How to conduct a collaborative investigation
The purpose of the Collaborative Investigation
The Collaborative Investigation is a mandatory part of Year 11 Health and Movement Science. It is completed across 20 indicative hours and must link to content from Health for Individuals and Communities or The Body and Mind in Motion. It must also address HM-11-05, which focuses on collaboration.
The investigation includes:
- Design: Proposal,
- Documentation: Portfolio,
- Presentation of findings
- a Reference list.
This section shows you how to move through the investigation from start to finish.
How the investigation is organised
NESA’s teaching advice breaks the Collaborative Investigation into 5 phases. Each phase has a different purpose, and each one builds on the one before it.
The investigation should follow this order:
- Phase 1 sets up the investigation
- Phase 2 builds the background knowledge
- Phase 3 plans the method
- Phase 4 collects and analyses the data
- Phase 5 draws conclusions, evaluates the investigation, and presents the findings.
The 5 phases
|
Phase |
Focus |
What happens in this phase |
Step-by-step method |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Phase 1 |
Setting up the investigation |
Unpack the task, link ideas to the syllabus, form a group, choose a topic, complete preliminary research, and develop a research question. |
|
|
Phase 2 |
Background research and hypothesis |
Build background knowledge, define key terms, identify relevant processes, compare existing studies, and develop a hypothesis if appropriate. |
|
|
Phase 3 |
Method |
Design the method, identify resources, plan ethical considerations, complete a risk assessment, identify variables, and decide what data will be collected. |
|
|
Phase 4 |
Data collection and analysis |
Carry out the investigation, collect the data, organise it, present it clearly, and analyse what the findings show. |
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|
Phase 5 |
Conclusion, evaluation and presentation |
Write the conclusion, evaluate the investigation, reflect on collaboration, and present the findings. |
What to remember
One thing to remember is that the Collaborative Investigation is a structured process, not just a group task. Your investigation needs to stay linked to the Year 11 syllabus, move clearly through Phase 1 to Phase 5, and show both research skills and collaboration skills throughout.
It is also important to remember that you are still learning how to conduct research. You are not expected to work like a professional researcher. Research is difficult, especially the first time you do it, so your investigation does not need to be perfect. What matters is that you approach the process seriously, work honestly, and respond well when problems arise.
That said, take each phase seriously, plan carefully, and do not rush important decisions. Many problems can be reduced or avoided by following the process properly, checking your work, and thinking ahead about what could go wrong. If a limitation or mistake still happens, acknowledge it clearly and explain what your group did to manage it, or what you would do differently next time.
If a mistake happens, do not hide it or ignore it. Talk about it with your group, work out how it affected the investigation, and decide how to adjust. Strong groups are flexible, honest, and willing to improve their approach when something does not go to plan.