Title
IA ESS
Final Checklist
Name:
Does the title clearly identify what the investigation is about?
Research
Question
Your research question is coherent (it includes and IV and DV)
Your research question in concise
There is a sentence briefly stating how this investigation will be carried out
The Context
Identify the Context
Is the research question relevant and fully focused?
Have you identified a local, regional, or global environmental issue?
Have you provided basic background about this environmental issue? What
causes it? What does it cause?
Have you discussed this environmental issue (talked about more than one
side of the issue)?
Have you explained the connections between your experiment and the
Environmental Context
Why are you doing this experiment?
Variables
Is your information appropriate, relevant, and properly referenced?
Is your method repeatable and appropriate to the research question? If so,
your report should include:
The IV clearly and specified quantities/concentrations/temperatures
The DV clearly and specified precisely what you will be measuring & how you will
measure it
At least 5 levels of independent variables in your method
At least 5 repeats of the independent variable group
Materials
Listed all materials with details so that someone else can repeat your work
Included details about sizes, concentrations, amounts, and anything else that
would be needed to repeat your work.
Included a clear, labeled, diagram or sketch map of your experimental setup in
order for someone else to repeat your work (this should not just be a picture of
your equipment)
Include a statement about the safety concerns in your experiment
Method
Planning
Have you justified your variables and other choices?
Stated all relevant controlled variables and how they will be kept constant (or
their impact mitigated)
Prioritized your control variables, with the most important variables being
mentioned first
Include a statement about the ethical concerns in your experiment
All of the runs and repeats stated clearly in the method, in order to show how you
collected sufficient data
The method is clear and includes all relevant details
There is a statement about your sampling strategy for your experiment.
Have you justified your choice of sampling? Have you justified your choices?
Raw Data
Do all tables have descriptive, numbered, titles?
Does your report include sufficient (at least 15 data points- 5 levels IV x 5
trials) relevant quantitative and/or qualitative raw data that will support a
detailed and valid conclusion to the research question?
Is the raw data presented in neat and easy-to-follow tables with appropriate
titles, headings, and units?
Is each table printed clearly on one page?
Is the use of decimal places consistent throughout?
Processing
Results
Has any relevant descriptive/qualitative data been included?
Are the relevant significant values mentioned?
Has the raw data been properly and appropriately processed with the degree
of accuracy required to enable a conclusion to the research question that is
fully consistent with the experimental data?
Have you described the processing (given the formulas and a sample
calculation) and given reasons for your choice of processing?
Were calculations of averages completed?
Have you given an example of the calculation, including units?
Was other processing included (correlation coefficients, rate calculations,
percentage change calculations, diversity index, etc)?
Analysis
Presentation
of Processed
Data
Is the processed data presented properly in tables and graphs?
Are the graph axes clearly labeled (including units)?
Have you chosen the correct type of graph for your data?
Is there a descriptive, numbered, title for all graphs?
Have you analyzed the processed data to identify any trends and patterns or
outliers?
Have you made any comparisons within your data?
Conclusion
Have you described your finding?
Have you referred back to your research question in your conclusion?
Have you described and justified a clear conclusion, which is relevant to the
research question and supported by data presented?
Discussion
Have you scientifically explained your results and conclusion using accepted
scientific background (eg. Outside sources)
Have you compared your results and conclusion to other’s findings?
Have you properly referenced the literature using in–text citations and works
cited?
Have you connected your conclusion to the Environmental Context discussed in
Identify the Context? Have you been specific?
Evaluation
Have you evaluated your conclusion in the context of your environmental issue?
Have you stated the strengths and weaknesses in the experimental method that
may impact the conclusion reached?
Have you discussed the quality, reliability, and limitations of the data collected and
presented and considered any possible sources of error?
Have you connected any abnormalities to earlier observations or qualitative data
(must be presented earlier in the lab)?
Have you suggested realistic and relevant modifications and improvements to the
experiment?
Are these modifications and improvements directly related to the weaknesses
identified earlier?
Are your suggestions for improvement specific and detailed?
Application
Have you stated a potential application or solution to your environmental issue
based on the findings of your study and outside research?
Have you justified this application (why is this application or solution appropriate)?
Have you pointed out the strengths of this application or solution?
Have you pointed out the weaknesses of this application or solution?
Have you pointed out the limitation of this application or solution (when would and
wouldn’t work/be appropriate)?
Is the presentation of your investigation clear so that a reader can fully
understand the methodology, data, conclusions and evaluation?
Communication
Are there any errors that hamper the reader’s understanding of the focus,
process and outcomes of the investigation?
Is your report well-structured and clear with all relevant information on focus,
process and outcomes presented in a coherent way?
Is your report relevant and concise so that it facilitates a ready understanding of
the focus, process and outcomes of the investigation?
Is your use of subject specific terminology appropriate and correct?
Have you followed the correct conventions for presentation for raw and processed
data?
Have you followed the correct conventions for the length of the report (1,500-2,250
words), references and in-text citations?
See sections
above