Fall Final Exam 2014 for Urban Agriculture: Research Proposal
Due: Wednesday, December 4th, 2014
Credit: 50% of fall final exam grade
Create a final draft research proposal that you could submit to a university, company or organization to
conduct research on your agricultural topic of interest. Write using your best grammar, vocabulary and
spelling. Your audience are adults; but write it so well and with such detail that a middle school science
student could understand your proposal. Typed proposals are required.
Include the following information in this order and use the bolded words as a titles for each section:
Title of your project that describes the topic of your research to the reader
Question you are answering, written as a question
Adequately describe Purpose of Research or Problem to solve so that anyone reading can understand
your challenge
Hypothesis written in an “If/Then” statement.
Groups and Variables: Identify control/experimental group, controlled/independent/dependent
variables. The dependent variable must be something measurable and/or countable using an objective
form of measurement (such as weight, height, number of something, temperature)
Materials- provide a table of materials you will need for your project including how/where you will
acquire it and how much it will cost if it something that must be bought.
Example of a materials table:
Material Needed
How/Where it is found
cost
Broccoli transplants
Will start in pots at WHS
None if we have the seeds
Four (5)- gallon clay pots
Home Depot
$8 each, $32 total
Experiment Design: Describe in detail the set-up of your experiment. Where will it be kept at Westside?
(in classroom, behind classroom, in garden, elsewhere on campus?)
Include a professional-looking drawing of the set-up. Use a ruler to draw straight lines, label, draw
neatly, use color. The drawing should help us better understand the set-up of your experiment. You
may use a computer drawing program if you prefer.
Data- describe what you will measure in this experiment (your dependent variable) including:

how you will measure (count, weigh, measure height, count, record temperature),

the measurement tool(s) required, how often you will measure,

for how long a period of time you will take the measurements (from when to when?)

how/when you will record the data (during class, after school, at lunch, weekends)

Design a data table that you will use to record your data that includes the appropriate column
and/or row titles.
Example
Dates of
Plant 1
Measurement Compost fertilizer
Plant 2
Plant 3
Plant 4
Man-made Fertilizer
Micro-life
fertilizer
No fertilizer
01/08/14
01/15/14
01/22/14
Begin and Completion-describe what you still need to do to prepare for the completed set-up of this
experiment by Friday, January 10th, 2014. Included duration of experiment and when you anticipate you
will stop recording data.
**All research must be completed by Friday, May 2nd, 2014** When you have completed recording
data, you will analyze it, compare with your hypothesis and create a conclusion based upon your results.
Then you will create a visual presentation (such as a powerpoint or a prezi) and present it to the class
and community members at the end of May as part of your Spring Final Exam.
Question or concerns: contact Mr. Spence via email at lspence@houstonisd.org or visit with him in S216
during the first 15 minutes of lunch Monday-Friday! Mr. Zimbaldi is also available to assist you. His
email is mzimbal@houstonisd.org . You can arrange with him to meet for assistance as well.