RI IS DONE DONE DONE DONE DONE

Well. It seems we've been neglecting this blog for a few weeks now. That's what happens in Year 13. Everything goes to pot. But I'll try summing up what has been happening the past month in a couple of words.

Extended Essay

Research Investigation

Independent Project Portfolio

Artaud Theatre Piece

Simple! Done!!!!!

If only. But any way that is pretty much what I've been up to for the past month. I'll start with the Extended Essay. First off it has been pretty difficult, naturally but I guess all EE's are though? It's written and I have redrafted it once, throughout the next week I'll be redrafting it another two or three times to make sure it will at least score at least one point per criteria mark which will hopefully lead me towards getting a 1 on the EE as I have now accepted that I will never get a 2 on it because I've been unable to achieve any practical research for it, which is a shame but that is how it goes sometimes I guess. Poor time management along with lack of work I guess. But oh well! I gotta redraft and I know I gotta take quite a few words out, but hopefully that shouldn't be a problem for me as I've been getting used to all of this with the Theatre Research investigation that we did. Just gotta keep my head down, working and constantly thinking about someone being blinded and what is the most effective way to stage such a scene. Fun times!!!

Next, I'm going to talk about the Research Investigation which as you probably guessed from the title is done. After looking back through it I have counted 24 different versions of my Research Investigation on the practice of Kabuki. That is quite something as it was over 8,000 words and 23 pages (most I have ever written...ever) but I have learnt some things from the RI and here is RIchard's little list of what to do and what not to do (along with what I've leanrt of course!)

• Do start early. Something which I did do and was thankful for, it gave me time to bounce ideas of the teacher (about the practice, play and aspect) before I drove into research
• Do as you are going along through your research phase of the RI note down all website URL and books ISBN's you look at (as well as date accessed for websites), what information they contain that could be useful for your RI and then give it a small critique so (if you are Higher Level) have a starting for later on in the process.
• Don't try and write the RI in one sitting. What it has taught me is something as big as the RI takes time. Try and find a quiet week or so and spend 1-2 hours on small sections of your RI a day. Rather than sitting at your computer for 8 hours making more and more mistakes as the day progresses.
• Do try  and acquire primary resources. I wasn't able to however I did try and email websites, the Japanese embassy, talk to friends, see if I could find any of the authors to contact. Don't worry if you can't it can be hard!
• Don't leave it to the last minute. Try to finish writing it one or two weeks before first draft deadline as this gives you time to check over it and spot the real silly mistakes
• Ask someone else to check it, as a pair of fresh eyes are better than your's sometimes
• Do make sure before you start writing there is enough information around the place to write a coherent and sharp investigation rather than getting half way and realising you don't have enough info
• Do not use abbreviations (such as wouldn't , couldn't, isn't ect)
• Never use I.
• Learn how to properly use footnotes and write a bibliography
• Learn how to use pictures in relation to text (this includes text wrapping and positioning as well as image captions)
• Be consistent with text and font. For instance if your main body is in Times New Roman then your whole RI must be in Times New Roman. Also when referencing to the play's title be consistent with how you have written it for instance if you have italicised it then it must be italicised throughout your paper.
• When critiquing a source, the best thing to do is research the author and see what they do as a job
• Footnote as you go along not after you have finished writing
• When redrafting tick off from the first draft what has been done so you know for next time
• Do put page numbers on straight away (useful for your contents page)
• An appendix isn't necessary unless you use a large chunk of information (such as a table) or you have conducted an interview with a person, if so add the questionnaire in there
• The Bibliography should be in alphabetical order and can be spilt into published sources, online sources and images
• Try to enjoy it. I know the redrafting and the writing is annoying, long, painful, tiring, appears to be useless, uninteresting and drags. But try to enjoy learning about a completely new aspect of theatre that no one else in the class knows about (if they do GET ALL THE INFORMATION YOU CAN OUT OF THEM!!!!!)
• Remember it will be hard. But with time management and following those few things above, you should be ok. As this is what I have definitely learnt

Now lets talk about the Independent Project Portfolio. We are now closing in towards the date where we should be doing are practical stuff. For me I will be putting on a few workshops with one actor as I chose option B as I want to explore which of the two verbatim styles is the most effective. Planning the workshops is all good and well the only slight little problem I have come across is finding an actress. I've had one person said that I can't find anyone else that they would be willing to do it, so I have tried another person who hasn't replied so I must get onto that and probably this weekend I'll ask another student it they'd be willing to as she has been suggested to be from another. So in all it's going well (action plan is now written up phew!) so yeah, it's just plodding.

Finally Artaund. Not much to say about this apart from that it has suffered recently with the whole RI thing taking up all our time. I mean poor ol' Maria was up till 2AM and then woke up at 5AM to work on it even more. So what did I do being such a nice amazing person, I bought us all a cookie to enjoy. So here are two photos to enjoy before I sign off!

RI Cookies (look it's even sitting on the RI!!)

Maria handing in her Final RI

Richard #1