sports more popular in specific countries?
• Why do people engage in recreational sports?
• Why has women’s football been so slow to develop in the UK compared to men’s football?
• Do popular sports enforce or challenge gender stereotypes?
• Should trans athletes be allowed to compete in standard leagues?
• What can sports rivalries tell us about cultural tensions?
• Can football ultras be considered a subculture movement?
• What are the effects of an international event like the Olympics on the host country?
• How does the accessibility of sports facilities impact participation rates?
• Should sports be mandatory in secondary schools?
• Can sports promote cultural exchange between nations?
• Is Financial Fair Play (FFP) an effective tool for enforcing fairness among football clubs?
• Do sports contribute to the development of social skills in children?
• Why do people engage in sports fandom?
• Why do female footballers experience higher rates of ACL injury than their male counterparts?
• What can sports history tell us about society at the time?
• Should sports clubs make more effort to be diverse and inclusive?
• Who decides what is a sport?
• Do high-level athletes have a responsibility to be role models?
• Should professional athletes be paid more than medical professionals?
• How can we fix the pay gap in sports?
• What is the impact of genetics on sporting success?

Which EPQ Topic Should You Choose?

The ideas above are just a taster for popular EPQ subjects to inspire you. Remember, you can choose any topic you like. Since you’ll be spending six months researching and writing an essay about your chosen topic, it needs to be something you’re interested in.

Hopefully, these EPQ ideas have helped you figure out how to form an interesting question. By putting your own personal spin on an interesting idea, you can start down your pathway to getting a great EPQ grade.

Immerse Yourself in Your EPQ with Expert Help

Embarking on your EPQ is a significant undertaking. However, with the right guidance and resources, you can achieve an A*. Immerse Education offers guided and immersive teaching to elevate your academic experience and help you achieve more.

Looking for a program that not only enhances critical thinking and research abilities but also grants UCAS points? Discover our Accredited Online Research Programme , offering 8 UCAS points upon successful completion today.

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Level 3 Extended Project Qualification

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Introduction

What is the extended project qualification (epq).

EPQ is an A-level standard standalone qualification designed to extend and develop your students' abilities beyond the A-level syllabus and prepare for university or their future career.

• it can be taken as an extension of other Level 3 qualifications or vocational qualifications
• it's worth half an A-level (28 UCAS points)
• it's recognised by universities and employers
• many universities make lower A-level offers to students undertaking an EPQ.

How it works

The EPQ allows students to lead their own projects. Students get to plan and carry out research on a topic that they've chosen and isn't covered by their other qualifications. They can take inspiration from something touched on in class or something personal and unrelated to their studies. They then use this research to produce a written report and, in the case of practical projects, an artefact or a production.

By taking responsibility for the choice, design and decision making of an individual project (or an individual role in a group project) students:

• become more critical, reflective and independent learners
• develop and apply decision-making and problem-solving skills
• increase their planning, research, analysis, synthesis, evaluation and presentation skills
• learn to apply technologies confidently
• demonstrate creativity, initiative and enterprise.

Undertaking an EPQ can also deliver other benefits for students and schools, such as:

• improved A Level performance for students taking EPQ
• boosting student recruitment by making your curriculum more attractive
• increasing student motivation by allowing them to study topics of personal interest
• enabling students to apply their new skills to other areas of study.

Performance table points and UCAS points

Our tables of information show how the EPQ counts towards Performance table points and UCAS points .

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THE PRESENTATION

Table of contents, how should you prepare for the presentation, the rest of the series.

Milestone 7 - Complete set of final EPQ documents

Latest dates to upload by:, aspire/standard epq: 9th february 2024, taught epq; 23rd march 2024.

Candidate Record Sheet  - signed by you   - print, sign and then save as a PDF

Research Record

Abstract for dissertations and investigations

Outcome - the dissertation/ the investigation report / the artefact created and supporting development.  If you have created an artefact then it should be a good picture of what you have created, and snaps of the work you did in your sketchbook.  Create a PDF - drop the pictures in sequence into a Word document (or similar) and then save as a PDF.

Presentation slides - print 4 or 6 to a page on Word or a PDF writer and submit the Word or PDF file.

Ensure your name is in your filenames and that your documents are either a Word compatible document or a PDF.  Pages documents are not acceptable.

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• A Complete Guide to the EPQ | Oxford Royale Summer Schools

The time for you to apply to university is fast approaching, and you may be starting to think about how you’re going to make your university application that little bit more eye-catching. If you have the prospect of a long summer stretching before you and you have no other plans, why not use the summer months to give yourself the best chance of a successful university application? In this article, we introduce you to one way of doing this: the Extended Project Qualification, or EPQ. You may not have heard of it, but we’re going to show you that there are lots of reasons why it’s worth considering.

What is the EPQ?

The Extended Project Qualification, or EPQ, is offered by many schools, and it’s a standalone qualification that’s a bit like a mini-thesis. You’re allowed to choose whatever topic you like – it doesn’t even have to be related to your A-levels – so it’s about as flexible as you can get. It’s unlikely to be included in your university offer, but that doesn’t mean it’s not a respected qualification; it’s certainly no General Studies. Most people start their EPQ over the summer between AS and A2 levels.

What do you have to do to get an EPQ?

You’ll need to register for the EPQ through your school, assuming they offer it. Once you’ve chosen your topic (more on that later), your task is to conduct detailed academic research into that topic. You then have two options: 1. You write a 5,000 word report. 2. You create a ‘production’ or ‘artefact’ and write a 1,000 word report.

Why bother with the EPQ?

So why bother with it, when you already have A-levels to worry about? Well, at a time when it’s increasingly difficult to make your university application stand out, what’s needed is a qualification that highlights the academic skills that admissions tutors are looking for. The EPQ is just such a means of proving that you have talent in the very same areas needed to succeed at university. It’s an academic exercise that has direct relevance to the way in which you’re likely to study once you get to university, as it involves conducting research, just as you would for a university thesis. It’s also a great talking point on your personal statement and in university interviews, demonstrating your enthusiasm for the subject and giving you the chance to show off your knowledge of a particular area of the discipline. As well as the obvious research skills the EPQ helps you develop and demonstrate, it has many additional benefits, as it confers on you a range of other useful skills and demonstrates your suitability for undergraduate study in numerous ways. These advantages include:

• It helps you develop the ability to conduct your own, self-directed programme of study. You’ll be planning your own work, and nobody is going to be there to tell you what to do (though you’ll have a supervisor who’ll be able to give you rough pointers).
• It shows you to be self-motivated, as you’ll need to have the discipline to see your project to fruition – even though it’s the summer and you’ll have plenty of distractions.
• It demonstrates that you have the initiative to pursue your own academic interests. Admissions tutors will love this, because that’s exactly the initiative you’ll need at university.
• It develops your knowledge of your subject beyond the A-level syllabus. This gives you a deeper understanding of the subject and places you at an advantage over those who’ve merely done the A-level.
• It teaches you how to make use of different research materials, not just A-level textbooks. You’ll learn how to use a library for research, and get used to the idea of writing footnotes and bibliographies, which you’ll have to do at university.

What’s more, it doesn’t just help you with applying to university; it’s a satisfying thing to do for your own sake, simply because it allows you to explore a subject you find interesting, in depth. Leaving aside the fact that you’ll come out with an extra qualification, it’s learning for learning’s sake, and you can revel in the fact that you can devote your time to studying something you genuinely find interesting. This will probably make a refreshing change from the classroom, in which there will inevitably be subjects forced upon you that you’d rather not bother with.

What kind of things can I study for my EPQ?

The beauty of the EPQ is that you decide what you study. Of course, in view of the fact that you’re applying to university, it would make sense to select a topic that ties in with the subject you’re planning to study at university (hopefully you’ve decided this by now!). Below you’ll find some guidance on how to choose what to study and whether to choose the longer thesis or the ‘production’ option.

Choosing your topic for a 5,000 word report

When you can choose pretty much any topic you want, it can be difficult to figure out what to do. It makes sense to choose a subject that’s related to what you’re aiming to study at university, as this is an extra way of demonstrating your enthusiasm for the subject, and the fact that you possess the research skills needed to excel in it. It’s also a good way of keeping your mind active and thinking about your future university subject over the summer, ready to write a brilliant personal statement come the start of the new school year. The topic can’t be too broad, or else you don’t stand a chance of doing the topic justice; for example, there would be far too much to cover if you chose the First World War (as a whole) as your topic. A much narrower research focus is needed, to allow you to explore one aspect of a bigger topic in plenty of depth. For example, in the First World War example, you’d stand a better chance with a very specific aspect of the war, such as the Christmas truce, or the Zeppelin attacks on England, or the role of a specific type of aircraft, such as the Sopwith Camel. To give you another example, let’s say you were aiming to study music at university. Trying to address an entire period of classical music, such as the Baroque period, might be a bit of a tall order in a 5,000 word thesis. Even picking the life and works of a famous Baroque composer, such as Bach, might be quite an undertaking. But you could find a lesser-known Baroque composer to research and write about, about whom less is generally known. Or you could research a particular (unusual/antique) instrument and the works written for it during the Baroque period. You could even look into the different kinds of venues used for musical performances during the Baroque period. Ultimately, you’ll need to come up with a specific research question to give direction to your research. For example, taking the Sopwith Camel example above, your question might be “To what extent did the Sopwith Camel shape the outcome of the First World War?” Your question will need to be approved before you can start work.

Choosing your production or artefact

If the thought of writing a 5,000 word report fills you with dread, your alternative is to choose a production or artefact instead. You’ll still need to produce a written report to accompany it, but it’s much shorter, at 1,000 words. What you can do for this is just as flexible as the longer report option. Here are a few examples:

• A musical performance or recording
• A mobile phone app
• A piece of software
• A short film
• A short story
• A model of something
• A piece of art
• An invention
• A charity event
• A fashion show

Ideally, if you’re applying to university, you would choose something that’s in some way related to your future university course. For instance, if you were going to be studying art, then a piece of art would make sense as your chosen EPQ project. A short story would tie in nicely with English Literature, while a musical performance would demonstrate your capabilities in music if that’s what you’re aiming to study at university. Your future career aims may also lead you more towards this option rather than the 5,000 word report, as you can use your project to build up relevant experience for your CV. For example, if you want to go into the fashion industry, then organising a fashion show is an obvious fit. If your ambition is to work for a charity, organising a charity event will be invaluable experience as well as giving you an extra qualification. The benefits of the EPQ, then, go far beyond simply having an extra piece of paper to add to your collection of certificates.

Conducting the research

This may be your first big piece of academic research, so you may be wondering where on earth to start with such an undertaking. You will have a supervisor who’ll be able to teach you the skills you need and point you in the right direction. Some general tips for conducting effective academic research may come in useful. For example, try to make use of as many different resources as you can when you’re conducting your research, including primary and secondary sources, books in the library, the internet, and so on. As you go along, keep a bibliography and record everything you’ve read, including specific page numbers. Be critical of your own methodologies in collecting data, if that’s what you’re doing, and consider the strengths and weaknesses of your methods. These are things you’ll need to get used to thinking about when you go to university, so the EPQ is an excellent warm-up.

How is the EPQ marked?

You’ll need to get a grade between A* and E in order to be awarded the EPQ – anything lower than an E means you don’t get the qualification, so it’s slightly different from A-levels in that respect. Looking at the AQA Specification, there are a number of ‘assessment objectives’ used to decide your final grade, the weighting of which is divided up as follows:

• Manage – 20%. This covers your ability to come up with a project idea and plan how you’re going to achieve it, using “a range of skills, strategies and methods to achieve objectives.”
• Use Resources – 20%. This covers the research phase and how well you’re able to select, organise and deploy relevant information. It also looks at your ability to analyse data, including your ability to see the connections between things you’ve observed, and your appreciation of the “complexities of the topic”.
• Develop and Realise – 40%. This aspect means how well you’re able to carry out your project and see it to fruition, using a range of appropriate skills and technologies.
• Review – 20%. This means how well you evaluate every aspect of your project, such as whether you’ve achieved your objectives, and how well you’ve performed throughout the project. It also reflects your ability to “Select and use a range of communication skills and media to present evidenced project outcomes and conclusions in an appropriate format.”

The mark scheme makes it sound scarier than it is, as mark schemes always do. But if you’re looking for an interesting project to get your teeth into, you can’t do much better than the EPQ thanks to the excellent preparation it gives you for thinking like an undergraduate. It’s a fair bit of work, but the rewards – both in terms of university preparation and personal enjoyment – make it more than worth the effort.

Watch the Grad Slam 2024 Final Round Presentations on YouTube

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