21 What is Maya’s view of the Year 12 science students in her class?
A She thinks they are falling behind academically.
B She thinks they can do the work but lack confidence to speak up.
C She is annoyed by their behaviour in lessons.
22 What is Sam’s main concern about using students’ public posts as data?
A It would be too time consuming to analyse.
B It may create privacy problems.
C It might not be reliable.
23 What issue do they agree may be involved in interviewing students?
A Students may feel pressured to take part.
B Students might give dishonest answers.
C It could be hard to book a room.
24 What question do they decide the study should focus on?
A Whether young women prefer group work or individual work
B Whether mentoring increases young women’s confidence in STEM
C Whether homework affects young women’s exam results
25 Maya might also consider adding a comparison involving
A students in a different year group
B a different school
C teachers’ opinions
Questions 26–30
Complete the flowchart below. Choose FIVE answers from the box and write the correct letter, A–H, next to Questions 26–30.
A consent
B anonymous
C timetable
D recordings
E sample
F storage
G mentor
H survey
Keys
21 B
22 B
23 A
24 B
25 A
26 E
27 A
28 H
29 B
30 F
Transcripts
Part 3: You will hear two colleagues discussing a research project and the ethics approval procedure.
SAM: Hi Maya. How is your placement going? MAYA: Pretty good. The class is strong, but the Year 12 girls in science do not seem confident when it comes to speaking up. SAM: So they can do the work, but they do not always share their ideas? MAYA: Exactly. I have to design a small research project, and I want it to support women in STEM. SAM: Sounds good. What data were you thinking of collecting? MAYA: I considered using their public posts about science, to see how they talk about it outside class. SAM: I would avoid that. The main issue is privacy. Even when something is public, people can still be identified, and it can cause problems. MAYA: Right. I will leave that out. I do not want anyone to feel exposed. SAM: That is wise. It is also worth remembering that school policy can be stricter than general research rules. MAYA: True. I should check the guidelines before I write anything up. MAYA: What about interviewing a few students instead? SAM: That is fine, but we need to make sure they do not feel pressured to take part. They might think it affects grades. MAYA: Good point. I can ask another teacher to introduce the study, so it does not feel like it is coming directly from me. SAM: Yes, and you should say clearly that it will not affect marks, feedback, or how they are treated in class. MAYA: I will also offer them the option to stop at any time, even if they have already started. SAM: Good. It may help to avoid doing the interviews during lesson time, so they do not feel singled out. MAYA: I could run them at lunch, or after school, and let them choose the time that suits them. SAM: Also, think about where you record the answers. A quiet room is fine, but make sure it does not look like a formal meeting. MAYA: Right, I want it to feel relaxed, so they answer honestly. SAM: And do not forget a simple debrief at the end, so they know what happens to the data.
SAM: What is the main research question? MAYA: I want something practical, not just a report that sits on a shelf. SAM: Then focus on mentoring. For example, whether mentoring increases young women’s confidence in STEM. MAYA: Yes, that is clear. I could ask about confidence before and after the mentoring sessions. SAM: That would work, as long as the questions are short and easy to answer during a school week. MAYA: I might compare with another group too. SAM: Like who? MAYA: Students in Year 11, to see if the age group makes a difference. SAM: That works. It also gives you a useful comparison without adding too much extra work. MAYA: Great. Can you run through the ethics steps quickly, so I do not miss anything? SAM: Sure. Choose a small sample. Send an information sheet and get written consent. Collect data using a short survey. Keep names anonymous. And save everything in encrypted storage. MAYA: When you say encrypted storage, do you mean the school drive, not my laptop? SAM: Exactly. Use the secure folder on the school server, and do not keep copies on a personal device. MAYA: OK. And the consent form, should it be signed by the students or their parents? SAM: For Year 12, student consent is usually enough, but check the school rules, because some schools still want a parent signature. MAYA: I will check. Thanks for the reminder. SAM: No problem. If you draft the information sheet, I can read it quickly and see if anything sounds unclear. MAYA: Perfect. Thanks.
