Study and learning skills
Research planning and notes
Plan a small inquiry into food waste at school: sharpen a research question, choose methods, check ethics and sources, take notes, and turn evidence into a proposal. Worked rows show the level of detail expected without supplying findings for the class.
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Plan a small inquiry into food waste at school: sharpen a research question, choose methods, check ethics and sources, take notes, and turn evidence into a proposal. Worked rows show the level of detail expected without supplying findings for the class.
Activity. Use the preview for diagrams and layout.
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NAME CLASS DATE Think global, act local Weak to strong Strong questions are Focused, Researchable and Measurable. Compare each pair, then improve the last. WEAK QUESTION STRONGER QUESTION WHAT IMPROVED Why is food waste bad? Which parts of a school lunch are most often left uneaten in our canteen? F One place, one meal, one group Do students care about food waste? What reasons do Year 12 students give for leaving food at lunch? R A short survey can answer it Is our canteen wasteful? How much plate waste, in kilograms, does our canteen collect each lunchtime for one week? M Weighed, so days compare What should schools do about waste? YOUR STRONGER VERSION F R M Main + 3 sub Research planning and notes 1 QUESTION 2 METHODS 3 NOTES RESEARCH SKILLS AGES 16 TO 18 INQUIRY PROJECT Research planning and notes Worked case: food waste in our school canteen, a global problem studied locally. I can write a focused, measurable question. I can plan ethical primary research. I can judge how credible a source is. I can turn evidence into a solution. N Define the problem 1 What is the problem, where, and for whom? Start: “At lunch in our canteen, ...” State Why does it matter, locally and globally? Think: money, staff time, energy, water, landfill. Why Sharpen the question 2 Write your questions 3 MAIN RESEARCH QUESTION CHECK IT F R M Main SUB-QUESTIONS: ONE PER METHOD a b c Sub Page 1 of 3
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Model row first Primary data: you collect it. Consent: people agree, knowing why. Anonymity: no names. METHOD WHAT I WILL COLLECT, HOW AND WHEN ETHICS CHECK Weigh plate waste for one week Model Weigh the plate-waste bin after each lunch, Monday to Friday, on the same scales. Record kilograms in a daily table, with that day's menu. Catering manager's permission first. No pupils named or photographed. Short survey 8 to 10 questions Consent Anonymous Can stop Interview with catering staff About 15 minutes Consent Anonymous Can stop Secondary research Secondary data: others published it. Log each source; tick the checks it passes. W Who wrote it? An expert? D Date: recent enough? E Evidence: data shown? P Purpose: fair, not selling? C Cross-check: others agree? NO. SOURCE: TITLE, AUTHOR OR ORGANISATION, WHERE FOUND W D E P C VERDICT S1 A supermarket blog post, “Ten ways to waste less food”, found online Y Y N N Y Use with care: it also sells S2 S3 S4 Model rows are examples, not real data 1 QUESTION 2 METHODS 3 NOTES RESEARCH SKILLS AGES 16 TO 18 METHODS AND SOURCES Collect evidence fairly Plan primary research 4 Write a fair survey question 5 LEADING OR FAIR? LEADING “Don't you agree that wasting food is wrong?” It pushes people to say yes. FAIR “How often do you leave food on your plate at lunch?” Never, sometimes, often, always. Ask why students leave food. Add answer options. Your turn Source log 6 Page 2 of 3
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Own words only One point per row. Close the source first, so the words are yours. Trust: H high, M medium, L low. NO. KEY POINT IN MY OWN WORDS PAGE OR LINK RELIABILITY S1 Offering smaller portions, with seconds if wanted, can mean less food is scraped into the bin. Tip 3 on the post M: seller's site, no data shown H M L H M L H M L Two actions, each with a date. 1 2 Judge it on 3 criteria IMPACT What changes? How measured? COST Money, time, effort. WHO ACTS Who agrees? Who does it? Research planning and notes 1 QUESTION 2 METHODS 3 NOTES RESEARCH SKILLS AGES 16 TO 18 NOTES AND SOLUTION From notes to a solution Take notes 7 Pull it together 8 Where do your sources and your own data agree or disagree? Why? “Most sources suggest ... but our canteen data shows ...” Link Next steps 9 Propose a solution 10 MY SOLUTION, AND THE EVIDENCE THAT SUPPORTS IT Idea Page 3 of 3
A teaching sequence
Write a focused, researchable and measurable question; plan primary methods with consent and anonymity in mind; judge sources; take notes in pupils’ own words; and propose an evidence-linked action.
Focus a researchable question
Improve a broad question by naming one setting, group, time or measurable outcome; use the F, R and M prompts, then write a main question and a sub-question for each method. Decide what to collect, how and when.
Which setting, group, time or measurable outcome makes the question manageable?
Agree ethical methods before collecting
Before primary research, agree permission, informed consent, anonymity, stopping choices and school procedures with a responsible adult. Choose a fair survey question and response options that do not lead participants.
Have permission, consent, stopping choices and school procedures been agreed?
Log, check and paraphrase sources
Log secondary sources and check their producer, date, evidence, purpose and agreement with other sources. Close each source before writing a key point in pupils’ own words; rate reliability and note a page or link.
What producer, date and evidence support the reliability judgement?
Compare evidence and propose actions
Compare where sources and collected data agree or differ, then propose two dated actions and consider impact, cost and who needs to act.
Which finding supports the dated action, cost and responsible role?
Before you teach
Look for the thinking behind an answer, choose the support your class needs and leave room for an independent response.
What to look for
Check that the main question can be answered with the methods available and that every method has a clear permission or consent plan. In notes, look for paraphrase rather than copied wording. Ask pupils to show which source or observation supports the proposed action.
Give a little support
Complete one F, R and M check together. Give pupils a question frame that names place, group and measure. Offer a prepared source set and a note-taking grid, and accept a spoken explanation before written notes. A teacher can model consent language using a fictional participant.
Take the idea further
Ask pupils to compare two sources that disagree, explain how method or purpose could account for the difference, and identify one improvement to the proposed study. They can add a clear measure and review date to each action.
Things to keep in mind
This is a planning resource, not an approved research protocol. Do not collect identifiable, sensitive or unnecessary data. Pupil surveys, interviews, photographs, food handling and weighing school waste require school approval and appropriate consent, supervision and hygiene arrangements. The sample blog is explicitly a model source, not evidence about this canteen.
Keep the idea. Make it yours.
Bring your topic, learning goal and class context to PLAI™, then review what you create.
Ideas to try with your class
Sample teaching perspectives on what to try, what to adapt and what to watch for.
Meet The Creators
Meet the creators whose teaching interests connect with this template. Find an approach to try with your class.
Priya Menon
I ask sixth-form English Literature pupils to support interpretations with details, consider another reader’s view and develop thoughtful responses as they take more responsibility for their reading.
Meet the creator
Kanya Buranasiri
I teach research through source comparison and evidence checks, asking pupils who produced information, how it answers their question and what limitations they need to record.
Meet the creator
One More Question
This three-page research planner contrasts weak and stronger questions, including food waste in a school canteen, then prompts pupils to plan a primary method, assess sources, take notes in their own words and propose an action linked to evidence.
Kind Check-In
The focused, researchable and measurable criteria make question quality inspectable. Examples also connect a question to a practical method, while consent and anonymity prompts bring ethics into the planning stage.
Bright Idea Break
Have pupils refine one question before choosing a method and identify whose consent is needed. Model separating a source note from a paraphrase so the final action can be traced back to evidence.
Pocketful of Stories
A worksheet cannot itself provide consent, anonymity or data protection. Review the proposed survey or observation under school policy, avoid collecting unnecessary personal data and check sources before acting on a finding.