Home > Subjects > Science > Level 3 > 3.2 Scientific controversy > Subject content
- Subject: Science
- AS: AS90728
- Level: 3
- Credits: 4
- Internal
Science 3.2 Research a current scientific controversy
Subject content
The primary focus of the research and reporting is on the scientific aspect(s) of the current scientific controversy. Other aspects may include social, ethical, and cultural values.
- You will be guided by your teacher about the sort of research that you carry out. However, you must drive the research. This means that you will select the controversy, either from a list provided by the teacher or from your own research. Your teacher will give you general information only, for example in the form of broad questions, resource suggestions, or possible new directions.
- Understand the research process. Research at this NCEA level will involve:
- selecting a range of valid scientific information on more than one side of the controversy
- processing relevant scientific information, which could involve listing, sorting, collating, highlighting, or summarising
- interpreting processed information in relation to the controversy.
- Your report will include:
- an account of why the topic is scientific and a controversy
- presentation of scientific information collected from a range of sources on more than one side of the controversy
- identification of key aspects of the controversy
- a discussion of the information related to the controversy
- acknowledgment of sources of information in a traceable reference system.
- Some possible pūtaiao contexts for your research could be:
- conservation of traditional native food sources, for example kiore, kererū
- the huia debate, i.e. cloning the huia
- organ donation and transplantation
- xenotransplantation.
