Name: Student A

Homeroom: E-10

Research Action Plan

MYP Assessment Criteria B: INVESTIGATION

Limited attempt to / partially / satisfactorily / effectively follows an action plan to

investigate a research question
Uses methods to collect and record limited / some / appropriate / appropriate &
varied information in line with the research question
Limited attempt to / partially / satisfactorily / effectively addresses the research
question
Limited / reflection / detailed evaluation of the research process and results.

To help you successfully implement a research action plan you need to follow the steps
below:
The main
research
question

What are the perspectives of China and the Western world on Chinas
involvements with Africa?

Justify its
relevance

In our current world, China is an increasingly more important topic to

discuss as it is currently the worlds leading economy, and developing at
an enormous rate. Dubbed the New America, it might be the time for
the rest of the world to take a deeper look into China and its behavior. Its
expansionism is one example of how one can do this. By looking at both
sides of the story, we will be able to assess
a) what Chinas intentions are (following the Chinese perspective)
b) how the Western world looks at these developments
With these answers we can assess Chinas expansionism from different
sides, sketching a more accurate picture of what is currently happening
and why. And of course, if this will have any consequences for the
relationship between China and the West. Therefore, I conclude that our
research question is very relevant in our modern day.

Sub
questions
By answering
these subquestions, you
will enable
yourselves to
answer the
main research
question.
Check your

Sub-questions:
I.
II.
III.
IV.
V.
VI.
VII.

What is the background of Chinas involvements with Africa?

What is the current/future status of these involvements?
What are the western involvements in Africa?
What is the Western viewpoint on Chinas expansionism?
How does China defend its actions in Africa?
For what reasons is China in Africa?
What is Chinas opinion on the aid the West is giving Africa?

task sheet and

brainstorm
additional
questions with
your group.
Include them
all here.

Main-questions:
a) What is the Western perspective on Chinas involvements with
Africa?
b) What is Chinas perspective on its own involvements with Africa?

Methods to be Where will you gather the information?

used in the
The information will be collected from a variation of source (mostly
investigation
online) e.g. newspapers, essays, websites, articles.
e.g. describe
Research methods
the capture
sheet. How
To be able to obtain the correct information, I will need to follow specific
will it be laid
research methods for each information source:
out? Will you
include your
For newspapers, I will search relevant terms such as Chinese
subperspective trade Africa in the google news section. In this way, I
questions?
will only get relevant newspaper articles.
How many

For the essays, I will only search relevant terms into google
websites will
scholar to ensure I use reliable and informative sources.
you access

For the documentaries, I will use platforms such as YouTube to

per subidentify any relevant documentaries on the topic.
question?

For any search for relevant websites, I will make sure to use
Why?
terms instead of questions and try to avoid websites ending with
.com and preferring ones that end with .org or .gov. I will also
analyze how reliable the website is before using it.
How/where are you going to record any relevant information?
I will record the information in a separate document. It will be formatted
as if it were an interview, the question directly followed by the answer. In
this document I will include both sub-questions and the main questions,
for an accurate overview of my work and the conclusions I drew as a
result of the research. As the main assignment is to write an article, I will
keep the answers to the core. However, I will try to use at least two
sources per question to back-up any facts or ideas proposed.
Identify the
relevant
sources/evid
ence

Please check the Information Literacy Guide to do this correctly. Easybib

formatting is not appropriate.
Works Cited

Record the
works cited.
Alden, Chris, Yu-Shan Wu, and Rudolf Du Plessis. "Factsheet: ChinaAfrica Relations." saiia.org.za. Ed. Quba Design & Motion. SAIIA,
Feb. 206. Web. 2 June 2016. <http://www.saiia.org.za/opinionanalysis/factsheet-china-africa-relations>.

Blair, David. "Why China is trying to colonise Africa." telegraph.co.uk.

Telegraph Media Group Limited, 31 Aug. 2007. Web. 2 June
2016. <http://www.telegraph.co.uk/comment/personalview/3642345/Why-China-is-trying-to-colonise-Africa.html>.

Chun, Zhang. The Sino-Africa Relationship: Toward a New Strategic

Partnership. N.p.: n.p., n.d. lse.ac.uk. Web. 30 June 2016.
<http://www.lse.ac.uk/IDEAS/publications/reports/pdf/SR016/SR016-Chun.pdf>.

Esposito, Mark, and Terence Tse. "China in Africa: A Modern Story of

Colonization?" economonitor.com. Economonitor LLC, 23 Oct.
2015. Web. 3 June 2016.
<http://www.economonitor.com/blog/2015/10/is-africa-becomingchinas-new-derivatives-a-modern-story-of-colonization/>.

Esposito, Mark, Terence Tse, and Merit Al-Sayed. "Recolonizing Africa:

A modern Chinese story?" cnbc.com. CNBC LLC, 30 Dec. 2014.
Web. 3 June 2016.
<http://www.cnbc.com/2014/12/30/recolonizing-africa-a-modernchinese-story.html>.

Gu, Xuewu. China's Involvement in Africa: Trends and Perspectives.

N.p.: n.p., n.d. kas.de. Web. 4 June 2016.
<http://www.kas.de/wf/doc/kas_9513-544-230.pdf?061109175134>.

Ighobor, Kingsley. "China in the heart of Africa." un.org. United Nations

Africa Renewal, Jan. 2013. Web. 5 June 2016.
<http://www.un.org/africarenewal/magazine/january-2013/chinaheart-africa>.

"Is China-Africa cooperation a win-win situation?" aljazeera.com.

Aljazeera, 25 Sept. 2014. Web. 9 June 2016.
<http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/opinion/2014/09/china-africacooperation-win-w-2014924202811161705.html>.

Liu, Jaixu. Western impact on Africa's economic development and the

progress of democracy. Ames, Iowa: Iowa State University, 2012.
lib.dr.iastate.edu. Web. 4 June 2016.
<http://lib.dr.iastate.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=3879&context
=etd>.

"More than minerals." economist.com. The Economist Newspaper

Limited, 23 Mar. 2013. Web. 30 May 2016.
<http://www.economist.com/news/middle-east-andafrica/21574012-chinese-trade-africa-keeps-growing-fearsneocolonialism-are-overdone-more>.

Moyo, Dambisa. "Why Foreign Aid Is Hurting Africa." wsj.com. Dow

Jones & Company, Inc., 21 Mar. 2009. Web. 2 June 2016.
<http://www.wsj.com/articles/SB123758895999200083>.

Omar, Yusuf. "Who benefits more from the China-Africa relationship?"

enca.com. eNews Channel Africa, 3 Dec. 2015. Web. 5 June
2016. <https://www.enca.com/money/explainer-who-benefitsmore-china-africa-relationship>.

Pigato, Miria, and Wenxia Tang. China and Africa: Expanding Economic
Ties in an Evolving Global Context. N.p.: n.p., 2015.
worldbank.org. Web. 30 May 2016.
<http://www.worldbank.org/content/dam/Worldbank/Event/Africa/I
nvesting%20in%20Africa%20Forum/2015/investing-in-africaforum-china-and-africa-expanding-economic-ties-in-an-evolvingglobal-context.pdf>.

Qingmin, Zhang, and Song Wei. "Chinas policy toward Africa: a Chinese
perspective." The Newsletter 2012: n. pag. iias.asia. Web. 1 June
2016. <http://iias.asia/sites/default/files/IIAS_NL60_2627.pdf>.

Taylor, Ian. "China's environmental footprint in Africa."

www.chinadialogue.net. N.p., 2 Feb. 2007. Web. 9 June 2016.
<https://www.chinadialogue.net/article/show/single/en/741-Chinas-environmental-footprint-in-Africa>.

Thrall, Lloyd. China's Expanding African Relations. Santa Monica, Calif:

RAND Corporation, 2015. rand.org. Web. 6 June 2016.
<http://www.rand.org/content/dam/rand/pubs/research_reports/R
R900/RR905/RAND_RR905.pdf>.

Zhao, Shelly. "The China-Angola Partnership: A Case Study of Chinas

Oil Relations in Africa." china-briefing.com. Dezan Shira &
Associates, 25 May 2011. Web. 3 June 2016. <http://www.chinabriefing.com/news/2011/05/25/the-china-angola-partnership-acase-study-of-chinas-oil-relationships-with-african-nations.html>.
What steps
will you
follow to
address/
answer the
research
question?
Develop an
action plan
for the main
stages of the
investigation.
The action
plan should be
framed by the
sub-questions
but should be
treated like a
check list of
things- to-do.
Include what
needs to be
done and
when you aim
to have it
completed by

Insert table that outlines: task, completion date and checklist

Task

Completion date

Checklist

Send proposal of topic to

Mr. Soeldner

Sunday 29th of May

What is the background of

Chinas involvements in
Africa?

Monday 30th of May

What is the current/future

status of these
involvements?

Monday 30th of May

What are the Western

involvements in Africa?

Tuesday 31st of May

What is the Western

viewpoint on Chinas
expansionism?

Wednesday 1st of June

How does China defend its

actions in Africa?

Wednesday 1st of June

For what reasons is China

in Africa?

Thursday 2nd of June

What is Chinas opinion on

the aid the West is giving
Africa?

Thursday 2nd of June

What is the Western

perspective on Chinas
involvements with Africa?

Friday 3rd of June

What is Chinas perspective

on its own involvements
with Africa?

Friday 3rd of June

Finish first article (Chinese

perspective)

Monday 6th of June

Evaluation

Finish second article

(Western perspective)

Wednesday 8th of June

Evaluation +
spelling/grammar checks

Thursday 9th of June

Hand in Actions plan + two

articles

Thursday 9th of June

Looking back at my research and the information I have obtained from

this research, I conclude my project was successful. My sub questions
How well did have allowed me to answer my main-questions with which I could write
you follow
my articles implementing the information and perspectives found in my
this action
research. Therefore, I conclude I structured my research well enough to
plan?
serve as the base of my perspectives assignment. What worked
particular well was my research methods outlined under research
Reflect on the method, they have allowed me to identify and use reliable and
course of
informative sources. However, for this assessment, I have not looked
action that
any further than internet based sources: reports, articles and websites.
you rook as a As an improvement for next time, I would like to expand the range of
result of your sources to also more paper resources which would mean a trip to the
learning
school library or NLB. I would also prior to the investigation keep an eye
on any news concerning my topic, which I hadnt done this time. So in
Questions to conclusion I can say that the strengths of my research were my subfollow
questions, main-questions and research method. However, there were a
few limitations especially the wideness in the different kinds of resources
used. For the next assignment, I will use this information to improve
myself in researching a particular topic. Also, I would like to encourage
other students to take a deeper look into what is more beneficial to
Africa, to aid the West is giving or the investments and trade China
offers? In this investigation this has been discussed. However, it would
be very interesting to be able to take a deeper, and perhaps more
objective, look into this topic.