In terms of the EPQ as a
whole, with hindsight, I would say that the time and work that is put into it
is heavily underestimated. If I could I would go back and dedicate far more of
my time researching and planning so that when it came to the write up and
presentation it wasn’t as rushed as it was. I would also make a more comprehensible
Gantt chart that I follow fully. As previously mentioned on the beginning of this blog I did make a Gantt chart but I didn't stick to it, which is something I now regret,
Though it has been a challenging experience it
has really engaged my interest on the subject of eating disorders and as an
overall skill my writing and speaking abilities have, in my opinion, been
strengthened. Before my presentation I was a nervous wreck, but now I have far more confidence in my abilities to present and write a speech to go alongside visual aids.
I would say that the main skill I have developed is my ability to
reference and site sources and to set out an essay in a methodical and
scientific manner. Due to the subjects I do at A level, referencing was alien to me and I feel it is an invaluable skill I have learnt which will massively aid me when I hopefully start further education this September.
The main thing I have enjoyed about this whole experience is
the freedom that came with it and the ability to explore what I wanted to
explore, outside of my structured A Levels. Although I study Psychology currently we do not have the opportunity to explore one study in depth, nor one debate and so being able to do this whilst being credited for it is something I have really appreciated. I also feel that this knowledge in a specific area of Psychology will help me next year whilst studying Psychology at University and has given me an added passion for the topic area.
As a whole I am moderately
satisfied with what I have achieved as I always believe there is room for
improvement, and if I could I would try and hone in on my question earlier on
so that my research could be more exact and refined. If I could delve further
into the subject matter I would look further into the public’s misconceptions
and what has been done to change this. I did reach out to a specialist to gain
an individualised view point however they did not get back to me and so if I
were to go back or continue my research I would ensure that I spoke to a number
of professionals to gain a greater insight.
If I had less of a word constraint and had a wider knowledge of interpreting data I would have loved to explore the trends I have found further as these could have influenced my overall conclusion.
To conclude I have really enjoyed this experience, it has taught me a lot of valuable non-vocational and transferable skills that will aid me after I finish this academic year. I am grateful that I have had the opportunity to explore all my unanswered questions on this topic and would recommend the experience to others.
