Personal Interest Projects

Kate Thompson

What is the PIP?

BUT...
worth 40%

Use any part of the HSC course

Based on student interest, skills, background
Its a major work worth 40% of external
assessment (HSC exam is worth 60%)

Outcomes

Content

Titles*

Refined
titles...Catchy &
unique (but
NOT the most
important part)

Open wide, come inside: Play School as a

reflection of Australian society
PIP...Personal Interest Project or Pushy Immigrant
Parents?
Low tide: an exploration of 3rd wave feminism
Torture-tainment
Business Manager to Bus-Driver: Status
Depreciation Among Migrant Males From the
Subcontinent - the Effects on Family and Identity.
* Meritorious PIP titles and extracts
http://www.scansw.com.au/PIP.html

Contents
Set out like a report with headings for the
major sections
Contents
Page
Introduction
Log
Central Material

1
3
5
10

Chapter 1 (Insert Title)

Chapter 2 (Insert Title)

Conclusion
Resource List

25
27

Introduction

500 words
Contributes to better understanding
Key concepts
Doesnt need to
Cross-cultural component
be specified in
intro but some
Micro world and macro world
may still do this
Methodologies
Limitations
Findings

Log

Start diary early

Shows the PIP process
DONT make it
sequential!!..but
Thematic in nature
some still do
this
Methodologies
Main thoughts, ideas and actions
Based on diary
500 words

Central Material
2500 4000 words
Effective communication
Use course concepts
Continuity and / or change
Cross-cultural component

Accurate and consistent referencing

Analysis and synthesis
Pretty tough to do but writing drafts, drafts
and more drafts will help!

Conclusion
500 words
Follows all other info logically
Demonstrates evidence of social and
cultural literacy

How to reference
Harvard style
In supporting female participation on the
frontline of war, Smith (2007) argues that
.

In text referencing

How to reference

Refer to
Footnote # 1

Footnoting
One argument for females participating in
1
the frontline is ..
Footnote &
reference details

Smith, A. (2007) Females on the frontline

Resource List
List under genre, then alphabetically
Newspapers

2. Alphabetical
order
(author)

1. Genre

Archibold, J (2009) The problems with

women in the front line in Sydney
Morning Herald, 27 February, page 2
+ annotation
Harold, K (2008) Society..
Smith, A. (2007) Females on the frontline

Genres for resource list

Primary research examples
Focus group
Interviews
Questionnaire etc

Secondary research examples

Books
Films
Newspaper articles
Websites etc

An annotation should
Show that you have read and understood the
source through:
Description
Evaluation

Help you think critically about its contents

Be a brief paragraph but provide enough
information for a person to decide if they
should read it

Annotations identify

Main purpose of a source

Contents
Special features
Intended audience
Relevance / usefulness of information
Problems eg: bias, reliability, validity

Useful terms for annotations

Distinguishes
Analyses
Defends
Compares
Suggests
Concludes
Recognises
Concludes

Examines
Identifies
Demonstrates
Claims
Assumes
Investigates
Criticises
Proposes

Literacy & writing demands

Word processing
Typed size 12 font (times new roman)
1.5 spacing
Check spelling and grammar

Researching
Record all details you need as you go
Reference (footnote!?) as you write

Literacy & writing demands

Writing
It must be coherent and well-constructed
Items (eg: graphs, tables etc) must have a
title
Items must be discussed in your text
Build up to final point of view

Submitting the PIP

Drafts, drafts, drafts, drafts, drafts
Hand in final copy before 3:00 pm on
specified date (end July/early August)
everywhere across NSW
Students - must be responsive to
feedback and theyll be just fine!

Recommended action...
Read as many PIPs as you can
Familiarise yourself with the
Board of Studies documents
Subscribe to Board of Studies news bulletins
for:

all syllabus updates

news and any changes to procedures
available materials and advice
community consultations etc