UNIT 8 - FMP - Guidance

Unit 8 requires you to produce a project proposal of about 350 words, excluding the project plan and bibliography. Project proposals should not be so succinct that they do not address the requirements listed below nor should they be excessively long and unfocused. Your project proposal should be sufficiently challenging to ensure you have the best possible chance of meeting the grading criteria.

The project proposal must be word processed and presented under the three headings listed here.

Section 1

Rationale (approx 100 words)

This section provides you with an opportunity to reflect on, review and summarize your progress and achievements through the first 7 units, and the knowledge, skills and understanding you have acquired. What you know now, and what it means to you, compared with what you knew and could do before you started the course, and how this has influenced your choice of pathway and your project proposal.

Section 2

Project concept (approx 200 words)

This section provides an opportunity for you to clearly explain the concept and aims of your project, the research and ideas that will support its development, what you anticipate producing, the levels and types of resources that you will need and an indication of the form in which you will complete and present your final realisation within the allocated timescale.

Section 3

Evaluation (approx 50 words)

This section provides an opportunity for you to explain how you will reflect on, and evaluate, your work, as both an on-going activity and at the conclusion of the project. You should describe how you intend to record your decision-making and how you will document changes to your ideas as work progresses. The evaluation should be referenced to your stated aims and be reflective and analytical rather than a description of actions completed. When working in collaboration with others you should comment on how this may impact either positively or adversely and steps you can take to minimise disruption to your own progress.

Section 4

Project action plan and timetable

This section provides you with an opportunity to outline your planning and organisation over a period of weeks and the activities you will need to carry out in order to successfully complete your project within the agreed timeframe. It is important that you consider how you will balance ambition, time and realism in the realisation of the project. This should include what you are going to do, how you will do it and by when. The more time and thought you give to planning your project the more successful it is likely to be. Remember to include time taken to visit sources; sourcing materials, questionnaires, access to workshops, tutorial and peer group feedback opportunities and where you will incorporate independent study.

Section 5

Proposed Research sources and Bibliography (Harvard Format)

This section provides an opportunity to record the initial research sources, both primary and secondary, that you intend to use. Your sources of research should be as wide as possible, including libraries, museums and galleries, books, theatre/ film/video, magazines, TV/radio programmes, web sites etc. Where appropriate you should use the Harvard system of referencing. The bibliography should be continuously updated as the project progresses.