My presentation evening took place on Wednesday 22nd February, at 7:30 in The Grange School Library.
Surprisingly I wasn't too nervous about presenting my findings to the audience, I was more excited. I think this was down to the preparation I put into my presentation and the extensive research I had done, which also allowed me to tackle any questions the audience would ask at the end.
I did endure a problem on the night, and that was that the two video clips I had planned on showing did not work. However, before the evening commenced it was decided to leave them out and I quickly rewrote that part of the speech. I believe I managed this in a professional manner and thankfully I was told by members of the audience later that they would never have guessed had they not been told. Result!!
The questions posed to me at the end of my presentation were wide ranging, with some being more difficult that others. However, I applied the knowledge I had gathered from my research and answered the questions as best as I could.
Overall, I really really enjoyed the presentation evening and oddly enough, I want to do it all over again!
Tuesday 28 February 2012
Sunday 19 February 2012
Presentation and Speech!
For the past couple of weeks I have been working on my presentation and speech ahead of the Presentation Evening on 22nd February.
I have enjoyed creating a presentation as it has allowed me to gain new IT skills. I felt that videos of George Bush and ex-detainees speaking would really add to my argument and engage the audience i present to and thus i have learnt how to imbed video's. i have also polished uo my presentating skills in order to be able to interact with my audience to the best of my ability and hold their attention throughout.
However, i was presented with a problem over my speech and presentation. Originally my speech was 7 pages long, with a 32-slide presentation, lasting for a total of 16 minutes. After my practise presentation I came to be aware that this was far too long, so... I had to cut it!!
Having worked on it for hours and hours over the February half-term i am almost there! I feel that although cutting the presentation and speech was hard, it has enabled me to condense my argument making it more focused and informative, it made me 'get to the point'!
Therefore, I am proud to announce that so far I have 4 page speech with 22 slides lasting for 11 minutes!! ACHIEVEMENT!
Although I feel nervous for Wednesday, I am also quite excited to be able to present my research and handwork to an audience of people and to see their reaction!
I have enjoyed creating a presentation as it has allowed me to gain new IT skills. I felt that videos of George Bush and ex-detainees speaking would really add to my argument and engage the audience i present to and thus i have learnt how to imbed video's. i have also polished uo my presentating skills in order to be able to interact with my audience to the best of my ability and hold their attention throughout.
However, i was presented with a problem over my speech and presentation. Originally my speech was 7 pages long, with a 32-slide presentation, lasting for a total of 16 minutes. After my practise presentation I came to be aware that this was far too long, so... I had to cut it!!
Having worked on it for hours and hours over the February half-term i am almost there! I feel that although cutting the presentation and speech was hard, it has enabled me to condense my argument making it more focused and informative, it made me 'get to the point'!
Therefore, I am proud to announce that so far I have 4 page speech with 22 slides lasting for 11 minutes!! ACHIEVEMENT!
Although I feel nervous for Wednesday, I am also quite excited to be able to present my research and handwork to an audience of people and to see their reaction!
Mid-Project...Almost there!!
Alot has happened with my EPQ since the last blog i posted: I decided on my title and I have gathered all my research and written the first draft of my essay. Having had it read by one of my supervisors I have been advised to re-structure my essay in order to make my argument clearer to the reader and less polarised. Therefore I have started to re-organise my essay into the following sub-headings:
Now, for the final stages I plan on working as hard as i can to complete my EPQ and produce a solid, coherent and interesting project!
- Utilitarianism viewpoint
- The wider context to the setting up of Guantanamo (& utilitarianism justification of George Bush)
- Guantanamo’s History
- Controversy surrounding Guantanamo
- Is torture justified? Human rights issues
- Is torture justified? Reliability of information obtained
- Is torture justified? Timescale on information obtained
- Is torture justified? Perceived threat
- Is torture justified? International relations
- Conclusion
Now, for the final stages I plan on working as hard as i can to complete my EPQ and produce a solid, coherent and interesting project!
Monday 10 October 2011
Pending Title...yet again?
For not the first time now i am having second thoughts about a project title.
I was quite set on the title 'Is torture justifiable at Guantanamo Bay'. However, when conducting my research i have found that each of my research-finding documents concludes to or mentions: 'the war on terror'. My original question tends to dodge this specific topic area and i am now feeling that this is possibly a mistake.
I asked myself 'why i would I miss out a core element that is constantly being addressed and instead go for a question area that would involve interpreting the information i have gathered into a different response?'.
Therefore, I have come up with a number of possible questions, which still keep the 'justifiable' part of the question but either focus or address the 'war on terror'. Such are listed below:
1. How effective is the war on terror?
2. Can the use of torture be validated for the war on terror?
3. Can the western world validate torture for the war on terror?
4. Does torture combat the war on terror?
However, i do understand that such questions leave a wide range of possible answers and angles to be looked at. Therefore, i still want to condense it to the subject of Guantanamo Bay. Therefore, i would amend my questions to focus on Guantanamo.
1. How effective is Guantanamo Bay on the war on terror?
2. Can the use of torture, at Guantanamo Bay, be validated for the war on terror?
3. Can the Western World validate torture for the war on terror? With reference to Guantanamo Bay.
4. Does torture, at Guantanamo Bay, combat the war on terror?
I am going to meet with my supervisor to discuss this and possibly ask a range of other people, as the sooner the question is sorted the sooner i can focus my research on it and start my essay.
I was quite set on the title 'Is torture justifiable at Guantanamo Bay'. However, when conducting my research i have found that each of my research-finding documents concludes to or mentions: 'the war on terror'. My original question tends to dodge this specific topic area and i am now feeling that this is possibly a mistake.
I asked myself 'why i would I miss out a core element that is constantly being addressed and instead go for a question area that would involve interpreting the information i have gathered into a different response?'.
Therefore, I have come up with a number of possible questions, which still keep the 'justifiable' part of the question but either focus or address the 'war on terror'. Such are listed below:
1. How effective is the war on terror?
2. Can the use of torture be validated for the war on terror?
3. Can the western world validate torture for the war on terror?
4. Does torture combat the war on terror?
However, i do understand that such questions leave a wide range of possible answers and angles to be looked at. Therefore, i still want to condense it to the subject of Guantanamo Bay. Therefore, i would amend my questions to focus on Guantanamo.
1. How effective is Guantanamo Bay on the war on terror?
2. Can the use of torture, at Guantanamo Bay, be validated for the war on terror?
3. Can the Western World validate torture for the war on terror? With reference to Guantanamo Bay.
4. Does torture, at Guantanamo Bay, combat the war on terror?
I am going to meet with my supervisor to discuss this and possibly ask a range of other people, as the sooner the question is sorted the sooner i can focus my research on it and start my essay.
Thank you BBC!
Over the past month the BBC has produced a number of articles regarding Torture and its use.
This has been of huge help because the majority of my research has been on past work, whereas this is current and more reliable. This allows me to keep up to date with the current mood in the media and the people's views, as both will play a part in my project.
Furthermore, the BBC is supposed to present a impartial view and thus this is extremely useful when analysing my research as the majority of my sources voice a certain side/view. This gives me a greater understanding and allows me to come to my own conclusion.
Such articles have now been added to my research file!
This has been of huge help because the majority of my research has been on past work, whereas this is current and more reliable. This allows me to keep up to date with the current mood in the media and the people's views, as both will play a part in my project.
Furthermore, the BBC is supposed to present a impartial view and thus this is extremely useful when analysing my research as the majority of my sources voice a certain side/view. This gives me a greater understanding and allows me to come to my own conclusion.
Such articles have now been added to my research file!
Back To Work
As I have returned from my holiday for the summer I am rearing to start my project.
I have exhausted the many sources on the internet that offer me information which is relevant to my topic area.I wanted to add a new dimension to my research by not just looking at books and memoirs but also the world of video. In order to explore this is I have studied many documentaries which featured ex-inmates or ex-military personnel who have chosen to speak on their time at Guantanamo. This proved to be interesting but I had to be careful not to become too sidetracked with other irrelevant but fascinating information.
Also, upon the recommendation of a friend, I have recently bought the film 'Rendition', as I was advised it focused on the topic of torture and was rather compelling. Although not a reliable source of information, because of being produced in 'Hollywood', I thought it would still allow me to see the subject from a different perspective. Furthermore, which such little information out there, due to the high secrecy and confidentiality of the subject matter, all possible leads and information would be useful - even if I just use it as a reference point.
After completing alot of research, I still await a very important and exciting source. This is in the form of an interview with a world-leading journalist, whom I managed to contact and agreed to help me.
This will allow me to focus my research directly on my question rather than seeking out general information and trying to focus it myself.
This interview will take place over the coming weeks.
Until then I will continue to gather and condense the research I do have and any new information I may come across.
I have exhausted the many sources on the internet that offer me information which is relevant to my topic area.I wanted to add a new dimension to my research by not just looking at books and memoirs but also the world of video. In order to explore this is I have studied many documentaries which featured ex-inmates or ex-military personnel who have chosen to speak on their time at Guantanamo. This proved to be interesting but I had to be careful not to become too sidetracked with other irrelevant but fascinating information.
Also, upon the recommendation of a friend, I have recently bought the film 'Rendition', as I was advised it focused on the topic of torture and was rather compelling. Although not a reliable source of information, because of being produced in 'Hollywood', I thought it would still allow me to see the subject from a different perspective. Furthermore, which such little information out there, due to the high secrecy and confidentiality of the subject matter, all possible leads and information would be useful - even if I just use it as a reference point.
After completing alot of research, I still await a very important and exciting source. This is in the form of an interview with a world-leading journalist, whom I managed to contact and agreed to help me.
This will allow me to focus my research directly on my question rather than seeking out general information and trying to focus it myself.
This interview will take place over the coming weeks.
Until then I will continue to gather and condense the research I do have and any new information I may come across.
Friday 24 June 2011
The Library = Information
After visiting Manchester University Library today I have come home comforted with the fact that I have found much more information that I expected to find.
I photocopied 60 pages from a range of different books, all of which have considerable content.
The books I looked at were:
The action I plan on taking now is analysing all the information and sources I have gathered and start collecting relevant information, as some but not all the information is directly relevant to my question.
I am excited to put my highlighter to the paper!
I photocopied 60 pages from a range of different books, all of which have considerable content.
The books I looked at were:
- 'Counter-terrorism and the post-democratic state'
- I photocopied the article 'Military Justice: David Hicks and Guantanamo Bay' which was written by a QC
- I also photocopied "The long road to Guantanamo Bay' which gives an insight into abuse and the camps
- 'Chain Command'
- The section I copied was 'Torture at Abu Ghraib' which talks about the Guantanamo problem
- 'From Washington D.C., back to Cape God'
The action I plan on taking now is analysing all the information and sources I have gathered and start collecting relevant information, as some but not all the information is directly relevant to my question.
I am excited to put my highlighter to the paper!
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