Record of initial ideas
To be completed by the candidate
This page records initial meeting(s) with your supervisor to agree your project ideas. Additional pages
can be submitted if more than one idea has been explored.
My idea(s) for topic/title
AIM- Is overpopulation to blame for environmental degradation?
OBJECTIVES- To explore the effect of overpopulation on the environment
- Highlight what are the causes of overpopulation
-Gather people’s views/ predictions on overpopulation both past and present
E.g. historic geographer/ scientist on the population in the future- whether they saw it as a problem
enhancing the deterioration of the environment.
-Research about the causes of overpopulation- laws/ regulation that have been in the past and present-
what effects they had on people/ the environment
- Identifying any corresponding links overpopulation has with certain constructs in society
- Discover any solutions- find out which ones are more present or subtle in society
My ideas for research and development of my project
Initially, I began with an overarching topic of overpopulation and the effects it has socially and
environmentally on the world. I wanted to explore this idea because I studied geography at GSCE and learnt
about overpopulation. The idea fascinated me that the number of humans grows so exponentially the earth
is unable to cope, producing social and environmental problems. Also, I was interested by the number of
humans and how their actions accumulate effects upon Earth such as climate change and depletion of the
ozone. From this idea, I decided to explore the environmental problems upon Earth and how the number of
humans coincides with this. An aim I thought about was “Are there too many people on earth?” Originally, I
thought this was an interesting idea which could provoke a lot of understanding to society about how we
live on Earth. In addition, I wanted to explore people’s views from scientists in the past and present.
However, now I understand that it is quite a broad topic to focus on and want to explore more about the
environmental impacts of overpopulation. From this idea, I decided to explore the environmental aspect of
overpopulation and to what extent the problems are highlighted within society. Therefore, another aim was
“Who is to blame for overpopulation?” I chose this because I did some preliminary research and find out
about how overpopulation was a lurking, discrete factor of environmental problems. Although, I found this
topic quite hard to narrow down information on and be able to come up with certain objectives as to how I
fulfil my aims. Consequently, I have now chosen the aim of “Is overpopulation to blame for environmental
degradation?” because I can fine-tune the objectives I want to develop and I can expand on the
environmental impacts of overpopulation whilst being able to gather certain viewpoints. This will enable me
to be analytical when I begin to write my EPQ dissertation yet I can research quite extensively. I refined my
initial ideas from discussing both social and environmental problems by then focusing on writing about
environmental problems and how this solely has a link to environmental deterioration.
On the topic of my research, I have begun to look for resources mainly online due to the accessibility the
internet provides. I have primarily used articles written by university graduates or journalists which have
To be completed by the candidate
This page records initial meeting(s) with your supervisor to agree your project ideas. Additional pages
can be submitted if more than one idea has been explored.
My idea(s) for topic/title
AIM- Is overpopulation to blame for environmental degradation?
OBJECTIVES- To explore the effect of overpopulation on the environment
- Highlight what are the causes of overpopulation
-Gather people’s views/ predictions on overpopulation both past and present
E.g. historic geographer/ scientist on the population in the future- whether they saw it as a problem
enhancing the deterioration of the environment.
-Research about the causes of overpopulation- laws/ regulation that have been in the past and present-
what effects they had on people/ the environment
- Identifying any corresponding links overpopulation has with certain constructs in society
- Discover any solutions- find out which ones are more present or subtle in society
My ideas for research and development of my project
Initially, I began with an overarching topic of overpopulation and the effects it has socially and
environmentally on the world. I wanted to explore this idea because I studied geography at GSCE and learnt
about overpopulation. The idea fascinated me that the number of humans grows so exponentially the earth
is unable to cope, producing social and environmental problems. Also, I was interested by the number of
humans and how their actions accumulate effects upon Earth such as climate change and depletion of the
ozone. From this idea, I decided to explore the environmental problems upon Earth and how the number of
humans coincides with this. An aim I thought about was “Are there too many people on earth?” Originally, I
thought this was an interesting idea which could provoke a lot of understanding to society about how we
live on Earth. In addition, I wanted to explore people’s views from scientists in the past and present.
However, now I understand that it is quite a broad topic to focus on and want to explore more about the
environmental impacts of overpopulation. From this idea, I decided to explore the environmental aspect of
overpopulation and to what extent the problems are highlighted within society. Therefore, another aim was
“Who is to blame for overpopulation?” I chose this because I did some preliminary research and find out
about how overpopulation was a lurking, discrete factor of environmental problems. Although, I found this
topic quite hard to narrow down information on and be able to come up with certain objectives as to how I
fulfil my aims. Consequently, I have now chosen the aim of “Is overpopulation to blame for environmental
degradation?” because I can fine-tune the objectives I want to develop and I can expand on the
environmental impacts of overpopulation whilst being able to gather certain viewpoints. This will enable me
to be analytical when I begin to write my EPQ dissertation yet I can research quite extensively. I refined my
initial ideas from discussing both social and environmental problems by then focusing on writing about
environmental problems and how this solely has a link to environmental deterioration.
On the topic of my research, I have begun to look for resources mainly online due to the accessibility the
internet provides. I have primarily used articles written by university graduates or journalists which have
