Evaluation

Evaluation of my Presentation:

Using the peer review sheets written during my presentation, I have been able to put together a list of things for my evaluation. 

Positives:

• My presentation was aimed well at a non-specialist audience. I made sure not to use any terms which people wouldn't understand. I briefly outlined each of my case studies so that they got a general overview of my chosen film adaptations. I explained each slide in detail, making sure nobody was confused with any of the information I was sharing. 
• There was a good balance between the EPQ progress and my topic findings. I didn't want to overpower my presentation with just purely research as it would be too overwhelming for an audience, and difficult to understand in ten minutes. I instead gave a balanced presentation, focussing on my journey of the EPQ process, partnered with the key information and summaries of my research. 
• I spoke in a confident and relaxed way. I tried not to rush what I was saying and remain calm whilst presenting to a group. I have definitely improved my public speaking skills as the presentation was something I was nervous about when starting the project. 
• I responded to questions with quality responses. I knew I had a good knowledge on my project so I could answer the questions confidently. When my own opinions were asked about, I made sure you back them up with evidence and explain in enough detail for the audience to get the answers they required. 
• Since I hadn't put too much information on my powerpoint, I was able to expand on each point and explain things for myself. It was more effective than piling loads of text onto the slides and just reading it off robotically. 
• I created an engaging powerpoint which was interesting to look at and had good balance between images and text. It partnered well with my own knowledge, but didn't distract from what I was saying.
• I encouraged people to go back and read books of adaptations they've watched by bringing them to their attention, such as the Bridgerton series. 

Negatives: 

• I could have included some more information from the research itself such as how I compared each film and book. I could have discussed the reliability of websites such as Goodreads and Rotten Tomatoes as reviewing websites. 
• I felt that sometimes what I was saying could be quite repetitive, especially when discussing my aims. The issue of time management was spoken about a lot. 

My presentation was in front of four members of staff and three EPQ students. I introduced my topic and explained my basic aims of the project so that they understood what the presentation was going to be about. I then spoke about why I picked that topic, which included things about my passion for literature and my future career aspirations. I went on to discuss the sort of research I carried out, which was mainly analysing and comparing sources of secondary data to form a reliable argument. I explained my case studies and why I had selected each one. I also spoke about what made a successful adaptation and why it hadn't hindered the original novel. Then I spoke about my dissertation and why I decided to display my research in a long, written way. Lastly, I showed how I had tracked my project with the timeline, and finally evaluated my whole project. I answered questions from the members of staff to conclude. 

Evaluation of my Project: 

• I stuck to the timeline particularly well. I made sure to update it so I knew how much progress I had made. I did work often to make sure that it didn't pile up, and therefore I didn't drop behind. 
• I realised that I needed to evaluate sources in the moment, not leave them to another time because I would forget what I used it for. This was something I struggled with at the beginning, but over time I became used to the routine and always evaluated my sources immediately.
• I didn't research anything unnecessary. My topic could have covered such a huge array of films, since there are thousands of film adaptations available to the public, so I knew I needed to condense my research. I stuck to my three case studies and evaluated each of them in depth, using primary data of comparisons, and secondary data of reviews and critical perspectives. 
• I only used sources that were reliable and could be evaluated. Goodreads if the world's largest and most used book reviewing website, so if any site could have a reliable set of figures, they would. Rotten Tomatoes is one of the most used film review websites so it had a wide range of reviews from across the world in one place. The data was also easily accessible and free so I didn't have any practical issues. 
• Changing from my original project of women and the legal system was a good idea as it allowed me to focus on a topic I was much more passionate about and would help me in my future education. I much preferred carrying out research on literature over researching legal matters, proving to myself that I have made the right choice switching my course at university. 

However: 

• I didn't have time to complete primary research due to time and covid restrictions. I would have liked to have done a questionnaire within school of people's opinions on books and movies. However, I realised that this would be a waste of time as a sample so small would not have been representative or valid. I didn't want to carry out my own research method just for the sake of it. 
• Originally, I wanted to do four case studies, including a horror from Stephen King, such as IT or The Shining. However, due to time constraints, it would have been too rushed and put my other case studies at jeopardy of being less description. I'm glad I decided to focus on my three other case studies instead.  

What have I learned from doing EPQ?

• I have learned that there is so much information available on any subject you want to study, but you always have to check to make sure it is a reliable source. The publication date needs to be checked so that you make sure it is in the context you need. The writer needs to be checked out to make sure they aren't writing with extreme political or personal views that could void your data. The actual website needs to be secure so that not just anybody can update without your knowledge. 
• I learned that I enjoy carrying out independent research because there isn't any pressure from external sources. You can focus on the things you think are relevant and compile them in a relevant way. 
• I learned that some people have some extremely passionate views about literature, and it was interesting to read their perspectives on film adaptations. Some people are very critical about things in film adaptations that the ordinary person could easily dismiss, to the point where I believe they are just looking for something to pick at.
• I learned how much of an impact literature can have on society, particularly on social change. I didn't realise how much of an influence the Handmaid's Tale had been in protesting against abortion laws and the threat of removing women's rights. The red cloak is now a symbol of rebellion against female oppression in modern society, proving how important and influential literature can be. 
• I learned about media production and how films are given contracts. This wasn't something I thought about when first starting the project, but it was interesting knowledge to have. 
• I learned how to reference which will be particularly helpful for me in the future when I go to university and have to reference in my dissertations there. It was a valuable skill that I'm glad I gained now. 
• I learned that I have a good work ethic and determination to anything I put my mind to. At times, it would have been so easy to give up since I don't require EPQ to get into university now, but I wanted to finish my project purely because I started it with the intent to do so.