Maybe a different tutor, or school? Philosophy is thinking about thinking (never mind the bilge-water about love of wisdom). Thus, if you think about your thinking, you're philosophizing - not very well, of course.

Here's an approach: when you see an apple, what do you see? What does it mean to see. What is happening when you see? (Same questions for the other senses.) What is the role of language with respect to seeing? How does ordinary language with respect to seeing conceal the real nature of what is happening? What is actually happening?

Here's a link to Dialogues by George Berkeley:
https://www.earlymoderntexts.com/assets/pdfs/berkeley1713.pdf

Who is George Berkeley? Look it up. He who famously said there is no such thing as substance, meaning.... Try here:
https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/berkeley/.

Aristotle is famous for too many things to list here, among them his four causes. Efficient, material, formal, final, corresponding to who made it, from what material, from what plan, for what purpose. (The Greek word for "cause" being roughly whatever answered a question.) Offer a consideration of whether Aristotle's four causes either does or does not touch upon the question of how perception works, or what perception is. Disqualify from your discussion any matter of psychology or science. Yours is thinking about thinking. Neither science nor psychology is thinking about thinking - unless some recent science has something really interesting and relevant to contribute to your effort, that you can comment on.

This all plays against Descartes because he wanted to doubt all perception, couldn't, and therein found evidence of God. But do not repeat do not imagine that you understand Descartes without considerable effort. His philosophy is of his time and is proper subject for explication and criticism.

A citable resource on philosophy in general is the Stanford Encyclopaedia of Philosophy, Descartes' Discourse on Method broadly concerns epistemology (as far as I know anyway), or the study of knowledge itself. Questions like 'how can we know anything without being certain of it?' or analysis of and responses to the Münchausen Trilemma are some introductory topics in it.

Thank you!! I will look into these! I appreciate that.

So firstly I need to analyse what constitutes a valid philosophical enquiry. — Helen G

That's an odd thing for them to ask you for. I don't think there is a clear agreed upon answer. I suppose there are a few approaches. Of the top of my head:

A philosophical question is a question we do not yet know how to answer.
A philosophical question is about the relationships between concepts.

I've never read Descartes, but you could look at Wikipedia or the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. They will probably also have entries on what constitutes a philosophical enquiry. Still very mean to ask you to do the philosophy of philosophy when you haven't yet done much philosophy.

As for this:

Analyse ways in which language impacts on philosophy, such as logic, ambiguity, mathematics and paradox — Helen G

..that's awfully abstract. Is that the exact wording they give? It's an odd question - again it's taking a bird's eye view of philosophy. I don't see how anyone who isn't already familiar with a lot of philosophy could really form an impression of how language impacts on philosophy.

I suppose there are plenty of confusions and arguments based on poorly defined terms... is that what they want you to talk about? But that's not confined to philosophy. Maybe sorting such confusions out is the business of philosophy.

I think it would be quite fair to ask them for further detail on what they are asking for. Or you could do the time-honoured philosophical strategy of attacking the vagueness of the question and going through all the things it could possibly mean in as condescending a way as you possibly can.

I wish there was a way to upload a picture then I could show you exactly what they are expecting

So the branch of philosophy I have decided to go with is Metaphysics and I need to establish criteria to place a series of such enquiries within metaphysics. Any ideas?

https://www.amazon.com/Essay-Metaphysics-R-G-Collingwood/dp/1614276153/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=an+essay+on+metaphysics&qid=1551926942&s=gateway&sr=8-1

An Essay on Metaphysics, Collingwood.

Get this book. Read this book.

I was wondering if you bright sparks would be of more help to me. — Helen G

So, it's been a while. How did your presentation go ? You never did get back to us.

https://thephilosophyforum.com/discussion/4878/nietzche-and-his-influence-on-hitler/p1

I wish there was a way to upload a picture then I could show you exactly what they are expecting — Helen G

There are other ways you can show the requirements of your philosophy exam, no ?
It does seem to be a bit heavy for an access introductory course.