Internal+Assessment++-+Class+of+2016

This year the topic for our internal assessment is: **The relationship between fertility ** **and the status of women .**


 * Preamble:**

Fertility is defined as the average number of children a woman is expected to have in her lifetime. Many factors affect the level fertility. These include the level of education, age at marriage, religious beliefs, cultural traditions among others.

The status of women, in the context of this study, refers to the improvement, or otherwise, in the quality of life and standard of living of women. For example, an improved status of a woman involves having a well paid job, access to improved sanitation and nutrition, access healthcare or access to other forms of material assets such as land, a house etc.

To a large extent, a woman's socioeconomic status is significantly tied to the number of children she has or is capable and willing to have. Generally, a lower level of fertility means women are able to manage their families better and have enough resources to provide good quality of life and standard of living for themselves and their family. On the other hand, high fertility is generally associated with a lower status of women. This is determined by factors such as the age at marriage, the level of education etc.

To this end, this study seeks to examine the relationship between the number of children a woman has or can have and the level of socioeconomic development. For example, do smaller families necessarily have an improved standard or life and vice-versa? Will an improvement in he socioeconomic life of a person necessarily lead to an increase or a decrease in the size of the family? These questions will be examined in our investigation to establish the relationship that exist between these variable.

The fieldwork question is: ** What is the relationship between fertility and the status of women? **

The **hypothesis** for the study is:

// Women with fewer children have a better socioeconomic status than those with a large number of children. //

The first two aspects of the essay (Criterion A and B) must be submitted not later than the ** 30th of September 2015. **Arrangements are underway for the class to visit the proposed study area, namely Sakumono, Labone and East Legon for the preliminary data collection. There should be no reason why any student would not be able to submit this assignment on the due date. Remember that this aspect of the IA constitutes 30% of this semester's assessment.

The details below explain the requirements for each section, how each must be related to the assessment criteria and how the marks are allocated for each.


 * Criterion A - Fieldwork question and geographic context (3 marks)**
 * State the __fieldwork question__
 * state your __hypothesis__ here and __justify__ it
 * comment briefly on the //geographic context,// explaining //why// and where the fieldwork investigation is to be carried out.
 * include relevant __spatial, physical, socio-economic condition__s and other background information, __concepts__ or characteristics.
 * Draw a __map__ of the research area and/or the locations used in the fieldwork investigation to provide the necessary spatial element.
 * State the __area(s) of the syllabus__ to which the study relates, whether it is from the topic or development columns within the core, the optional themes or HL extension.
 * The suggested length of this section for work appropriate to criterion A is approximately 300 words.


 * Criterion B - Method(s) of investigation** **(3 marks)**
 * describe the __method(s)__ used to collect information.
 * take about the use of primary and secondary source of information
 * talk about the __sampling techniques__
 * state the __date and time__ the data was collected and provide __justification__
 * state the __specific location__ the data was collect
 * describe the __circumstances of information collection__ where relevant
 * The __method(s) used must be justified__ and must enable a sufficient quality and quantity of primary data to be produced to allow the fieldwork question to be investigated.
 * The suggested length of this section for work appropriate to criterion B is approximately 300 words.

The suggested length for the work in the section related to criterion C and criterion D is 1,350 words
 * Criterion C and D - Quality and treatment of information collected and Written analysis**
 * t reat and display the information collected using the most __appropriate techniques__. These techniques must be the most effective way of representing the type of information collected and must be well used. These may include statistical tests (including confidence limits), graphs, diagrams, maps, annotated photographs and images, matrices and field sketches.
 * In the written analysis, students must d__emonstrate their knowledge and understanding of the fieldwork__ investigation by i__nterpreting and explaining__ the information they have collected in relation to the fieldwork question. This includes __recognizing any trends and spatial patterns__ found in the information collected.
 * Where appropriate, an attempt should be made to __identify and explain any anomalies__.
 * Students must also r__efer to the geographic context, information collected__ and the ways in which the material has been treated and presented.
 * The treatment and display of material and the written analysis must be integrated within this section.

The suggested length of this section for work appropriate to criterion E is approximately 200 words.
 * Criterion E - Conclusion (2 marks) **
 * summarize the findings of the fieldwork investigation. It must be a __clear, concise statement a__nswering the fieldwork question.
 * It is acceptable for the conclusion to state that the findings do not match the student’s preliminary judgment or prediction.

The suggested length of this section for work appropriate to criterion F is approximately 300 words.
 * Criterion F - Evaluation (3 marks) **
 * rev__iew their investigative methodology__, including methods of collecting primary information.
 * Within this, they should consider a__ny factors that may have affected the validity of the data,__including personal bias and unpredicted external circumstances such as the weather.
 * suggest s__pecific and plausible ways in which the study might have been improved__ and could be extended in the future.

The fieldwork written report must meet the following five formal requirements of organization and presentation.
 * Criterion G - Formal requirements (4 marks) **
 * The work is within th__e 2,500__ word limit.
 * Overall presentation is n__eat and well structured.__
 * Pages are __numbered__.
 * __References__ used for background information follow standard conventions. (Guidance on referencing is given in the earlier section on secondary information.)
 * All illustrative material is numbered, is fully integrated into the body of the report and is not relegated to an appendix.

Find attached the criteria for the IA and some samples.