Personal Investigation and Research (In-depth Study Project)
What the project requires
The in-depth study project asks you to investigate a question of your own choosing within the prescribed theme, using Indonesian sources and producing work in Indonesian. You must show a clear pertanyaan penelitian, a justified metodologi, credible sumber, analysis, and reflection on your own learning. Distinguish data primer (interviews, surveys, observations) from data sekunder (articles, reports, media).
Concepts to master
Formulating a focused, answerable research question; selecting and evaluating sources for kredibilitas, relevansi and kemutakhiran (currency); triangulating evidence; acknowledging keterbatasan (limitations); and citing sources consistently. Learn the vocabulary of research in Indonesian: narasumber (interviewee), kuesioner, simpulan, rujukan, daftar pustaka.
Traps
- A question too broad to answer in the available time or word limit.
- Relying on a single source or on unverifiable social media claims.
- Presenting findings without linking them back to the research question.
- Omitting limitations or ethical considerations (consent, anonymity).
- Copying source wording without attribution.
- Describing the process but never analysing what the findings mean.
Worked example
Weak question: Bagaimana kehidupan remaja Indonesia? Strong question: Sejauh mana media sosial memengaruhi cara remaja di kota saya memandang kesehatan mental? The strong version names a variable, a population, a context and an evaluative scope, making it answerable with a small survey plus two or three credible articles. Rule of thumb: if you cannot state what evidence would answer the question, narrow it.
Method
Draft the question, list the evidence you would need, check feasibility, then write a one-page proposal before collecting data. Keep a reflective log in Indonesian to feed the final evaluation.