Deciding on the title and aim of your SBA
By Marjorie Henry, Contributor

The Campion College contingent confer during a match against Jamaica College in the 2005 National Schools Debate competition last season. - Ian Allen Photo

I BEGAN last week to share with you some general guidelines on the SBA. In that lesson, I mentioned that you can chose the topic for your field study from any section of the geography syllabus. Let me expand further on this.

You can, for example, select the bauxite industry under Industrial System. Now, it is not possible to write everything you know about the bauxite industry for the SBA, essentially, because there is a limit on the number of words for the study. You must, therefore, select one aspect of the bauxite industry to focus on. Again, you must be guided by the syllabus.

SYLLABUS REQUIREMENTS

The syllabus requires that you know, among other things, the factors affecting the location of the bauxite industry, as well as the causes and effects of environmental pollution of the bauxite industry and the possible solutions. This information provides two different topics for you. Of course, others can be identified.

Having decided on your area of study, you must now decide on your title. This is stated as a question. In reference to the syllabus requirements stated above, here are possible titles:

(a) What are the factors that have influenced the location of the bauxite plant in Halse Hall?

(b) How has the operation of the bauxite plant in Halse Hall impacted on that community?

It is advisable to choose a study area that is close to you and, therefore, is easily accessible. You would not want to be travelling long distances in order to do your observations and interviews, especially seeing that there is the strong possibility that you may have to make more than one visit to the area. This might prove too costly in the end.

The aim of your study comes next, once you have decided on your title. The aim should narrow the focus of your study. In short, it should direct the intention of your study and keep you on track. It follows, then, that the aim must be clearly stated. By the way, you can have more than one aim for your study. Let me share with you some information on the ways you can begin your aim.

(a) To describe ...
(b) To discover or find out ...
(c) To investigate ...
(d) To determine ...
(e) To identify ...
(f) To consider ...
(g) To examine ...

A possible aim for title (a) could be:

'To identify and describe the factors that have influenced the location of the bauxite plant in Halse Hall, southern Clarendon.'

A possible aim for title (b) could be:

'To investigate the ways in which the operation of the bauxite plant in Halse Hall, southern Clarendon, has impacted on the community of Halse Hall.'

Here are a few questions to review today's lesson:-

1. How do you decide on your field study?
2. How should the title of the study be stated?
3. What will determine the focus of your study?

Here is an assignment for you. You have a choice.

EITHER: Select one of the topics and aim given in today's lesson and jot down the areas that should be concentrated on in the research.

OR: Select your own topic and aim and note the areas you must focus on in the research.

* Marjorie Henry is Geography teacher at Glenmuir High School in Clarendon.