What is the Unit 3 Investigation Task, and how is the controlled assessment structured and marked?
An overview of Unit 3, the Investigation Task controlled assessment: what it requires, the stages of the report, and how research, planning and evaluation skills are assessed.
A concise overview of Unit 3 of CCEA GCSE Child Development, the Investigation Task controlled assessment: what it requires, the stages of the report from research to evaluation, and how it is marked, worth 40 percent of the GCSE.
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What this dot point is asking
This is a concise overview of Unit 3, the Investigation Task. Unlike the two written units, Unit 3 is a controlled assessment (coursework): there is no exam paper to revise for. Instead you carry out a research task and produce a report in stages. This page explains what the task involves and how it is structured and marked, rather than teaching examinable facts.
What the Investigation Task is
CCEA sets a title (a theme or question linked to child development), and you investigate it. Because this is coursework, you cannot revise it like an exam; instead you build the skills to research, analyse, plan and evaluate, and you apply the knowledge from Units 1 and 2.
The stages of the report
Most centres work through stages along these lines:
- Analysis and justification. Read the task, pick out the key words, work out exactly what is being asked, and explain how you will approach it.
- Secondary research and analysis. Gather relevant, reliable information from a range of sources, analyse it, and form your own viewpoint.
- Conclusions and evaluation. Draw the research together into clear conclusions, and evaluate what you have found.
- Planning and outcome. Plan a practical outcome or piece of work that responds to the task, and produce it.
- Evaluation of planning and outcome. Evaluate the planning and the outcome against the original task, and suggest improvements.
How it is marked
Marks come from the quality of your skills, not the amount you write. Assessors look for clear analysis (not just description), well-chosen, reliable research that is referenced and linked to the task, logical planning, and honest, thoughtful evaluation. Throughout, your work should keep returning to the task title.
Examples in context
- Example 1. Keeping research relevant
- A student investigating a feeding-related title gathers information directly about young children's diets from reliable health sources, and leaves out unrelated material. This keeps the report focused on the task, which the mark scheme rewards.
- Example 2. Planning a practical outcome
- For a play-related title, a student plans and produces a simple play activity suited to a child's stage of development, then evaluates how well it met the task. This shows the planning, outcome and evaluation stages working together.
- Example 3. Honest evaluation
- A student finishes by evaluating their outcome against the title, noting what worked, what did not, and what they would improve next time. Clear, honest evaluation gains more marks than claiming everything was perfect.
Try this
Q1. Is Unit 3 assessed by a written exam or by controlled assessment? [1 mark]
- Cue. By controlled assessment (coursework), worth 40 percent.
Q2. Name two skills the Investigation Task is designed to assess. [2 marks]
- Cue. Any two of: research, analysis, planning, evaluation (rather than memory/recall).
Exam-style practice questions
Practice questions written in the style of CCEA exam questions on this dot point, with worked answer explainers. The year tag is the paper they imitate, not the source.
CCEA Unit 3 guidance10 marksOutline the stages you would work through to complete the Investigation Task.Show worked answer →
This is coursework guidance, not an exam question, so the marks here stand for the relative weight of the stages rather than a written-paper mark scheme.
Analyse the task: read the title set by CCEA, identify the key words and what is being asked, and justify how you will approach it.
Carry out secondary research: gather relevant, reliable information from a range of sources and analyse it, forming your own viewpoint.
Reach conclusions: draw the research together into clear conclusions and evaluate it.
Plan an outcome: plan a practical outcome or piece of work that responds to the task, and produce it.
Evaluate: evaluate the planning and the outcome against the original task, suggesting improvements.
Credit comes from working logically through each stage, using evidence, and showing analysis and evaluation rather than just description.
CCEA Unit 3 guidance5 marksExplain why secondary research must be reliable and relevant in the Investigation Task.Show worked answer →
This is coursework guidance; the marks reflect the importance of the research stage.
Research must be relevant so that it actually answers the task title, rather than padding the report with information that is off the point.
It must be reliable so that the conclusions can be trusted, which means using credible sources (such as recognised health, education or government information) and not unchecked opinion.
Strong work also references sources and weighs different views, then uses the research to support clear, justified conclusions. Markers reward well-chosen, analysed evidence that links back to the task.
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