Name
4
This BOOKLET IS PART OF THE DOING SCIENCE INVESTIGATIONS UNIT
Project Management
Project Director: Professor Denis Goodrum, FACE (Australian Academy of Science)
Project Deputy Director: Amelia Druhan (Australian Academy of Science)
This resource was written by: Vicki Stavropoulos and Joanna Abbs.
Science by Doing would like to thank Fuel Creative Pty Ltd for the design and development of this resource.
Steering Committee
Professor Jennifer A. Marshall Graves AO FAA (Australian Academy of Science) [Chair]
Professor Denis Goodrum (Australian Academy of Science)
Mr Scott Lambert (Australian Government Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations)
Dr Sue Meek (Australian Academy of Science)
Reference Group
Professor Jennifer A. Marshall Graves AO FAA (Australian Academy of Science) [Chair]
Australian Council of Deans of Science
Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority
Australian Government Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations
Australian Science Teachers Association
Australian Secondary Principals Association
Catholic Education Office
CSIRO Education
Department of Education TAS
Department of Education and Children’s Services SA
Department of Education and Early Childhood Development VIC
Department of Education and Training ACT
Department of Education and Training NSW
Department of Education and Training WA
Department of Education and Training QLD
Department of Education and Training NT
Independent Schools Council of Australia
NSW Aboriginal Educational Consultative Group
Ms Shelley Peers (Project Director, Primary Connections)
Professor Russell Tytler (Deakin University)
Acknowledgement
Science by Doing is supported by the Australian Government
Disclaimer
The views expressed herein do not necessarily represent the views of the Australian Government Department of
Education, Employment and Workplace Relations.
These materials are intended for education and training only. Every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of the
information presented in these materials. We do not assume any liability for the accuracy or completeness of the
information contained within. The Australian Academy of Science accepts no responsibility for any loss or damage
whatsoever suffered as a result of direct or indirect use or application of any of these training materials.
© Australian Academy of Science, 2011
•Y
ou may use resources from this document for your own personal use but please quote the Australian Academy of
Science as the source.
• Under no circumstances may copies be sold or redistributed in any form.
•Y
ou may not modify the information found in Australian Academy of Science materials without the prior written
permission of the Academy.
ISBN 085847 277 5
Published by the Australian Academy of Science
GPO Box 783
Canberra ACT 2601
Telephone: 02 6201 9400
Fax: 02 6201 9494
www.science.org.au
Contents
Before you start
Activity 4.1 Choosing a Suitable QUESTION to Investigate
1AExploring your ideas
1B
Analysing your question—SWOT activity
1C
Researching your question Activity 4.2 Planning your Investigation
2AYour hypothesis
2BYour experimental design
2C
Recording results
3
4-13
4
8
12
14-19
14
17
19
Activity 4.3 Conducting your Investigation
20-23
Activity 4.4 Processing and Evaluating your Data
24-27
Activity 4.5 Summary of your Findings
28
Activity 4.6Acknowledgements and Bibliography
29-30
APPENDICES
31-35
Appendix ALabelled diagrams
Appendix B
Results tables
Appendix C
Bar graphs
Appendix D
Glossary
Appendix E
Reporting your investigations and findings
31
32
33
34
35
1
Before you start
My Science Investigation is Part 4 of the Doing Science Investigations
unit. The early parts of the unit are about learning and practising the skills
and processes used in scientific investigations. In this part, you have the
opportunity to design and carry out your own investigation. You will:
• develop a question to investigate
• plan how you will investigate the question
• carry out the investigation
• collect and analyse your data
• write a conclusion about your results.
Your teacher might also ask you to present this information as a formal
report or as part of a student science conference. Guidelines for writing a
scientific report are in Appendix E.
When you have completed your investigation you may be eligible for a
CSIRO CREST Award. Visit the website www.csiro.au/crest to find out more
or ask your teacher.
Icon
Meaning
Digital
interactive
Hands-on
inquiry
Classroom
activity
DOING SCIENCE INVESTIGATIONS
2
my science investigation
LINKING QUESTIONHow can I design a scientific investigation of my own?
DOING SCIENCE INVESTIGATIONS
MY SCIENCE INVESTIGATION
3
ACTIVITY
4.1
CHOOSING A SUITABLE
QUESTION TO INVESTIGATE
1AExploring your ideas
ACTIVITY TYPE
List below anything that you are interested in: sports, hobbies, etc.
The tough part about scientific research is coming up with a good idea. You
should take time to select a question to investigate that is original, realistic
and within your capabilities.
You might get some ideas from past experiences, science lessons,
newspapers, magazines, documentaries or websites. Think about something
that really interests you and that you care about (eg your sports, hobbies).
If you have access to the Internet visit www.csiro.au/crest and work your way
through the CSIRO CREST Award Quiz.
MY NOTES
MY SCIENCE INVESTIGATION
ACTIVITY 4.1
1A Exploring your ideas
4
ACTIVITY 4.1 CHOOSING A SUITABLE QUESTION TO INVESTIGATE CONTINUED
Now that you have several topic areas, brainstorm a list of questions for possible investigations. Try to be specific and choose questions that would require
you to carry out an investigation to discover the answer. Questions like ‘what is mould?’ can be answered by looking up the dictionary, encyclopaedia or
doing a web search, so why bother carrying out an investigation?
Use the table below to help you generate your questions. An example is given.
Possible topic area
Sports
Gardening
Ideas I have about this topic
Questions I could investigate
What could be changed?
What could be measured or
observed?
What makes soccer balls
travel further?
Does the covering on the
soccer ball affect the distance
the ball travels?
Does the temperature of the
day affect how far the soccer
ball travels?
Different covering of the ball
Temperature on surface of
ball
Distance the ball travels
How do plants grow?
What amount of water is best
to grow tomatoes?
What type of soil is best to
grow gerberas?
Do different coloured lights
affect the growth of daffodils?
Amount of water
Different soil compositions
Different colour films on a
light source
Height, growth rate of
tomatoes
Height, growth rate of
gerberas
Height, growth rate of
daffodils
Table continued on next page
MY SCIENCE INVESTIGATION
ACTIVITY 4.1
1A Exploring your ideas
5
ACTIVITY 4.1 CHOOSING A SUITABLE QUESTION TO INVESTIGATE CONTINUED
Possible topic area
Ideas I have about this topic
Questions I could investigate
What could be changed?
MY SCIENCE INVESTIGATION
ACTIVITY 4.1
What could be measured or
observed?
1A Exploring your ideas
6
ACTIVITY 4.1 CHOOSING A SUITABLE QUESTION TO INVESTIGATE CONTINUED
Peer Group Check
My possible research questions:
Discuss your ideas with your friends. (They should ask you Why…? What
if…? How…? Where…? questions to help you think more about your
possible topic.)
1.
Looking at your table above, narrow down the questions to those that
are realistic. Think about whether it is possible to measure and perform
experiments at school without harming anyone. You should also think
about what materials are available and how long your experiment might
take. There should also be a purpose to your question. (You will further
investigate the feasibility of your possible questions later in this unit. This is
your first attempt so now is the time to throw out any that might not be doable.)
Put an asterisk against those you decide could be realistic.
Choose the three most interesting ideas or questions from your asterisked
list. You will use these in the next activity. Record these in the space below.
2.
3.
MY SCIENCE INVESTIGATION
ACTIVITY 4.1
1A Exploring your ideas
7
ACTIVITY 4.1 CHOOSING A SUITABLE QUESTION TO INVESTIGATE CONTINUED
1B Analysing your question – SWOT activity
To help decide whether a possible question is worthwhile you can use a SWOT Analysis Table.
Strengths
Weaknesses
Opportunities
Threats
Is it topical?
Is it relevant (personally, locally,
nationally, internationally)?
Is it possible to do?
Is it specific in its aim?
Is it only testing one idea?
Are you going to enjoy
this investigation?
Is it too general?
Is it poorly defined?
Is it based on inaccurate research
or observations?
Is the outcome already known?
Would the results be hard
to interpret?
How are you going to manage
your time?
Does it expand on existing
research?
Does it address a
worthwhile problem?
Would the results answer a
specific question?
Would the results open up new
areas of interest?
Can you work with other people?
Will this help you answer a question
you’ve been wondering about?
Would it be dangerous to do?
Would it be unethical?
Would it involve experiments
using animals?
At this stage, would it involve
too much time and too many
resources?
Would the investigation be
too hard?
The ideas summarised in the diagram can then be helpful in reaching an overall decision.
MY NOTES
MY SCIENCE INVESTIGATION
ACTIVITY 4.1
1B Analysing your Question – SWOT Activity
8
ACTIVITY 4.1 CHOOSING A SUITABLE QUESTION TO INVESTIGATE CONTINUED
Choose one of the three ideas/questions you identified in the previous
activity and use the following blank SWOT Table to record as many
thoughts as you have for each area.
You may need to do some background research to answer the questions.
When carrying out your SWOT Analysis, don’t just use yes/no answers.
Explain why it is a yes or no answer. You may not be able to answer all
questions first go, but try to answer as many as you can. Remember this
activity is to help you analyse your possible questions.
Remember:
Hints:
• One hypothesis (testable question)—one idea!
• Must be specific!
• If you know the answer already why bother?
• Your question must be capable of being tested!
• Your question should give a hint of how it could be
tested!
• Local issues are sometimes more relevant.
• Several minds are better than one (so ask your friends to
help you)!
• Brainstorm each section of the SWOT Analysis.
• You could use self-adhesive notes to record verbal
comments with each suggestion—remember, NO
discussion at the brainstorming stage.
• After brainstorming discuss all suggestions and complete
your SWOT Table.
MY NOTES
MY SCIENCE INVESTIGATION
ACTIVITY 4.1
1B Analysing your Question – SWOT Activity
9
ACTIVITY 4.1 CHOOSING A SUITABLE QUESTION TO INVESTIGATE CONTINUED
My Question 1____________________________________________________________________________________________________
Strengths
Weaknesses
MY SCIENCE INVESTIGATION
Opportunities
ACTIVITY 4.1
Threats
1B Analysing your Question – SWOT Activity
10
ACTIVITY 4.1 CHOOSING A SUITABLE QUESTION TO INVESTIGATE CONTINUED
Looking at your SWOT Table, decide whether this question will be suitable
for your investigation. It should have many strengths and opportunities and
few threats and weaknesses. Ask your teacher for more templates if you
want to repeat the SWOT Analysis for your other two questions.
Peer Group Check
Teacher Checkpoint
Take this question with your SWOT Analysis to your teacher to
discuss further.
Write your chosen question here: ________________________________________
Discuss your SWOT Analysis with your friends before taking your
ideas to your teacher.
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
MY NOTES
MY SCIENCE INVESTIGATION
ACTIVITY 4.1
1B Analysing your Question – SWOT Activity
11
ACTIVITY 4.1 CHOOSING A SUITABLE QUESTION TO INVESTIGATE CONTINUED
1C Researching your question
Now that you have your question you need to do more detailed background
research about this topic to help design your investigation.
Using these keywords you can now carefully research your chosen topic
area and question.
Look at the question you have decided to investigate.
Your library would be a useful starting point. Talk to your teacher librarian
for assistance. Use different sources such as books, Internet, magazines,
newspapers, journals etc.
List the keywords from this question and your topic area.
Brainstorm any other related keywords. Hint: refer to your SWOT Analysis.
MY NOTES
MY SCIENCE INVESTIGATION
ACTIVITY 4.1
1C Researching your Question
12
ACTIVITY 4.1 CHOOSING A SUITABLE QUESTION TO INVESTIGATE CONTINUED
Record any useful information you have found. Make sure you also record where you found this information as you will need to include it in your
bibliography/acknowledgements of your report.
Useful information found
Source of information
(record title of book, author, date
of publication, web address etc)
MY SCIENCE INVESTIGATION
ACTIVITY 4.1
Date searched
1C Researching your Question
13
ACTIVITY
4.2
PLANNING YOUR
INVESTIGATION
2A Your hypothesis
You now have a topic question that is feasible and well researched.
1.
ACTIVITY TYPE
What will you change (independent variable)?
You’re almost ready to start experimenting... but what are you going to
actually experiment on? What are you going to do? What equipment do
you need? What observations or measurements are you going to make?
You may have answered some of these questions while you have been
researching your question.
The first step in planning your investigation is to identify your hypothesis—
this is the testable question or statement that you will be investigating.
From earlier activities in this unit we know that when we conduct an
experiment in science, we need to consider what we are going to keep
constant, what we are going to vary (ie independent variable), what we are
going to measure (ie dependent variable) and what we might expect to
happen.
A hypothesis is usually based on two of these important variables: the
variable you will be changing in your experiment (independent variable) and
the variable that you will be measuring (dependent variable) as a result of
this change.
To write your hypothesis you need to first identify these important variables.
(You can see the Investigation Planner from the previous activities to help.
Ask your teacher for another copy.)
MY NOTES
MY SCIENCE INVESTIGATION
ACTIVITY 4.2
2A Your Hypothesis
14
ACTIVITY 4.2 PLANNING YOUR INVESTIGATION CONTINUED
2.
What will you measure (dependent variable)?
3.
hat will you keep the same (controlled
W
variables)?
4.
My hypothesis
(testable question/statement) is:
MY NOTES
Remember a good
hypothesis is:
• clear and brief
• specific
• testable
MY SCIENCE INVESTIGATION
ACTIVITY 4.2
2A Your Hypothesis
15
ACTIVITY 4.2 PLANNING YOUR INVESTIGATION CONTINUED
5.
My prediction:
6.
Why I think this might happen:
MY NOTES
MY SCIENCE INVESTIGATION
ACTIVITY 4.2
2A Your Hypothesis
16
ACTIVITY 4.2 PLANNING YOUR INVESTIGATION CONTINUED
2B Your experimental design
______________________________________________________________________
Exactly what will you do? Write down the steps you will follow like a step-bystep recipe (use dot points or numbers). Be specific, define sizes and include
how many times you will do the investigation and how many replications you
will do in each investigation. What data are you collecting? How will you ensure
you obtain reliable results? Will you need to have a control (see Glossary) to
compare your results to?
______________________________________________________________________
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MY NOTES
A good procedure is one that someone can understand and use to
repeat your investigation easily. Write in present tense and don’t be
vague—specify what the equipment is for; describe clearly how you
will take measurements.
Quantitative (ie numerical measurements) data is more accurate and
reliable than qualitative data (ie descriptions of observations).
MY SCIENCE INVESTIGATION
ACTIVITY 4.2
2B Your Experimental Design
17
ACTIVITY 4.2 PLANNING YOUR INVESTIGATION CONTINUED
List the equipment you need and where you will access it from.
Include any equipment such as data loggers, digital or web camera for recording your data etc.
Material required
From school
From home
Other source
MY NOTES
Your school might not be able to provide you with all of the equipment
you request. You would then need to think about whether you could
adapt another piece of equipment to do the job. You might be able to ask
universities or science research agencies in your local area for help. If you
still cannot get access to this equipment you will have to redesign your
investigation. Make sure you document this change in your procedure.
MY SCIENCE INVESTIGATION
ACTIVITY 4.2
2B Your Experimental Design
18
ACTIVITY 4.2 PLANNING YOUR INVESTIGATION CONTINUED
What time will be required for you to complete your experiment?
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
If you are going to use a table sketch it here. Clearly define the
columns and include units of measurement. Designing it now will
help you quickly jot down your observations/measurements as you
carry out your investigation.
Complete the Risk Assessment Form to outline any safety issues that are
associated with your experiment. You will need to discuss this with your
teacher.
Complete the Laboratory Order Request Form.
2C Recording results
How will you record your observations (eg labelled diagram, tables etc)?
Peer Group Check
Discuss your procedure with your friends. Ask them to complete the Peer
Assessment Checklist to give you feedback.
Teacher Checkpoint
Discuss your investigation and procedure with your teacher. You should also
include the Checklist your friends completed for you.
If your teacher agrees, you can now begin your experimental work.
MY SCIENCE INVESTIGATION
ACTIVITY 4.2
2C Recording Results
19
ACTIVITY
4.3
CONDUCTING YOUR
INVESTIGATION
Scientists often do preliminary experiments to check if their designed procedure
will be suitable. You will need to record these preliminary results, as well as any
changes you make to your procedure because of these.
ACTIVITY TYPE
Problem encountered
What did you do?
Use the next few pages to record all your observations and data as you conduct
your investigation.
Don’t forget you are carrying out a fair test so be consistent in how you collect
your measurements.
You can also take photos of your investigation to include in your report.
Make sure you also record any problems you encounter and what you do to
overcome them.
Use the tables below to help you.
MY NOTES
MY SCIENCE INVESTIGATION
ACTIVITY 4.3
20
ACTIVITY 4.3 CONDUCTING YOUR INVESTIGATION CONTINUED
Changes made
Why was the change made?
Changes made
Why was the change made?
MY NOTES
MY SCIENCE INVESTIGATION
ACTIVITY 4.3
21
ACTIVITY 4.3 CONDUCTING YOUR INVESTIGATION CONTINUED
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MY SCIENCE INVESTIGATION
ACTIVITY 4.3
22
ACTIVITY 4.3 CONDUCTING YOUR INVESTIGATION CONTINUED
Record the data from your investigation using a table like the one you designed in Activity 4.2 Planning your investigation.
MY NOTES
MY SCIENCE INVESTIGATION
ACTIVITY 4.3
23
ACTIVITY
4.4
PROCESSING AND
EVALUATING YOUR DATA
Now that you have gathered your data you need to work out what it might
mean. The questions in this section will help you.
Thinking about the results (the evidence):
ACTIVITY TYPE
2. If appropriate use a graph to summarise and show
your results more clearly.
1. What happened during your investigation?
MY NOTES
The type of graph used is determined by the
type of data collected.
Line graphs should be used for graphing
continuous data. This is data in which the
values follow on from each other, such as when
observing an event over time, age, temperature.
Column, bar or pie graphs should be used for
graphing discrete data, such as brands of
cereals, batteries, gender, etc.
Graphs should have:
• a title briefly describing what the graph
shows
• clearly labelled axes with the variable and
measurement units
• evenly scaled axes
• legend (if symbols or colours are used).
Refer to Appendix C for more detail.
MY SCIENCE INVESTIGATION
ACTIVITY 4.4
24
ACTIVITY 4.4 PROCESSING AND EVALUATING YOUR DATA CONTINUED
3. Are there any patterns, trends or
relationships evident from your results?
4. What do the results tell us about
your original question?
5. What do the results tell us about
your hypothesis?
MY SCIENCE INVESTIGATION
ACTIVITY 4.4
25
ACTIVITY 4.4 PROCESSING AND EVALUATING YOUR DATA CONTINUED
6. In what way was the result different to
your prediction?
7. Did you have any unexpected results?
Why do you think these occurred?
8. Are your results reliable?
MY SCIENCE INVESTIGATION
ACTIVITY 4.4
26
ACTIVITY 4.4 PROCESSING AND EVALUATING YOUR DATA CONTINUED
9. Using scientific language, try to
explain the observable results:
10. What improvements might you make
to your experimental design?
11. Further things that could be
investigated:
MY SCIENCE INVESTIGATION
ACTIVITY 4.4
27
ACTIVITY
4.5
SUMMARY OF
YOUR FINDINGS
ACTIVITY TYPE
12. Write a conclusion for your investigation:
_____________________________________________________________________________
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_____________________________________________________________________________
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_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
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What if my investigation doesn't
work?
Science is not about ‘getting the
answer’. Carrying out experiments
to look for patterns and help explain
phenomena that are observed can
be a never-ending process. Often
scientists don’t find an answer even
if working on a particular project
for a lifetime, but the investigations
they carry out provide ideas that can
help them or others design further
experiments to find an answer in the
future. ‘Unsuccessful’ experiments
are important, so don’t worry if your
investigation didn’t work. You have
still contributed to finding an answer
to your original question and gained
valuable scientific skills along the way.
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
MY NOTES
The conclusion is a brief summary of the
investigation. It involves a restatement of the
hypothesis and indicates if the hypothesis was
supported. Do not introduce anything new in this
section. State and evaluate the significant and
general outcomes of your investigation.
MY SCIENCE INVESTIGATION
ACTIVITY 4.5
28
ACTIVITY
4.6
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
AND BIBLIOGRAPHY
ACTIVITY TYPE
It is important to recognise resources that you have used and people who have helped you with your investigation.
Use the table you put together in Activity 4.1 about your research to help you complete your acknowledgements and bibliography.
Resources
Resources
MY SCIENCE INVESTIGATION
ACTIVITY 4.6
29
ACTIVITY 4.6 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS AND BIBLIOGRAPHY CONTINUED
People who assisted
How they assisted
Congratulations! You have now completed your investigation.
If your school is registered for the CSIRO CREST program (www.csiro.au/crest) you have also qualified for a
CSIRO CREST AWARD
Ask your teacher about contacting CREST for your Award to be sent.
MY SCIENCE INVESTIGATION
ACTIVITY 4.6
30
APPENDIX
A
LABELLED DIAGRAMS
Title
Accuracy
All diagrams need a
title. The title should
describe the diagram
to the viewer.
Accuracy depends on good observation and
having skills to represent the observations as
a labelled diagram. Accurate diagrams are
a good size and clearly represent the main
features of the object as a scientific diagram.
Labelling
Labelling is required
to identify and
communicate features
of the thumb to the
viewer of the diagram.
Labels should connect
to the diagram with
a line that touches or
points directly to the
part being labelled.
Amount of information
This was an open task
and therefore students
decided how extensive
their representation
would be. Simple
representations of the
thumb showed just one
view, while extended
representations either
showed more than one
view or how the thumb
was attached to the palm
of the hand.
Thumb size
Scientific diagrams
need to include
some form of scale
so that the viewer
has an indication
of the size of the
object represented.
Hackling, M., & Prain, V. (2008). Impact of Primary Connections on Students’ science processes, literacies of
science and attitudes towards science. A research report for the Australian Academy of Science.
MY SCIENCE INVESTIGATION
APPENDIX
31
APPENDIX
B
RESULTS TABLES
Ordering of variables
Title for table
Column headings
Column headings
are required
to identify the
variables for which
data are recorded
in the columns. In
this case, data was
to be recorded
for two variables:
shoe size and shoe
length.
Ordering of data
To effectively reveal the relationship
between the variables, the data for
the independent variable should be
ordered in magnitude. For example, the
shoe size data should be ordered from
the smallest to the highest size, or the
other way around, so that the reader
can see what happens to shoe length as
shoe size increases.
A title helps the reader understand what
information is recorded in the table. A good
title includes the names of the variables for
which data are recorded.
Table: Lengths of different size shoes
Shoe size
Length of
shoe (cm)
1
11
2
12
Tables serve a number of
functions; they serve as a
structured form for recording
numerical data, and they
can be structured in ways
that help the reader identify
patterns in the data, often
as relationships between
the variables. By convention
the independent variable is
placed in the left hand column
and the dependent variable
is placed in the right hand
column so that the reader,
reading from left to right, can
see what effect a change in
the independent variable has
on the dependent variable.
Units of measurement
Shoe size does not have any
unit of measurement, while
shoe length was measured
in centimetres. The unit of
measurement should be
included in the table for the
variable shoe lengths.
Hackling, M., & Prain, V. (2008). Impact of Primary Connections on Students’ science processes, literacies of
science and attitudes towards science. A research report for the Australian Academy of Science.
MY SCIENCE INVESTIGATION
APPENDIX
32
APPENDIX
C
BAR GRAPHS
Graph type
Title for graph
Graphs can serve several purposes. Bar
and line graphs can be used to identify
relationships between variables plotted.
Bar graphs are used when the independent
variable (IV) is discrete, whereas line graphs
are used when the IV values are continuous.
Graphs can be used to predict values for
which measurements have not been made by
interpolation and by extrapolation.
A title helps the reader
understand what information is
recorded in the graph. A good
title includes the names of the
variables for which data are
recorded.
Units of
measurement
Units of
measurement
need to be
included in axis
labels to help the
reader determine
the magnitude of
data plotted.
Shoe size compared to length
Plotting of data
shoe
length
(cm)
Shoe size
Labels for axes
Labels name the
variable plotted on
each axis. Without this
information the reader
is unable to determine
what has been plotted
on each axis, nor
interpret the graph.
Ordering bars on graph
When bar graphs are used to analyse information
and identify relationships between variables, the
patterns in the data can only be identified when
the data for the independent variable is ordered
in a meaningful way. In the shoe size example, the
relationship between shoe size and shoe length
is only apparent when the bars for shoe sizes are
ordered by magnitude, either from smallest to
largest or from largest to smallest.
Accurate plotting
of data as a graph
requires that scales are
constructed with an
appropriate range of
values and with regular
intervals and that data
points are plotted with
accurate coordination
of values on both axes
of the graph. This is
simpler for a bar graph
than for a line graph
as only the dependent
variable has
continuous data for
which a scale needs to
be constructed.
MY SCIENCE INVESTIGATION
APPENDIX
33
APPENDIX
D
GLOSSARY
Strategy
Description
Bar graph
used for graphing discrete data.
Conclusion
a brief summary of the investigation. It involves a restatement of the hypothesis and indicates if the hypothesis was supported.
Continuous data
data in which the values follow on from each other, such as when observing an event over time, age, temperature.
Control
a control is a treatment in the investigation where the variable being tested (ie independent variable) is absent. It is used for comparison. Not all experiments
have a control.
Controlled variables
the variables that are kept the same in the investigation to ensure that the change in the independent variable is causing the change in what is being
measured.
Dependent variable
the variable that is being measured in the investigation in response to the independent variable being changed.
Discrete data
data in which the values are clearly separate and distinct from each other, eg gender, different brands of batteries, types of plants etc.
Evidence
is usually collected by carrying out a scientific investigation.
Fair test
an experiment where only one factor is changed during the experiment and that is the factor that is being tested. All other factors that could be changed are
kept the same throughout the experiment.
Hypothesis
a testable question or statement that is being investigated. The hypothesis should be brief, specific and written simply. It is usually stated as a relationship
Independent variable
the variable that is changed in an investigation to see what effect it has on the variable being measured (dependent variable).
Line graph
used for graphing continuous data.
Procedure
a step-by-step sequence of activities in an investigation.
Quantitative data
data that contains numerical values eg height, speed, time.
Qualitative data
data that is descriptive of observations, eg colour, taste.
Repetition
performing the same experiment a number of times.
Replication
having several samples of the same item tested at the same time. This allows for a number of samples to be observed in any one test.
Risk assessment
an estimate of the likelihood of adverse effects that may result from exposure to certain hazards.
Variables
the factors in an experiment.
between the independent and dependent variables.
MY SCIENCE INVESTIGATION
GLOSSARY
34
APPENDIX
E
REPORTING YOUR INVESTIGATIONS
AND FINDINGS
Your teacher may require you to write a formal scientific report of your
investigation. You have recorded all of the required information in this
booklet. Use the following format to help you prepare your final report.
Final report guidelines
A scientific report is a written paper—each section is written under the
following headings shown in bold.
Aim
This is a clear statement of what you want to find out.
Hypothesis
• It should be clearly expressed.
• Make it simple and achievable.
Design of investigation—materials and methods
This section of the report should:
• outline the method
• identify techniques
• list instruments and materials used.
You need to identify the variables that affect your results and control all
variables except the independent variable.
You need to describe how and when all measurements were made. The
instructions should be clear enough for the experiment to be repeated by
someone else.
Results
All graphs and tables should:
• be about half a page in size
• be clear and simple
•b
e well set out and illustrate the important points
• show the units measured
•h
ave a heading or title that describes what the graph or table is showing
•u
sually the independent variable goes on the X axis and the dependent
variable goes on the Y axis.
Discussion and conclusion
In this section you explain the science behind your results:
• Why did this happen?
•C
omment on the accuracy of your measurements and identify restrictions
and limitations, and compare your results with your hypothesis. Was it
supported or disproved?
•D
escribe any improvements that you would make if you were going
to do this again. Improvements could be in the design or during the
investigation.
•S
tate any problems confronted and how you solved them?
Bibliography/acknowledgements
Acknowledge all sources and references you have consulted during the
whole of your investigation. Books, journals, Internet sites and people who
provided assistance should all be documented.
MY SCIENCE INVESTIGATION
APPENDIX
35
MY NOTES
MY SCIENCE INVESTIGATION
MY NOTES
36
MY NOTES
MY SCIENCE INVESTIGATION
MY NOTES
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MY NOTES
MY SCIENCE INVESTIGATION
MY NOTES
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MY NOTES
MY SCIENCE INVESTIGATION
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MY NOTES
MY SCIENCE INVESTIGATION
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Acknowledgements
Content advisers/reviewers:
• Louise Fogg & Amelia Druhan
• Robin Zipf, Queensland Academy of Health Sciences
• Peter Turnbull, Curriculum Services, SA Department of Education & Children’s Services
• Science by Doing Reference Group members
References
ACARA. (2010) Australian Curriculum: Science. Viewed March 2011, http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/Science/
Curriculum/F-10
BSCS. (2006) Why Does Inquiry Matter? Because That’s What Science is all About! Iowa, US: Kendall/Hunt Publishing
Company.
CSIRO. CREST Awards program. Viewed March 2010, www.csiro.au/crest
DeBono, E. (1985) Six Thinking Hats. NY, USA : MICA Management Resources, Inc.
Goldsworthy, A., Watson, J. R. & Wood-Robinson, V. (2000) Developing Understanding in Scientific Enquiry. The
Association for Science Education: UK.
Hackling, M., & Prain, V. (2008) Impact of Primary Connections on students’ science processes, literacies of science and
attitudes towards science. A research report for the Australian Academy of Science. Canberra, ACT.
Keogh, B. & Naylor S. (1999) Concept Cartoons in Science Education. Viewed March 2010, www.conceptcartoons.com
Science by Doing (2008) Moving Together Pilot Resource. Australian Academy of Science: Canberra, ACT.
Victoria Department of Education. Science Continuum P-10: Science Investigations. Viewed March 2010, www.eduweb.
vic.gov.au/edulibrary/public/teachlearn/student/mapsciinvestigate.pdf
Oakland Unified School District. Science in Oakland. Viewed March 2010, http://science.ousd.k12.ca.us
www.sciencebydoing.edu.au
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