English Career Resources

Key Stage 4: Research

(Career Education Guidance Objective 8)

Career Education Guidance for English KS4 No. 8 asks that students be able to 'identify, select and use a wide range of careers information and distinguish between objectivity and bias.'

At KS4 students are generally expected, in their reading, to be able to discriminate clearly between fact and opinion and to be able to detect a bias in the text they are studying. These objectives are less often demanded of students in their own writing. This Careers Education Guidance objective therefore offers English teachers the opportunity of challenging their students to read independently and widely and then to synthesise their research material while showing an awareness of bias.

Being clear about outcomes – broad and balanced reading

In this case study, students are asked to research an aspect of a career which interests them by looking at a wide range of different sources. Some of these sources may simply be about promoting the chosen career and therefore focus on only its positive aspects. An example of this, is the Ministry of Defence website which provides the would-be soldier with a lot of detailed information. Other sources of information – particularly unofficial ones such as blogs and chat rooms – will offer views which complement the 'official one'. A key point to communicate to students is that none of these sources sets out to deceive or be 'economical with the truth': it is a matter of fact that the skilled researcher reads 'around' a topic in order to achieve a rounded picture. This is done through a process of reading, critical evaluation and synthesis.