Assessing projects

Project Qualifications use coursework assessment. The teacher is usually the assessors, who evaluate both the process students follow and the project’s outputs.

Project outputs for HPQ

Each of the three types of projects leads to a slightly different output:

  • An Investigation project (science) leads to a report in the style of a scientific paper (2,000-2,500 words)
  • A Design project (engineering) leads to a design or prototype, accompanied by a short report (up to 1250 words)
  • A Research project (a socio-scientific issue) leads to report in the style of an essay (2,000-2,500 words)

A report will typically include:

  • a clear introduction with project's aims
  • a detailed account of the research process and methodology
  • analysis of findings
  • a conclusion that reflects on the outcomes and personal learning
  • a bibliography to acknowledge sources

At HPQ level, students can give a presentation for assessment, but it is not required.

Project outputs for EPQ:

The outputs for EPQ are similar to an HPQ, but require more depth:

Output for an Investigation project

  • a report (5,000-6,000 words) to demonstrate the student's ability to conduct empirical research, analyse data, and communicate findings.

Output for a Design project

  • the main output is the design itself - a model or working prototype of the solution students
  • a report (1,500 and 3,000 words) to describe the brief, the steps taken to produce the design, and an evaluation

Output for a Research project

  • a report, called a Dissertation (5,000-6,000 words)
  • to demonstrate critical thinking and the ability to synthesise information from various sources

For EPQ, students must also give a short oral presentation on their project, which forms part of the assessment.

Assessment forms

Students complete two assessment forms to provide evidence of the process students followed.

Project proposal form

  • Early on students submit a project title, what they aim to learn or achieve, outline the key activities they will undertake, resources needed and milestones for monitoring progress
  • The teacher approves the proposal, checking that the project will meet the necessary criteria
  • (For EPQ), the form requires more detail and justification, reflecting the greater requirement of critical thinking and independent research

Activity log

  • Throughout the project, students document their progress, recording the significant events and decisions, changes to the original plan and reflections on the process
  • The teacher can track the project's development and help students to stay remain aligned with their objectives, or make adjustments
  • (For EPQ), the log requires critical analysis on challenges faced and adaptations made, to show self-directed learning and problem-solving

Marking

The Awarding Body provides marking grids for the teacher to mark the project outputs and forms. The grids provide descriptors for different mark bands within each Assessment Objectives. Here is a summary of what students need to demonstrate to achieve air each assessment objective.

AO1 Manage:

  • define a clear, scientifically answerable question
  • create a detailed plan, setting milestones, and managing risks
  • (for EPQ) show greater independence and a wider range of strategies
  • (for a Design project) Define a problem, with criteria and constraints

AO2 Use Resources:

  • gather data from experiments or secondary sources
  • critically evaluate their reliability
  • (For EPQ) analyse data in depth and understand their topic in detail
  • (for a Design project) research possible designs and imagine solutions

AO3 Develop and Realise

  • conduct experiments and analyse results
  • (For EPQ), use problem-solving skills to achieve sophisticated outcomes
  • (for a Design project) create models or prototypes
  • (for a Research project) integrate information and develop an argument

AO4 Review

  • assess the validity of findings
  • discuss limitation and improvements
  • (For EPQ), conduct a thorough evaluation, including broader implications

For HPQ, students gain extra marks if they only receive limited guidance. For EPQ, this independence is expected.

Submission

The school submits marks for students’ projects to the Awarding Body by their coursework deadline, typically mid-May. If there is more than one marker, the school conducts internal standardisation to ensure consistency.

After submission, the Awarding Body conducts external moderation to verify that the marking aligns with national standards, and marks may be adjusted if discrepancies are found.