Undertaking Primary Research (Edexcel GCSE Citizenship Studies): Revision Note

Preparing primary research

• Primary research is research that you collect yourself

  • Examiners want to see that you have gathered first-hand evidence to understand your issue properly and to help you decide what action to take.

Identifying and sequencing research questions

• You should start by writing clear research questions linked directly to your issue

  • For example, “How aware are students of mental health support in our school?”

• Good research questions are specific, not too broad

  • Avoid questions like “Is bullying bad?” as the answer is obvious

• You should also sequence your questions so they make sense

  • For example, first ask about awareness, then opinions, then possible solutions

• Examiners reward students who can explain why their questions were chosen

Carrying out primary research

Surveys and questionnaires

• Surveys are useful when you want to collect quantitative data, such as numbers or percentages

• Surveys use questionnaires which need to be constructed carefully

  • Use short, clear questions and avoid leading people to a certain answer

    • Instead of “Don’t you agree the canteen food is unhealthy?”, ask “How healthy do you think the canteen food is?”

  • Include a mix of multiple-choice and scale questions

    • For example, rating awareness from 1 to 5

• Try to survey a range of people, not just friends, to make your results more reliable

• When analysing results, look for patterns, such as common views or strong trends

Interviews

• Interviews are helpful when you want detailed opinions and explanations

• You might interview a teacher, local councillor, charity worker or community leader

• Prepare your questions in advance, but allow people to expand on their answers

• Ask open questions, such as “What do you think is the main problem with…?”

• Take notes or record answers (with permission), as this evidence is useful in the exam

• Examiners value interviews because they show depth and engagement

Focus groups

• A focus group involves discussing the issue with a small group of people

• This method is useful for exploring different viewpoints and encouraging discussion

• You should act as a neutral facilitator, not dominate the conversation

• Ask follow-up questions if people disagree, as this shows awareness of multiple perspectives

• Focus groups are particularly effective when researching school or community issues

Observations

• Observation involves watching behaviour rather than asking questions

  • For example, observing how many students use recycling bins during lunchtime

• You should decide what you are looking for before observing

• Record what you see clearly, such as tally charts or brief notes

• This method works best when combined with another form of primary research

• Examiners like observations because they provide objective evidence

Analysing your primary research

• Once research is complete, you should analyse the results, not just describe them

  • Identify what the evidence shows about the problem and what it suggests should happen next

• Your findings should help you decide which action is most suitable

• You should be able to explain how your research directly influenced your final action choice