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What is the A-level extended project? 

Does the extended project count as an a-level , is it hard to get an a in epq .

• Is A-level 3 extended project an AS-level? 

Do Unis care about EPQ? 

Does oxbridge care about epq .

• Does the EPQ give UCAS points? And can you get an A* in EPQ? 

Can you get into uni with 2 A-levels and an EPQ? And does EPQ lower entry requirements? 

Can you fail an epq , is an epq harder than an as-level , is an epq really worth it or is epq a waste of time .

• How many UCAS points is A* A*A *? 

What are good topics for EPQ? 

What are the benefits of epq .

• How many hours a week is EPQ? 

Can you do EPQ in Year 13? 

How many hours a week should i spend on my epq .

• Do you have to write 5000 words for the EPQ?

Can you write a book for EPQ? 

Can you use first person in epq .

The A-level extended project qualification (also known as the EPQ) is an A-level standard standalone qualification designed to develop a person’s abilities beyond what is offered by the A-levels syllabus . The EPQ aims to demonstrate skills which will help the candidate’s application for university or a job. 

The EPQ is worth up to 28 UCAS points (which is equivalent to half of an A-Level). 

The EPQ is an independent student-led project. This means that students get to plan and conduct their research however they like. The only condition is that the topic they choose can not be covered by their other qualifications. They need to think outside the box! 

Students will have to write an essay of 5,000 words or present an object, artefact or performance with a shorter report. 

According to the AQA website (AQA is one of the exam boards which offers the EPQ), the EPQ gives a student the chance to take responsibility for the choice, design and decision making of an individual project (or an individual role in a group project). Students: 

• develop critical thinking and independent learning skills
• demonstrate their creative and self-starter qualities
• grow planning, research, and presentation skills
• practice decision-making and problem-solving
• advance technology expertise

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

• improved A-level performance for students taking EPQ
• increasing student motivation by allowing them to study topics of personal interest
• enabling students to apply their new skills to other areas of study.

The OCR website provides an example EPQ project which might be useful to look at. 

The EPQ counts as half of an A-level. This means that you get EPQ UCAS points. Doing an EPQ boosts your UCAS credits which means that you can apply for university even if your A-level grades are slightly below the university’s entry requirements. Don’t forget that sometimes retaking A-levels can be a winning solution . 

Instead of viewing the EPQ as an A-level, try and look at it like an A-level booster pack! If you get straight A*s then the EPQ can make you stand out against someone who hasn’t. 

This question really depends on each student. Some people find it easy to get top marks in the EPQ and others find it more of a challenge. 

Take a look at the specifications of the EPQ very carefully. If you follow the marking scheme, it is much easier to know what to do to get top marks. This way you can also see if the EPQ is a good fit for you in terms of learning style. 

Remember that each exam board has different specifications for the EPQ. These are all the different exam boards’ EPQ specification guidelines in one place. 😇

• AQA EPQ specification
• Edexcel EPQ specification
• OCR EPQ specification
• WJEC EPQ specification
• ASDAN EPQ specification      

Our GoStudent Tutors can help you prepare for your EPQ by giving you some one-to-one tutoring to target your topic and subject! 

Is a level 3 extended project an AS-level? 

If you want to make this a points system, technically an EPQ outranks an AS qualification. An A* in your EPQ will count as up to 28 UCAS points while an A* in an AS-level subject will only count for 20 UCAS points. 

An AS-level is the qualification you get below a full A-level. A full A-level counts for 56 UCAS points! 

If you want a full breakdown of what different qualifications are worth in terms of UCAS points, have a look at the UCAS points breakdown which includes the IB, BTEC, Scottish Highers, and Welsh Baccalaureate. 

One of the big questions people often have about anything extra-curricular is: do universities care? The answer is: yes, they do! 

Universities want good candidates. They want students who can think outside of the box, take the initiative, and people who have the motivation to work hard. The EPQ is designed to showcase all of these things and universities rate them very highly. 

It is important to say that some universities don’t value them as much as others. But, at the end of the day, having an extra qualification won’t ever work against you! 

As with all things, you have to balance what you gain against what it costs. There are many people who argue that the time and energy dedicated to doing an EPQ can be better spent elsewhere. But that is down to the individual and what they think they are capable of. 

If you’re thinking about which university to choose, have a look through our guide for choosing the right university for you. 

Both the University of Cambridge and the University of Oxford recognise the EPQ for undergraduate applications. The University of Oxford says:

“Where applicants have undertaken the EPQ, this will not be a condition of any offer but the University recognises that the EPQ will provide an applicant with the opportunity to develop research and academic skills relevant for study at Oxford. Candidates are encouraged to draw upon relevant EPQ experience when writing their personal statement.”

This means that your EPQ will not be ‘make or break’ for your university application, but it will benefit your application overall and you should definitely mention it in your personal statement . 

So Oxford is a kind of ‘yes’, but how does Cambridge (some argue the better uni) 😉 look at EPQ? The University of Cambridge says, 

“We welcome the EPQ and would encourage applicants to take one as it will help to develop independent study and research skills valuable for higher education.”

So both Oxbridge universities recognise and appreciate the EPQ. 🥳

If you are considering applying to Oxbridge, then we suggest you read our handy article on how to apply to Oxford and Cambridge . 

Does the EPQ give UCAS points? And can you get an A* in EPQ?

Yes, you get EPQ UCAS points. Your EPQ will be graded between A* - E. The higher the grade you get the more UCAS points your EPQ will be worth (which is the same for your A-level qualifications). 

Here is a breakdown of what EPQ grade is worth how many UCAS points: 

You can theoretically get into university with two A-levels and an EPQ, but it’s not advised. We suggest that you do all 3 A-levels and then do an EPQ on top of it. If you replace an A-level with an EPQ, then your number of UCAS points is impacted.

Remember, universities don’t just look at UCAS points. There are ways to get into uni without A-levels ! 

If you didn’t quite meet your university’s entry requirements with A-levels alone, but you have some EPQ UCAS points, then that university may well take that into consideration.

If you need a bit of help with your A-levels studies, remember that it is never too late to sign up for some one-to-one tutoring with one of our specially selected GoStudent Tutors . 

Sadly, as with most qualifications, you can indeed fail the EPQ.

If you do not meet the necessary criteria to get an E grade, you will be awarded a U, which stands for unclassified. This indicates the student has failed the EPQ. 

Follow our advice above and research the EPQ specification and mark scheme for your examination body. You will have a better understanding of what is required for success with an EPQ.

This depends on each student and where their academic strengths and motivations lie. Students that benefit from a structured learning approach may find the EPQ harder than an AS-level.

On the other hand, students who prefer to set their own learning goals and are comfortable with time management are more likely to find success with an EPQ.

As with all qualifications, the EPQ is what you make of it. If you don’t work hard and you get a low score, then it may well feel like a waste of time. If you don’t choose to study something meaningful to you, it will be a long and arduous process. 

The idea behind the EPQ is that you get to choose something that you are passionate about, and you use that to showcase your ability to excel independently. 

According to an article in London Local, the long-term benefit of an EPQ is that it shows “future employers that you’re a self-motivated character with useful skills”.

This suggests that the value of the EPQ is not only in applying for university, but also in giving you experiences which will help you after uni. 

How many UCAS points is A* A* A*? 

An A* is worth 56 UCAS points, so if you manage to get an impressive three A*s at A-level, you have racked up a grand total of 168 UCAS points. 

If you got three A*s at A-level and also an A* in your EPQ you will have 196 UCAS points. That is a UCAS score universities can’t ignore. 😏

There is a wide range of topics that are suitable for an EPQ. However, it all boils down to finding a topic that you are interested in, won’t get tired of, and you can delve into significant detail with. 

AQA advises that you ‘focus on a topic that's interesting and may not be available through other qualifications’.

It is also a good idea to consider a topic which bears some relation to what you want to study at university. 

Once you have chosen a general area that interests you, you need to focus even deeper on a specific part of that topic. The idea is that your EPQ should be unique and there shouldn’t be too many people writing about it. You will need to become an expert! 

There are many benefits to doing an EPQ. As well as gaining UCAS points, and having something to put on your personal statement , the EPQ gives you important transferable skills such as independent research and critical thinking. 

Ignoring UCAS and university applications, if you throw yourself into your EPQ, it can be an amazing experience. 

You have around six months to complete your EPQ (that is around 130 week days). The AQA website suggests that students should spend 120 hours on their EPQ – this includes brainstorming, planning, researching, and writing. 

This means that, if you spend around an hour every working day on your EPQ, you’ll have more than enough time. Undertaking an EPQ is a big commitment. You will have a supervisor who you will probably meet with on a regular basis. 

It is very important that you plan ahead and don’t leave it all to the last minute. 

In theory, you can do your EPQ at any stage of your education. Usually, people begin thinking about it in year 12, and spend the summer before year 13 doing their preliminary research. 

If you want to do an EPQ in year 13, you should talk with your school beforehand to make sure they’re happy to support you with it.  

Do you have to write 5000 words for EPQ? 

Usually, people write 5,000 words for their EPQ. If you present an artefact, then your report should be a minimum of 1,000 words. 

Many people think that using an artefact is easier, but it can be just as challenging. If you have an artefact, you need to have a very clear and cohesive report which justifies your project.

Yes! You can write a book for your EPQ. The only thing that we advise before you embark on this mammoth task, is to acknowledge the scope of the project. You will need to be realistic about time requirements. Your book will count as your artefact and will still need a report to accompany it. 

Academia has become more inclusive of different writing styles. Most universities (including Cambridge), say that it is perfectly acceptable to write academic essays in the first person. So if it’s good enough for the University of Cambridge it is probably good enough for your EPQ. 

We hope that our article has given you some useful information on the EPQ and how you should approach it. Remember, our website is full of useful articles about A-levels published by our wonderful GoStudent experts. Check out the exams section of our blog for more A-level content. 

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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.

Submission checklists

• First Draft Checklist A guide to make sure you stay on track and complete everything required for your first draft.
• Final Draft Checklist A guide detailing everything that needs to be completed before submitting your EPQ.

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
• << Previous: Working with ideas
• Next: Reflecting >>
• Last Updated: Jun 6, 2024 10:05 AM
• URL: https://oakham-rutland.libguides.com/EPQ

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How to Write an EPQ essay (including lessons I’ve learned from writing my book)

Having just finished re-writing my book,  The Ten Step Guide to Acing Every Exam You Ever Take (due to be published in February 2017)   I thought now was the perfect time to share the lessons I've learned from doing an extended piece of writing like this so you can apply them to writing your EPQ essay.

How to write an EPQ essay – 9 Steps

1. your idea.

I did exactly this with my book. I want to become known as an expert in study skills and exam skills. The perfect way to do this is to write a book about it. Hopefully lots of new people will find me as a result of reading my book and want to work with me . My book is furthering my long-term aims (as well as being something I've always wanted to do – yippee for being a published author!).

2. Brain dump

Once you've come up with an idea brain dump everything you already know about it. This is important because your current knowledge is the foundation of where you're going to go next. It will also enable you to identify the gaps in your knowledge and therefore what further research you need to do.

Believe it or not, over the last eighteen months or so my brain dump has been my blog ! As I've listened more and more to my readers to hear what they need help with and what problems they have I have learned more and understood more about the field of study skills. I've researched, thought and read to improve my knowledge and understanding and put all that knowledge into my blog.

3. Identify your title or question

The next step is having some idea of what your title might be or what question you want to answer with your work. Throughout your research you need to ensure that you're finding information that will help you to answer this question.

With my book, the title dictated the structure that the book would take. It helped me to stay focused on what I needed to include as well as exclude.

4. Create a structure for your finished piece

From what you know already and the title you have identified you can create a draft structure or plan for your finished piece of work. Again, this structure will help to keep you focused on what research you need to do to properly answer your question. However, remember that you can always change your structure if what you find in your research deems it necessary.

When I was writing my book I had the overall structure which started with four parts and the ten chapters were divided up between those four parts. When I sat down to write each chapter I wrote a list of what I wanted to include in each of those chapters and decided in what order it was logical and sensible to write about each of those things. Doing this made the actual writing part easy – the book almost wrote itself!

5. Do your research

Now is the time to fill in the gaps in your knowledge by doing your research. Make sure you stay focused on your title and structure all the time that you're doing your research. It's also really important to keep a clear record of where you've gained your information for your references and bibliography. I remember in my early days at university writing endless notes that then got in a muddle and I could never identify the source text which meant I couldn't use that information in an essay because I couldn't reference it. I learned my lesson and soon put a system in place so that I could always identify where my notes, ideas and quotes came from!

With my book my research was listening to my readers and clients and reading books that helped me to solve the problems that they were dealing with. For example, I read a book called ‘Mini Habits' by Stephen Guise – and used that book as the basis for a blog post. I have now incorporated those ideas into the book.

6. Review your structure

As you're doing your research, and particularly once you've finished it, you'll need to review your structure. Your structure is essentially a summary of the argument you want to make in your essay. If the information you've found has lead you to an opinion that you can't express through your original structure then the structure needs to be altered or changed. This is the time when you need to be 100% sure that your structure provides with the framework to say exactly what you want to say in answer to the question or title you have set yourself.

I have found this to be particularly important with my book. The original version of my book was written before I even started my blog. The ten steps I included were all the clearest things I'd learned from my own experience as a student and from teaching geography in schools. However, through my blog, reading and coaching I gained more insights about my own experience and what really helped others. This meant that when I came to re-write the book I had more to say so that I had to change the structure to accomodate all this new understanding and knowledge.

7. Allocate a word count to each section of your structure

You know your essay has to be 5,000 words long and you know which sections you want to put into it because you've planned your structure. To make life easy for yourself you should now allocate a word count to each section. This means that you won't fall into the dreadful trap of writing way too much and having to cull all your hard work to be within the word limit.

I did this for my book. My publisher said that he'd like a 30,000 word book. The original book was about 14,000 words so I had to more than double it. I knew that I had ten basic chapters plus an introduction, foreword and other bits and pieces. So, I set myself the target that each chapter should be approximately 3,000 words. In the end some of the chapters are slightly shorter and others are slightly longer than this but I easily hit the 30,000 word marker by making sure I was reaching the word count for each chapter as I went along.

Can you believe we got to number eight before you actually started writing? Well, this is because all the planning and research you've done up until now will make the writing process really, really easy. The essay should almost write itself!

This is what I found with my book. My plan was so detailed and I'd done so much research over the preceeding eighteen month period that the writing bit was just easy. I sat down for between one and two hours a day for just eighteen days and the first draft of the book was written. It was utterly painless. I then spent two weeks reviewing and editing as well as writing the introduction.

9. Get feedback

The final step is to get feedback on your work. Give it to a friend, parent or mentor to read it through and give you some feedback. The more they know about your subject and academic writing the better. Listen carefully to the advice that they give you and incorporate it as best you can into your work.

The first person to read my book after I'd finished it was my editor. She was thrilled with it and said that ‘it reads wonderfully' and that there was very little she had to change. I credit my thorough planning process for this praise. I hope that your thorough planning leads to the same type of praise.

Some useful EPQ resources from the web

This information from The Student Room gives some really useful background information about the EPQ:  http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/wiki/Extended_Project_Qualification

This post from the UCAS student blog helps you with where to start with your EPQ:  https://www.ucas.com/connect/blogs/epq-where-start

You can download this essay guide from the TES website:  https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/epq-guide-essay-structure-6359383

If you know of any other really useful EPQ resources then leave a link in the comments below.

Over to you

I hope these tips really help you to write a brilliant EPQ as easily as possible. I've learned how to structure and organise my work in this way through years and years of experience researching, writing, reading and marking essays. Hopefully you won't have so much trial and error!

Leave me a comment below to tell me what you're studying in your EPQ and what challenges you're facing with it at the moment. I'll be sure to reply to every comment.

Get on the wait list!

My book,  The Ten Step Guide to Acing Every Exam You Ever Take , will be published by John Catt in February 2017. If you'd like to know when you can pre-order make sure you're on my mailing list – you'll also get a free exert from the book when you sign-up.

Get on the waitlist here

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Taking the Extended Project Qualification (EPQ)

Study in the uk.

Last updated: 10 January 2023

The EPQ (Extended Project Qualification) is an academic qualification – offered at A-level , AQA, Edexcel, OCR, and WJEC – to be taken either alone or as an addition to another qualification.

It is worth half an A-level in terms of EPQ UCAS points: A*=70 UCAS points, A 60, B 50, C 40, D 30, and E 20; with 20% for project planning and time-management, 20% for research skill and use of resources, 40% for idea and outcome, and 20% for evaluation and presentation.

Learn more about the EPQ below and if you would like to begin your UK study application, arrange a free consultation with SI-UK today.

How to do an EPQ

An EPQ course involves carrying out an individual project on a topic of one’s choice, with a view to a written report or a production. The topic must be useful and relevant to the student’s academic studies or professional aspirations.

The EPQ is meant to take a student’s skillset beyond the secondary school level in preparation for study at a UK university . It could involve an essay of 5000 words, an explanation of the investigative methodology, and a presentation for 10-15 minutes to discuss the essay and the method with non-specialists. Or it could consist of a work of art alongside a shorter essay. It could be musical, artistic, scientific, historical, or literary, not that this is an exhaustive list. It could be cancer cells, criminal justice, the French Revolution, or digital marketing.

How long does an EPQ take to complete?

The project should take 120 hours, more or less, and will usually be carried out in the summer holidays after year 12 and finished in the first term of year 13. There may be some guidance from the school about how to go about the work, but the student is largely on their own and should relish this opportunity to venture into the unknown.

Do UK universities accept the EPQ qualification?

UK universities sometimes give lower offers to students who are doing EPQs, who can become more independent, original, and lateral thinkers with more impressive presentational skills, better technological repertoires, and greater powers of analysis and investigation – just the attributes sought by universities seeking to instil them into their undergraduates .

Such salutary toughening of the mind is likely to enhance a student’s performance in other UK subjects , of which deeper knowledge can bear fruit in the EPQ, a virtuous cycle of scholarship to accelerate the maturation from school to university.

This qualification can impress and reassure university admissions officers who may otherwise wonder whether a student who has been spoon-fed at school will evolve smoothly into a self-starter at university.

Why choose an EPQ?

Education providers do well to offer an EPQ that can add to the attractiveness of their curricula to students who know they will be able to choose some of what they study and enjoy a foretaste of the autonomy of university research , to say nothing of the advantage of higher UCAS points to schools conscious of rankings .

Students who have extensively researched a field of interest will have something original and personal to discuss with university interviewers who may have tired of talking about generic curricular subjects with their other candidates – and that might convince Oxford or Cambridge that the student in question has that extra spark of brilliance to pip the rivals at the post. Later on, a university dissertation will be less daunting for someone who has produced so substantial a work of research once before and done it well.

If you want to study an EPQ in the UK, arrange a free consultation with SI-UK London today.

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How to Approach EPQ Research (EPQ Advice #3)

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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.

What is an EPQ - Complete EPQ Guide

Dr Rahil Sachak-Patwa

The EPQ, introduced in 2006, has quickly become one of the most popular additional options for A-level students to take. Worth half an A-level , the EPQ is a fantastic way of increasing the total UCAS points a student applies to university with. What’s more, EPQ can be a valuable experience as it allows individuals to explore an interest that may not be directly related to their studies. But, what is an EPQ?

This qualification is still fairly new for most students and parents. Without understanding what it is, students might decide not to take the EPQ, even if they would have enjoyed it. In this article, we’ll give you all the information you need about the EPQ. Our complete guide will cover absolutely everything you need to know, touching on the most frequently asked questions.

By the end of this article, you’ll be an EPQ whiz. Let’s get right into it.

What is EPQ?

EPQ is an acronym that stands for Extended Project Qualification. What that actually means is that students will have to embark on their own research journey. At the end of this research, they’ll have to produce a 5,000-word essay or create a product alongside a 1,500-word essay.

EPQ can be about absolutely anything. No matter what you’re interested in, if you can find an academic way of exploring it, then you’re good to go. EPQ is an exercise in independent research, allowing students to learn more about their favourite topics.

While most students focus their EPQ on a part of their A Level subjects that they enjoy, it could be on something totally unrelated. So, what is the EPQ? Well, the EPQ is whatever you’d like it to be!

What Qualification is an EPQ?

According to AQA , the EPQ is an A-level standard qualification. This means that most students will get their EPQ results with all of their other examination results in August. However, students must remember that the extended project qualification is worth only half of an A-level. At maximum, this qualification is worth 28 UCAS points if the student were to get an A* in EPQ.

As a qualification, the EPQ is recognized by employers and universities, making it an excellent option for those looking to expand their education while still at school. Most of the time, it is taken as a fourth option for those currently sitting three A-level options.

Which Universities like EPQ?

The vast majority of UK universities now accept the EPQ as a valuable addition to a student’s A-level subjects. While it cannot be used as part of a grade offer, some universities will lower the grade offer they make to students. This means that a student that needs AAA to get into a university might receive an AAB offer due to having a great EPQ result.

All 24 of the Russell Group universities currently accept the EPQ and look upon it favourably. While not all universities will lower your grade offerings due to the EPQ, they will take it into account. The EPQ demonstrates independent research skills, which are vital for success in university and further education.

How to Write an EPQ Introduction

The introduction paragraph to your EPQ is one of the most important parts of your entire essay. As this is the first thing that your teachers and examiners will read, it’s important to make a good impression.

Most of the time, your introduction will be around 300 to 400 words. This section will introduce your project, discuss what you’re going to write about, and summarize the project. We recommend that you write your EPQ introduction last, as you need to know what you’ve covered in the project.

Your EPQ conclusion is much more important than the introduction, so make sure you save enough words to cover the conclusion.

How to Get an A* in EPQ

The EPQ is more about the process than the final product. With that in mind, you should work backwards. Start by looking through the mark scheme and see what you need to do to get full marks. From there, you can reverse engineer a topic that you think is interesting and has lots of potential for research.

Planning is vital if you want to do well in EPQ, meaning you should outline your whole project as early on as possible.

While there is no set formula to get an A* in EPQ, there are a few different tips you can include to distinguish yourself from the crowd. We recommend that A* EPQ students do the following:

• Pick a topic area that has lots of academic research around it.
• Think ahead; planning will get you far in the EPQ.
• Don’t forget your log; fill it in as you go.
• Balance breadth and depth, you should have a concise argument that covers a select topic in lots of detail.
• Take your time to write; try not to wait till the last minute to write your EPQ essay.

By following these tips, you’ll be well on your way to getting an A* in EPQ.

Source - AQA Grade A* Description

EPQ Results - How Many People Get an A* or A?

Every year, AQA, which is the largest exam board which hosts the EPQ, releases information on the overall results. On August 18th, 2022, AQA released results statistics for their June 2022 exams.

In 2022, 22.6% of students got an A* in the EPQ. 26.5% of students got an A in the EPQ, which was the largest segment. 21% of students got a B in the EPQ, with this being the third largest segment.

As you can see below, the lower grades of C, D, E, and U, all had a lower percentage of students. In 2022, only 2% of students got a U in the EPQ.

Source - EPQ Exam Results Table

What to Include in EPQ Presentation

The EPQ presentation is an important part of the process, involving public speaking skills. To create a good presentation, you should outline the process, your aims, what you’ve achieved, and what you’ve learnt. There are many different ways you can structure your EPQ presentation, but we suggest that you cover a few core areas.

You should talk about the following points in your EPQ presentation:

1. Topic - What is your topic; what did you study? Create a concise description of what you did.

2. Logic - How did you get to your topic? What is the logic you followed behind choosing your topic? Perhaps you’re going to study that subject at university, or you just had an interest that you wanted to explore further.

3. Objectives - Clearly state the purpose of your investigation and outline the academic reasoning behind the direction you took. What was the point of your EPQ; What did you want to find out or prove?

4. Research Pathway - Next, you should outline the research that you moved through when conducting your extended project qualification. Examiners love setbacks and changes, so be sure to chart any developments you had throughout the project.

5. Conclusions - Where did your EPQ end up? Discuss what your main conclusions were and what you discovered from all of your research.

6. Self-Improvement - What have you personally learnt from your EPQ? Is there anything you’ve discovered that will help you in the future? Perhaps you’ve learnt that you love independent research, or maybe you’ve discovered the importance of time management.

7. Review - At the end of your EPQ presentation, give an overview of the project again. Talk about your main discoveries, if your hypothesis was correct, and what you’ve learnt along the way. Most importantly, how will you use this knowledge going forward?

Across these 7 steps, you’ll have everything you need to score well in the EPQ presentation.

To give you absolutely all the information you need on the EPQ, we’ve collected all of the most asked questions that students have.

We’ll cover all of the following questions:

• What does EPQ stand for?
• Is EPQ worth it?
• What skills does the EPQ test?
• How many words is EPQ?
• When are EPQ results released?
• How long does the EPQ take?
• What exam board runs EPQ?
• Who marks EPQ?
• How is the EPQ marked?
• How many UCAS points is EPQ?
• How hard is it to get an A in EPQ?
• Does Oxbridge care about EPQ?
• How many people take the EPQ each year?
• What are the best EPQ Ideas?
• Can you fail an EPQ?

What Does EPQ Stand for?

EPQ stands for Extended Project Qualification. It is worth the same as half of an A Level, and is typically taken by students studying three A Levels.

Is EPQ Worth it?

The EPQ is worth it for students that want to strengthen their university application. Scoring well in the EPQ can give a student more UCAS points. Additionally, some universities will lower a student’s offer by one grade if they have an EPQ. That means that if a student needed AAB to get into their chosen course, a university could offer ABB.

The difference of one grade might not seem like much, but it actually gives students a huge advantage. The EPQ is well worth taking for anyone that’s looking to go to university. Over recent years, more and more higher education institutions have sung the praises of the EPQ, using it as a good measure of which students excel in independent learning.

In many UK universities, courses are almost exclusively independent learning. Especially in BA subjects, students could have under ten contact hours a week, leaving them to study by themselves for much of the time. EPQ gives students a jump start in these skills and helps them thrive at university.

Here is what one A-Level tutor has to say about the EPQ:

"I found the EPQ to be a valuable experience that allowed me to delve deeper into a topic that truly interested me. It was a chance to explore a subject that wasn't covered in my other classes and to develop critical thinking and research skills that have been useful in my university studies. It was also the most enjoyable A-level that I took, as I had control of what I wanted to work on, which you don't get with other subjects which are assessed my exams and have a fixed syllabus"

What Skills Does the EPQ Test?

The EPQ is an independent qualification, meaning a student has to do all the research, planning, and writing by themselves. Due to this, there are a range of skills tested. An EPQ tests the following skills:

• Problem-solving
• Organization
• Creative thinking
• Independent learning
• Time management
• Essay writing
• Communication

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How Many Words Is EPQ?

Standing for Extended Project Qualification, the EPQ really took the ‘E’ seriously. This extended project comes in at a total of 5,000 words, which is the longest piece of work a student will create in their final two years at school.

That said, many students have stated that they wrote over this amount and still scored an A or an A*. Depending on the project’s nature, that 5,000-word limit could only be a guideline. As always, it’s best to discuss with your teacher if you’re planning on exceeding a 5,000-word EPQ.

Alternatively, you could create something for your EPQ. If you create something, you still have to write an extended essay. Often, these will be longer than 1,500 words and will explain the process you went through to create your EPQ.

When are EPQ Results Released?

You will get your EPQ grade in either November, February, or August, depending on which EPQ cohort you are in. For most students, you will receive your EPQ results in August, with all of your other A Level exam results.

That said, due to the fact that your teacher marks your EPQ, they will likely know your mark beforehand. If you have a discussion with your EPQ teacher, you might be able to find out your grade early. However, beware of this, as your result could be moderated down or up by a few marks, changing your overall grade.

How Long Does the EPQ take?

The EPQ takes around 120 hours of work. Students will begin their EPQ in October and aim to finish by April, giving them plenty of time to slowly work through the project.

Over this six-month period, a student will need to put in one hour of independent work for every hour lesson they have each week. In total, these 120 hours will fly by, with the long period of time that students have making this a very low-stress course option.

Remember, as you’re navigating your own research, it’s important to effectively manage your own time. Planning ahead can be a lifesaver and will help you pace your EPQ better.

What Exam Board Runs EPQ?

UCAS states that all of the major UK exam boards run the EPQ. That means that AQA, ASDAN, City & Guilds, OCR, VTCT, WJEX, and Pearson all run the EPQ.

However, out of the 30,000 people that take the EPQ each year, around 25,000 of them do it through AQA. This means that AQA is the exam board that runs the EPQ for the vast majority of students.

Who Marks EPQ?

The EPQ is initially marked by your subject teacher. They will give you a raw mark out of 50. While grade boundaries will change every year and will depend on which exam board you are working through, you typically need around 45 points for an A* and 40 for an A in the EPQ.

In 2020, the AQA grade boundaries for the EPQ were are follows:

Source . - EPQ Grade Boundaries

After all of the EPQs from your year are marked, they will be sent off for moderation. Your moderator will be from the exam board and will double-check that your teachers are marking correctly. If they are marking too high or too low, the exam board will lower or increase all of the marks across your entire year.

How is the EPQ Marked?

Across each AO (Assessment Area), the EPQ varies in how many marks they afford students. The specific breakdown is as follows:

• AO1 - 15-25%
• AO2 - 15-25%
• AO3 - 35-45%
• AO4 - 15-25%

Source - EPQ Mark Scheme

How Many UCAS Points is EPQ?

The EPQ is often taken by students that want to strengthen their university application. Most of the time, students that take three A levels will extend what they’re offering by including the EPQ. Once they successfully complete the EPQ, they can use it as an additional qualification.

The EPQ gives UCAS points . Depending on which mark the student got, they will receive a different amount of EPQ UCAS points:

• EPQ A* - 28 Points
• EPQ A - 24 Points
• EPQ B - 20 Points
• EPQ C - 16 Points
• EPQ D - 12 Points
• EPQ E - 8 Points

As you can see, the EPQ grades move from E-A*. A student that receives an A* in the EPQ will receive 28 UCAS points, while a student that receives an E in the EPQ will receive only 8 UCAS points.

Is it Hard to Get an A in EPQ?

The EPQ is a reflection of a student’s ability to independently research and pull their findings together into a coherent project. Most of the time, if students are good at researching, writing, and clearly presenting their knowledge, they will not have much of a problem with the EPQ.

While getting an A in any subject is difficult, getting an A in the EPQ is easier than getting an A in an A-level. Due to the independent nature of the EPQ, a student that works hard in this area will be able to explore a topic they love while also getting a great additional qualification.

Around 50% of students will get an A* or an A in the EPQ, based on the 2022 EPQ results released by AQA.

Does Oxbridge Care About EPQ?

Both the University of Oxford and the University of Cambridge have issued statements that show they are both interested in the EPQ. Oxford says that the EPQ won’t impact an offer, but it will show that a student has the academic research skills that are needed to thrive in their environment.

Equally, Cambridge has stated that EPQ is a welcome addition to any application as it shows great “Independent study and research skills”, both of which are “valuable to higher education”. That means that Oxbridge does care about EPQ, seeing it as a valuable addition to a student’s application.

While it won’t make or break an application, any solid qualification like the EPQ is a welcome addition.

Can You Fail an EPQ?

Yes, you can fail the EPQ. If you’re in a position where you expect a very low grade in your EPQ, you could talk to your school about dropping the qualification. Many students who are struggling enlist the help of an EPQ tutor to help them achieve a passing grade. We recommend that you try and complete your EPQ, even if it gets a low grade, as you’ll still gain UCAS points from an EPQ with a low grade.

How Many People Take the EPQ Each Year?

Taking the EPQ is actually incredibly common, with many students across the UK and beyond taking this qualification every single year. Based on statistics by UCAS, around 30,000 students take the EPQ every year.

These numbers were once slightly skewed as the EPQ was a mandatory segment of the Progression and Level 3 Advanced Diplomas, which have now been dissolved.

What Are the Best EPQ Ideas?

The vert best EPQ Ideas are the ones that you naturally connect with. Take a look at what A-Levels you’re currently studying. If you’re taking A Level Maths, A Level Physics, and A Level Biology, then something about science would be a great choice. As you’re passionate about those subjects, an EPQ in that area will be much easier for you.

That said, if you’re studying A Level English, A Level History, and A Level History, then something from those areas will be much more appropriate. Be sure to match your EPQ ideas with the subjects that you have a passion for. If you’d like a helping hand, then be sure to check out our list of 400+ EPQ ideas and examples , covering all subjects.

In that list, we break down the best EPQ ideas for different subjects, helping you find inspiration for your extended project qualification.

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Professional tutor and Cambridge University researcher

Written by: Dr Rahil Sachak-Patwa

Rahil spent ten years working as private tutor, teaching students for GCSEs, A-Levels, and university admissions. During his PhD he published papers on modelling infectious disease epidemics and was a tutor to undergraduate and masters students for mathematics courses.

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EPQs: writing up your dissertation

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.

See previous article in series: Finding and using evidence

Writing up your dissertation.

Being able to communicate well is an essential skill for both university and working life. One of the aims of the EPQ is to help you develop your skills in using different communication tools, so you can communicate what you have found clearly and appropriately for different audiences.

Communication is also a vital part of the research cycle. The progress of research thrives on the exchange, review and discussion of ideas. Writing is one of the ways in which we communicate what we have found out and share it with others. 

Sharing the results of your research by writing well and effectively gives your readers the opportunity to learn from the work you have done.

This article offers suggestions and support for developing your skills in writing in the academic style that is needed for your EPQ dissertation.

Getting organised .

It’s worth considering a few practical points first. The start of writing is a good time to gather your material together and get yourself organised. 

• Don’t lose your work
• Timings & deadlines
• Organise your records
• Laying out the document
• Tables, graphs and charts

You don’t want to find yourself a few days – or hours – from the submission deadline when a computer breakdown or accident means you lose everything you’ve done.

It has happened before, and you don’t want it to happen to you!

Build a routine for backups into your work pattern. For example, when you sit down to write, save a copy (named, for example, Version 1, Version 2 ... Version 25 ...) of the existing document before you make any changes.

And back up your backup. Once a week, make a backup copy of your files (your dissertation, your notes and the resources you have collected) to an external hard drive, memory stick or cloud storage.

Work out how much time you have to write your dissertation, and how much time you want to allocate to each section. (There’ll be more on this shortly under ‘Structuring the dissertation – Start with the structure’.)

Make sure you know – and have written down! – the deadlines for submitting your dissertation, including deadlines for any draft versions your teacher might want to see. Use these to help plan your writing time.

There are many tools to choose from to keep yourself on track.  For example, you could create a table with a list of tasks.

Or you could make a simple Gantt chart, using a spreadsheet. If you use Microsoft Excel, it has some Gantt chart templates. The advantage of a Gantt chart is that it makes it easier to see how you can overlap some tasks, and you can mark important milestones such as submission deadlines .

As you have gone through the process of collecting and analysing the evidence you need to answer your research question, you will have gathered records of:

• what you looked for (the search terms you used in your searches)
• where you looked (search engines, websites, etc.)
• what you read / watched / listened to (academic papers, articles, videos, podcasts, etc.)
• the notes you made on your reading, listening and watching
• the data you have gathered.

All these sources contribute to the content of your written dissertation. Hopefully you have good records, but if you got a bit behind, now is the time to sort them out and remind yourself what you did and what you found out.

If you need a reminder of what information you need to keep, look back at  Article 2 – Finding and using evidence .

Organising your records and keeping a note of the sources you mention in the text as you write helps you build a comprehensive reference list.

There is more information on how to set out your reference list later in this article (see ‘Structuring the dissertation – Referencing styles’ ).

Laying out your document in a clear and neat style helps make your readers’ life easier.

For the  text , use a classic font such as Arial, Helvetica or Times New Roman. It’s best to avoid quirky fonts such as Comic Sans, or difficult to read fonts such as Lucida handwriting.

For easy reading, the  font  shouldn’t be too small. 11 or 12 point is a popular choice for the main (or body) text, which is usually black in colour. You can use larger fonts for headings and sub-headings, and perhaps make them bold or a different colour.

Generous margins also make the document easier to read. As a guide, around half the area of the page should be white space; on an A4 page, that means margins of about 2cm all round.

Use the paragraph styling tool . It’s well worth investing some time learning to use paragraph styling in  Microsoft Word  and  Mac Pages ; it can really speed up the creation of long documents and help you produce good-looking work.

This tool gives you control over the appearance of the text in your document. For example, you can use it to include automatic numbering for your headings ( Word  or  Pages ). This means you don’t have to manually change all the numbering if you insert a new heading or delete one that is no longer useful. You can also use automatic numbering for figure and table captions. Or, if you decide you don’t like the font you have used, you can change it in the paragraph style and it will be changed throughout the document.

Some kinds of evidence – such as numeric data – work well when displayed as graphs, charts and tables.

Readers should be able to make sense of the graph, chart or table without explanation.

Look at Table 2. Is it clear what information the creator wanted to share?

A better example can be seen below in Table 3:

Graphs and charts need titles too. They should also have axis titles (naming what is plotted on each axis, with the relevant units) and axis labels (the values plotted).

When it comes to plotting graphs, using different shapes or line styles can help readers distinguish different data points or collections of data on a single graph. You can use contrasting colours, but keep in mind that too many colours can be distracting for the reader. And some readers – for example, people who are colour-blind or have vision problems – might not be able to distinguish between certain colours, so choose carefully.

Look at Figure 3. Does it have all the elements of a good graph? Could anything be improved?

This has many of the requirements of a good graph. The title explains what the graph is about, the axes are labelled and the four search terms are each given their own colour, with a key to show which is which.

It could be made better by:

• making the graph larger, so that the four lines are more separate
• choosing different colours – the orange for ‘Perseverance’ and the yellow for ‘astrobiology’ are difficult to distinguish from each other.

Evidently, something interesting must have happened in mid-February to cause this spike in searches – you might remember that on 18 February 2021, the NASA Mars Perseverance Rover mission landed on Mars!

Structuring the dissertation .

Facing a blank page and the prospect of writing 5000 or so words can feel daunting. But you can structure the way you write to help make the task easier.

• Start with the structure
• Facing the blank page
• The narrative arc
• Finishing things off
• Referencing styles

Starting with the structure will help you consider how you want the dissertation to flow, and how to allocate your time and effort.

This example, taken from the Edexcel documentation, gives a suggested word count for the different sections of a ‘research review’ dissertation. All the exam boards publish their requirements, so you should  check the requirements for your board and the type of EPQ you are doing .

A ‘research review’ dissertation would probably follow something like the structure above. For other kinds of project, check with your teacher or look at the exam board’s requirements.  Knowing what structure the exam board is expecting helps you to know where to focus your effort.

In Table 4, you can see that the biggest section of the dissertation is the discussion/development/analysis of the argument, so it would make sense to spend the largest part of your writing time on this section. Look back at the Gantt chart under ‘Getting organised – Tables, graphs and charts’ for an example of time allocated in this way.

You’ve opened a new document.  You know the sections you need to include.

How do you get started on the sentences that will fill the gaps in between?  Two researchers offered suggestions from their experience.

Robert, a space scientist, says he usually works out the first paragraph in his head before sitting down to write.

• Ann’s summary

This is how Charlotte described her approach. First step, open a Word document!

Second step, write titles and sub-headings on the page. These can be working titles that you can come back to and polish once you have developed the document. But getting that structure down on the page is a key step for Charlotte in building the document and working out how the manuscript is going to flow. Once she’s broken the document up into sections, it feels much less daunting for her. Instead of starting at word one of six thousand, she’s working on smaller, more manageable chunks – word one of a hundred, or two hundred.

Step three is to write down the aims, objectives and scope of the document. And then she goes on to write the conclusions. And she says yes, that’s not a typo – if you’ve done a good job of researching the topic, developing the aims and objectives and making your notes, then writing the conclusion first should be relatively easy. The benefit of writing the end of your manuscript before the beginning is that you’re less likely to go off on tangents when you’re writing the rest of the manuscript, because you know where you’re heading.

If you feel you’ve thoroughly researched your topic and you’re still finding it hard to work out what your conclusions are, then it may be a good idea to turn your research notes into a presentation, during which you can ask yourself ‘what key message do I want the audience to walk away with?’, and that will be your conclusion.

Step five: write the remaining sections of the dissertation, justifying and building your arguments for each conclusion.

Charlotte’s main points

Charlotte’s steps are:

• Open a Word document!
• Write titles and sub-headings on the page.
• Write down the aims, objectives and scope of the document.
• Write the conclusion – ask yourself ‘what key message do I want the audience to walk away with?’
• Write the remaining sections, justifying and building your arguments for each conclusion.

Headings and sub-headings

Charlotte described how she likes to set up the headings and sub-headings that structure her writing, even though she knows they might change as the document develops.

Using descriptive headings, such as ‘The history of ...’ tells the reader what to expect in that section or chapter. This is sometimes called ‘signposting’, because the headings and sub-headings guide the reader around your work. 

As well as descriptive headings, you can number your headings and sub-headings: 

• Section 1: An introduction to… 
• Section 1.1 : The history of ... 

This means you can refer the reader back and forth (e.g. ‘see Section 1.2’), which cuts down repetition and wasted words.

Both approaches have the merit of getting something on to the blank page, which makes it look much less scary.

Whether you start with an opening paragraph, a set of headings, or another method that works for you, getting those first few words on the page is one of the biggest hurdles to clear.

Narrative – the story thread that runs through any piece of work we create – is important in any piece of writing.  Stories keep people’s attention, as storytellers have known for hundreds of years. Writers, broadcasters and podcasters continue to make use of this fact today.

One way to think about how you shape your story is to consider its narrative arc. Yes, even the most ‘science-y’ of dissertations has a story.

Click on the crosses on Figure 6 to find out more about the components of the narrative arc.

Figure 6   The narrative arc

Points on the narrative arc

Description : A parabolic curve representing the narrative arc of a story. The first half of the curve rises to a peak, showing the points that   build interest  in the story. The second half falls back to the baseline, showing how we  reflect   on the details of the story and bring it to a close.

– In the Introduction , attract the reader’s attention at the start, perhaps by telling them what got you interested in the question; a personal interest, an ambition or a desire to know more about a topic.

– In the Introduction , describe the journey to your research question. Make sure you do actually tell your reader what your question is (you’d be surprised how often people forget that!)

Information

– In the Research Review section, you show the reader how you found your evidence; tell them about the keywords you used, the mindmaps, flowcharts, tables you made; what information was important and what was not; what stayed in and what didn’t.

– This is your analysis of the material you found, showing how you pulled together the information you uncovered in your review and what it meant for your question. However, this isn’t an absolute rule; where you put the analysis depends on the kind of dissertation you are writing.

– Tell the reader what you found out and how it relates to what is already known.

– Use the Conclusion to round off your story. What’s the answer to your research question? What did you discover? What’s still not known?

There are a couple of sections of the dissertation that are best dealt with towards the end of the writing process: abstract and bibliography.

The abstract

At the beginning of the dissertation, you should provide a short summary or abstract.

An abstract is like a trailer for a film or television programme. It gives the reader a sense of what’s in the dissertation. However, unlike a trailer, it’s OK to give away the ending! Someone who only reads the abstract, and never looks at the dissertation, should still understand the scope of your work.

For this reason, it’s easier to write the abstract towards the end of your writing time, when you have a complete picture of your work in your mind.

The abstract is usually quite short (perhaps only 200 words) and is written in one paragraph. That’s not much space, so what should you include?

A typical abstract would tell the reader:

• why  you did this research –  the question you set out to answer
• how  you did the research –  the methods you used to collect the data and where you looked for it
• what  you found out –  a summary of your main findings
• the  key message  –  the answer to your question; if your readers could remember just one thing from your dissertation, this would be it.

One way to approach writing the abstract is to read through your dissertation section by section. For each section, write one or two sentences that summarise the main point. Click on ‘example’ to see what we mean.

The use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is growing rapidly among young people, but the usefulness and safety of some therapies is controversial. Therefore, I investigated the question: what are the best places to reach young people with information about CAM?

Using Google Scholar, I searched for articles using different combinations of these search terms: ‘alternative medicine’, ‘complementary medicine’, understanding, knowledge, motivation, CAM. I filtered the results to keep only articles that related to the use of CAM by young people. I defined ‘young’ as people under the age of 25. I downloaded twenty complete papers, articles and other resources from open access sources and the Open University research repository.

Use of CAM by young people has increased since 2000. Young women use CAM more than young men. The most common sources for getting information about CAM are friends and family and social media.

Key message

The best way to provide information for young people about CAM is through social media.

Take away the headings and polish the sentences and you have an abstract:

The use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is growing rapidly among young people, but the usefulness and safety of some therapies is controversial. Therefore, I investigated the question: what are the best places to reach young people with information about CAM? Using Google Scholar, I searched for articles using different combinations of these search terms: ‘alternative medicine’, ‘complementary medicine’, understanding, knowledge, motivation, CAM. I filtered the results to keep only articles that related to the use of CAM by young people. I defined ‘young’ as people under the age of 25. My search found twenty relevant papers, articles and other resources, which I downloaded from open access sources and the Open University research repository. My results show that young people’s most common sources for information about CAM are friends and family and social media. Therefore, I believe that using social media is the best way to provide information about CAM for young people.

The bibliography or reference list

The last thing to include in your dissertation is the bibliography or reference list * .

Your reference list shows the people who read (and mark!) your dissertation how well you have researched your subject and how your arguments are supported by evidence from other people’s research. 

It is also evidence of how you have been open and honest in your work. Readers can use it to find the sources that you used and check that you have read and used them correctly. 

Using your reference list, a reader should be able to find that source for themselves if they want to follow up an idea or check something you have written. Including a reference list helps you avoid plagiarism (passing off someone else’s work as your own), because readers can check the original source if they have any doubts.

If you need a reminder of what information you should keep, look back at  ‘Finding and using evidence – Keeping track’ .

* A reference list is a list of all references to other people’s work that you have mentioned in your dissertation. A bibliography is a list of references, plus the background readings or other material that you have read but not actually mentioned.

The Open University Library Services’  Referencing and plagiarism   page has lots of help and pointers to further information about references and referencing styles.

If you go on to study at university, and have to write essays, assignments and reports, you will be asked to set out – or ‘style’ – reference lists in a specific way. There are many different referencing styles; which one you are asked to use will depend on the subject you are studying and the university’s requirements.

For the EPQ, check the requirements of your exam board or ask your teacher what these are.

Even if you aren’t asked to use a specific style, you should aim to include as much information about the sources as possible. The minimum information would be:

• the authors’ (or creators’) names
• the year the source was published
• the title of the article or book chapter, or the name of the artwork, film or video
• the title of the journal or the book in which the article/chapter appeared
• for books – the name of the publisher
• for online sources – the name of the website and the page on which the article appeared, the URL of the website, and the date on which you read the article*.

*The date you found the article is important for online sources, as websites sometimes disappear or are changed. If the reader can’t find the same article but knows when you found it, that suggests they can trust the source.

These examples are laid out in the Harvard referencing style, which is a style used in many university subjects.

Books and ebooks

Surname, Initial. (Year of publication) Title . Edition if later than first. Place of publication: publisher. Series and volume number if relevant.

Mukherjee, S. (2011)  The Emperor of all Maladies .  London: Fourth Estate.

Article from an academic journal

Surname, Initial. (Year of publication) ‘Title of article’, Title of Journal , volume number (issue number), page reference. Doi: doi number if available OR Available at: URL (Accessed date)

Ungar, S. (2008) ‘Global bird flu communication: hot crisis and media reassurance’,  Science Communication ,  29(4), 472-497. DOI: 10.1177/1075547008316219

Article from a newspaper or magazine

Surname, Initial. (Year of publication) ‘Title of article’, Title of Newspaper , Day and month, Page reference if available. Available at: URL (Accessed: date).

Rice-Oxley, M. (2021) ‘Do good things come to those who wait?’,  The Guardian ,  26 February. Available at https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/feb/26/do-good-things-come-to-those-who-wait (Accessed 26 February 2021).

Organisation (Year that the page was last updated) Title of web page . Available at: URL (Accessed: date).

BBC Online (2020) How New Zealand relied on science and empathy . Available at: bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-52344299 (Accessed 17 September 2020).

Writing clearly .

Good writing takes time, effort and energy. Being able to produce clear, readable, logical and well-argued pieces of writing is important in both university and in your working life.

• Precise & concise
• Keep it simple
• A word about style
• Quoting others

Blaise Pascal was a seventeenth-century mathematician, physicist, inventor, philosopher and writer.  He once wrote:

‘ Je n’ai fait celle-ci plus longue que parce que je n’ai pas eu le loisir de la faire plus courte ’ .

–Blaise Pascal, Provincial Letters, Letter XVI, December 1656.

Translation:  ‘I wrote this very long [letter] because I didn’t have the time to make it shorter’.

What do you think Pascal meant by this?

Claire, whose research looks for evidence of how we might ‘ sniff’ for life , produced a mind map of what she thinks Pascal meant (Figure 9). The audio below describes her process.

Claire’s mind map takes us on quite a journey. Starting from Pascal’s premise that it’s better to write short than long, slower than quicker, makes her think about the need for concision, to look for concise words, words that are specific and measured, not being confusing, the need to choose the right word. Not always easy in English, where one word can have a variety of meanings. 

She suggest perhaps using a thesaurus, but that could lead down the pathway of having too many words to choose from and not being able to decide which one to pick. Thinking about the dissertation, she introduces a word we all dread – waffling! No one wants to be a waffler, and giving too much information might make your readers’ heads explode. 

And yet we must explain our concepts, because we want our writing to be understood by everyone but that means a balance with explaining too much. We need to give enough detail to make our point understood, and scientific, if it’s that kind of research question, without being too complicated. All in all, it comes down to the need to simplify.

More tips from Ann

As Pascal – and Claire – suggest, taking out what isn’t needed is as important as putting in what is.

Writing clearly and to the point takes time, effort and energy. Allow yourself plenty of time to draft, review, get feedback, edit ... draft again, review again, get more feedback, edit again … … check, proof-read, finish.

As we established earlier, your dissertation will have a word allowance. EdExcel, for example, suggests a research review dissertation should be around 6000 words. That sounds like a lot, but then, you’ve done a lot of work that needs to be included.

The exact figure will depend on the exam board’s requirements and the kind of EPQ you have carried out, so check before you start writing, or ask your teacher.

The best writers keep things as simple as possible. It’s a way of being kind to your readers and making the task of reading easier.

However, keeping things simple isn’t simple. As Steve Jobs, the designer and co-founder of Apple said: ‘Simple can be harder than complex: you have to work hard to get your thinking clean to make it simple’. The same applies to writing.

When you’ve done a complex piece of work, it’s tempting to think you can only describe it in complex language. But you should try to avoid the pitfall of using over-complicated language. You don’t want to run the risk of sounding pompous or making your text too difficult to understand.

You’ve almost certainly come across simple questions with unnecessarily complicated answers before. Here’s an example. Which is the best answer to this question?

The Up Goer Five challenge

To practise writing in simple language, you can take the Up Goer Five challenge. This is a project by the artist Randall Monroe, creator of  XKCD . 

The challenge is to explain a  hard idea using only the ‘ten hundred’ most common words  in the English language.  As an example, how might we explain ‘astrobiology’?:

We think about where we might find living things. We take stuff from places – dry places, cold places, hot places – and we put it in stuff that we think has what living things need to grow. We wait, then we use a seeing-small-things tool to look for the living things. At the moment, we look at stuff from here but one day, we want to look at stuff from other stars.

Have a go at using the  Up Goer Five text editor  (which has a  link to the ten hundred most common words ) to explain an idea related to your research topic. If you find it tricky to think of an idea, here are a few to get you started:

• global warming and its consequences
• what causes earthquakes
• the problems caused by the misuse of antibiotics.

You wouldn’t write your dissertation in this style, but experimenting with writing like this helps develop skills in keeping things simple, avoiding jargon and complicated language and writing in short sentences and paragraphs.

We all write in different ways every day, depending on who we’re writing for. The style of a textbook is different from the style of a WhatsApp message; we write an email to a family member in a different style from the way we would write a personal statement for a university application.

When we write anything, we start by thinking about our readers and the kind of writing they are expecting to see.

For the EPQ dissertation, start by checking the requirements of the exam board you are studying with. It is very likely that the exam board will want the dissertation to be written in a formal style; the kind of style you will have seen in the academic articles and books you drew on in your research.

Plagiarism is presenting someone else’s work as your own. It is, essentially, theft of someone else’s work. 

Learning alongside a friend, discussing ideas or sharing your thoughts can be helpful and valuable. We have also encouraged you to take notes on everything that you find. So, it is likely that you have ideas you want to present in your report that are not entirely your own.

Plagiarism can occur in a variety of ways. It can mean copying someone else’s text and passing it off as your own, or copying and pasting text/images from a web page and pretending they are your own work. It can also overlap with what is called ‘collusion’, which means collaborating with someone to share work on a task that you are expected to complete by yourself.

Try this interactive resource from OpenLearn to understand some of the challenges and ways to avoid plagiarism. This is aimed at university students, but it will be relevant for the EPQ.

All my own work

Plagiarism comes in all shapes and forms. Step into the shoes of a university student to learn the challenges and temptations facing her during her assignment, and help make it all her own work.

Level: 1 Introductory

There will be points in your dissertation when you want to present ideas that have come from someone else’s work. How can you do this while avoiding plagiarism?

Identify your sources

If you have used an image, graph or chart created by someone else, identify where the image has come from and who made it.

You might remember this image from  Article 1 , in the section on dealing with feedback.

This image comes from an online picture library, creazilla.com. They have placed it in the ‘public domain’, which means it can be re-used freely. Show this information in the image caption within your work.

If you create a graph, chart or table yourself, identify the source of the data, as you saw earlier in ‘ Getting organised – Tables, graphs and charts ’.

If you find a phrase or a sentence in a source that helpfully illustrates a point you are trying to make, you can quote that in your work. You must quote it exactly as the authors wrote it. After the quote, you give the name of the author, the date of publication and the page where the quote is from. Then give the full reference in your reference list (see ‘ Structuring the dissertation – Referencing styles ’). For example:

This shows that the format of an infographic can influence people’s responses to the evidence. For example, ‘ graphs commonly used to show descriptive statistics, such as line or area graphs, may also appear “scientific” and create a pseudo sense of trustworthiness ’ (Li et al., 2018, p. 4).

The quote marks (‘…’) show which words are the quote.  

We use the Latin phrase ‘et al.’ (meaning ‘and others’) when an article has more than three authors, so that the reader doesn’t have to read through a long list of names. In the reference list, you would see the full list of authors along with the other source details:

Li, N., Brossard, D., Scheufele, D., Wilson, P. and Rose, K. (2018) ‘Communicating data: interactive infographics, scientific data and credibility’,  Journal of Science Communication, 17(2), A06. DOI: 10.22323/2.17020206

When you paraphrase, you express an idea that has come from someone else in your own words. You might do this to re-state the idea in simpler language, or to bring together the ideas of several writers on the same topic. Paraphrasing can also help you show that any new ideas you’ve put together from your research are supported by earlier research.

You should show where the ideas you have paraphrased came from, but because you are not directly quoting, you need only give the authors’ names and the date of publication. For example:

My survey of fifty young people aged 16 to 18 showed that their social media posts were most often connected with current events. This is supported by earlier research, which shows that the most common topics for young people’s posts are current events, health and fitness, and celebrity and entertainment news, closely followed by science and technology (Hargittai, Füchslin & Schäfer, 2018) .

In the reference list, you would see:

Hargittai, E., Füchslin, T. and Schäfer, M. (2018) ‘How do young adults engage with science and research on social media?’,  Social Media + Society, July-September 2018, 1-10, DOI: 10.1177/205630511879772

Although your dissertation must be all your own work, you can ask for help to review what you have written.

How do you ask for help, then, while keeping the dissertation all your own work and avoiding plagiarism?

Reviews – who and when?

Before you ask someone to review your work, you can check some things for yourself. 

Check the  spelling  and  grammar . Microsoft Word has built-in tools, or you can use online ones such as  Grammarly . The more technically correct your writing is, the more your reviewers will be able to focus their energy on the content.

Then  read it all through yourself . Some people like to read through silently, line by line, others prefer to read the text out loud. You can record yourself and listen back later, or use the Read Aloud function in Word, if you’re using that software. This has the advantage of using a different part of your brain – when you listen, you hear mistakes that you just don’t see in writing.

After you have reviewed it yourself, ask others to do the same. Getting someone else’s feedback on your work is immensely valuable. This is where you can collaborate with friends or classmates – if you ask them to review your work, you can offer to review theirs. And families can help too; even if they don’t know anything about your topic, the questions they ask will help you review your work.

• Michael asks for help
• Who could you ask for help?

Listen to the audio in the next tab about how Michael, who is a microbiologist, asks for help. When does he do this, and who does he ask?

Michael turns to his colleagues, his family and his senior colleagues at work. He asks for help at different stages: perhaps when he’s struggling a little, when he’s written the first draft and later on at the final stages, when he’s finished editing.

For Michael, feedback is incredibly important, not only for the actual content of the work, but for assessing how easy it is to understand. And he felt it’s always important to consider reviews of our writing from the viewpoint that the reviewer wants to help us improve our work, not criticise it. In terms of who he asks, first he calls on his peers; when he was at school, friends in his class and year, and now his colleagues, who can comment on the content of the work and how easy it is for them to follow. When he was at school, he also turned to his parents. During high school, his parents helped with input on grammar, spelling and how easy it was to understand. Now, his wife performs that role. As he says, by having someone from outside the field review your work, you can gain valuable insights. He also thinks about his seniors – in his current job, his senior colleagues will read multiple drafts of a manuscript before it’s complete. This is always an advantage – it allows him to get input from someone more experienced and means the work is improved.

In terms of when, he asks for help when he’s struggling, perhaps to find the right direction for a piece of work. Discussing the work with a friend or a teacher can start him developing insights on where it should start. Certainly after completing and spell-checking a first draft, he’ll ask for help.

And of course it’s always important to go back and review after editing, because when you change a piece of work, it’s easy to introduce errors, as well as fix them.

Conclusion.

Other articles in this series...

EPQs: designing your research question

You’ve already decided to do an EPQ, so it might seem a little odd to start this resource by asking you to consider why you want to do a research project. People do an EPQ for all sorts of reasons. Why do you want to do an EPQ?

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: why give a presentation?

What are the guidelines for the presentation?

Become an OU student

Ratings & comments, share this free course, copyright information, publication details.

• Originally published: Friday, 3 March 2023
• Body text - Creative Commons BY-NC-SA 4.0 : The Open University
• Image 'Graph of the EPQ cycle' - Copyright: Ann Grand
• Image 'Comparison of four search terms used in Google in the UK from Jan to May 2021.' - Copyright: Ann Grand
• Image 'Robert, a space scientist.' - Copyright: Robert from AstrobiologyOU
• Image 'Sketch of Blaise Pascal' - Copyright: Wikimedia Commons
• Image 'Photo of Claire' - Copyright: Claire Batty
• Image 'Claire's mind map' - Copyright: Claire Batty
• Image 'Screenshot from the UpGoer project' - Copyright: XKCD
• Image 'Responses to feedback ' - Copyright: creazilla.com Public Domain boy crying angry woman happy man
• Image 'Photo of Michael' - Copyright: Michael Macey
• Image 'Extended Project Qualification banner' - Copyright: ©  Betta0147  |  Dreamstime.com
• Image 'All my own work' - The Open University under Creative Commons BY-NC-SA 4.0 license
• Image 'EPQs: why give a presentation?' - Alphabet Yellow © Betta0147 | Dreamstime.com under Creative Commons BY-NC-SA 4.0 license
• Image 'EPQs: writing up your dissertation' - © Betta0147 | Dreamstime.com under Creative Commons BY-NC-SA 4.0 license
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How to Do an EPQ Outside of School – Your Question’s Answered

In A-Level by Think Student Editor May 15, 2021 Leave a Comment

To be put simply, an EPQ is known as an Extended Project Qualification. It is an independent research  project  which involves either writing a 5,000-word essay or creating a product with a 1,000-word essay alongside it. This can be taken by students in both England and Wales and is the equivalent to 50% of an A-Level. With this additional half grade, it could be vital for a student to get into their first choice of university. However, some students may want to do an EPQ outside of a school setting due to many reasons, which can come with a variety of both advantages and limitations.     

In short,  an EPQ can be done outside of school . It is far easier to  organise  if the student is already part of a sixth form or  college.  However,  this can be done without  these  institutions,  but  it will be more difficult and incur added costs.  EPQ courses can be done in-person or online.  Generally  online  EPQ courses range between £30-50 however some of the best courses can be in the realms of £100-£200.  S ign ing  up to these courses  is very easy  all you need is your basic information (name, age, address etc).  S t udents  find they have  more freedom  with online courses  whereas in-person courses provide students with more support .    

This article will go over some of the main  elements  to consider when thinking of completing an EPQ outside of a school environment and it will give you a clear insight into how to begin your EPQ journey.   

Table of Contents

Is It Possible to Do an EPQ Outside of School?

The quick and simple answer to this question is  yes , i t is possible.  However, there  are   key requirements that need to be met in order to make it possible.  

Firstly, it  massively  helps if  you are   enrolled into either a sixth form or college that  is  registered with the  associated  exam centre  (for example, AQA) . This is so that the finished product  can  be submitted for marking  via a formal educational institution  and project supervisors can be provided . It is also essential to check with your enrolled school that you are able to do your extended project externally. Without  the help of a college ,  it can be costly and difficult to arrange . This means that it can sometimes become  unrealistic for people , so it is really worth running the idea by your college.   

Throughout certain stages of your EPQ  project,  the re are  people that you will   need to stay in contact with, known as Supervisors . They can give general advice or check in to see that all deadlines are being met. For example, to check that you are not falling behind or have written enough in time for when your final product must be submitted.  It is merely essential to have a supervisor during the stages of your extended project journey  to have regular contact and check-ups with.   

There are certain  websites   which offer online EPQ courses which can be taken to complete one outside of school.   An example website is  he re .  Some universities create these courses for pupils currently studying A-Levels to help prepare them for some of the most important years of their lives. They are able to offer help and advice over a course of a number of weeks, and hopefully by the end you should have a well-written EPQ essay. These are created for those wanting to do an EPQ outside of a school environment and can give useful tips on where to begin.   

How Do You Apply for an Online EPQ Course?  

Online EPQ courses can be offered by a number of different places and universities. To apply you mostly will  only need some basic information, such as, your name, age,  email   and address.  Depending on which course you choose, you may need some billing information to pay for your  course. Some simple courses may be free; however, others can offer upgrades to better courses, but again, with an upgrade they will not be free and will still be costly.  

It must also be considered that it may be difficult to then get it marked and graded if you are not enrolled into either a school or college as you need someone registered with the required exam centre, this will then also have to be paid for or found a way round. But even still, if you have a home tutor, and they work with a local sixth form, this may still be possible if they manage to get you a place within their EPQ programme.   

How Much Do Online EPQ Courses Cost?

Different websites and universities may offer a number of different courses. For example, there may either be short or long courses. This means that prices will vary for what type of course you eventually choose to take.   

For a short online EPQ course, which can be accessed and completed over a certain number of weeks, can be offered for free. Such as, the University of Bath offer this type of service which can be  found  here .   Whereas, if you feel you will need a bit longer with a few more benefits and more access, such as extra advice, prices can be  around £30 to  £50  at the minimum  for a good course.  An example of one of these cheaper courses can be found  here.    

However, if you are wanting one of  the best courses  that most places offer with almost unlimited access,  freedom,  and flexibility then prices will seriously increase. They will most likely be around  £100 to £200.   An example  course in this price bracket can be found  here.   However  the highe st quality courses   can actually be  up to £3,250 an example of this can be found  here.   Y ou must have the financial stability  to pay for what you’d like to get out of your education. This of course is not possible for some students, depending on their personal situations. But there are other options for those who are not able to pay for one of the best quality courses. Which is why there is most likely a place for everyone.   

Is an Online EPQ Course Just as Good as an In Person One?   

The short and quick answer for this is  yes and no , they are both as useful as each other but in a number of different ways.  These  courses are created by teachers and people employed by a school, college/sixth form or university who are highly qualified to give the correct advice that is useful to those participating.   

Online EPQ courses will most certainly be done via pre-made PowerPoints uploaded to fit when and where in the course you get up to that matches the correct level you are at. These are filled with the suitable information and step-by-step guides to help you start your EPQ. This will range from how to undertake relevant research to choose your project to the correct structure of your final piece. However, there is technicalities to this. For example,  there is not constant support from teachers as there is with in person courses.  

Choosing the correct course can be difficult. Lots of information should be looked  at, including  reading   reviews from other pupils who have used it in the past. This will be a great insight into picking the right course for you .  You may also be able to get in touch with the place or website that is offering the online course via email, if you have any additional questions, before paying or starting your free trial.   

In person EPQ courses will be similar, but much more hands on.  What I mean by this is that they will offer the same content and advice, however, it will  be much easier to ask teachers questions  and extra pieces of information you wish to know that are not covered within that meeting. In person courses you will have teachers constantly on hand to answer anything you may be curious about. Instead of waiting for a response via email if you are doing an online course.  

For any extra information or advice on EPQ’s and what to expect, there are some articles written by students  here  who have experienced the process of writing and completing an extended project before, via the Think Student website.   

What Are Some Pros and Cons of Online Courses  v s In – Person Courses?  

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