The Problem
1. Identify a problem
2. May be something you have observed
3. You wonder why it happens
Purpose
1. 1 -3 sentences that explains why you are
doing this investigation
2. Should state what benefit will be gained
from answering the experimental
question
3. “The purpose of this project is . . . “
The Question
1. Experiment is designed to answer the
question.
2. Must be answered with measurable data
collected during the experiment
3. Is not based on opinion or a survey
4. Must contain the Dependent and
Independent Variable
Variables
1. Anything in an experiment that can
change.
2. Only two variable should change:
1. one on purpose
2. one as a result
3. All other variable must remain the
same - controlled
Independent Variable



What you change on purpose in an experiment
to see if it makes a difference.
The whole point of the experiment
Independent  I changed it
Dependent Variable



What changes in an experiment because of the
independent variable.
What you are measuring – the data
Dependent  Data
Controlled Variables

All other aspect of an experiment must remain
the same.
Identify the Variables
Underline the independent variable and circle the
dependent variable.
1. Will Bounty or Gala absorb more water?
Will Bounty or Gala absorb more water?
Controlled:
same size paper towel
same amount of water
equal time of towel in water
2. Does flake or chunk shaped cereal absorb
more milk?
Does flake or chunk shaped cereals
absorb more milk?
Controlled:
same amount of milk
same amount of cereal
same type bowls
3. Will nail polish dry faster under a light or
a fan?
Will nail polish dry faster under a light or a
fan?
Controlled:
Same amount of exposure to light and fan
Same type of nail polish
Same amount of polish: 1 or 2 coats
Hypothesis
1. States a proposed solution to a scientific
problem
2. Should answer the problem question
3. Must contain both the Independent and
Dependent Variable.
4. Must be written with an If. . . then,. . .
statement
Hypothesis Practice
1. Will Bounty or Gala absorb more water?
If Bounty and Gala are placed in water, then
Bounty will absorb more water.

2. Does flake or chunk shaped cereal absorb
more milk?
If flake and chunk shaped cereal is placed in milk,
then flake shaped will absorb more milk.

3. Will nail polish dry faster under a light or a
fan?
If nail polish is placed under a light and a fan,
then the polish under the light will dry faster.

Which can go faster a motorcycle or a car?
If a motorcycle or a car is driven, then a
motorcycle will go faster.
Which water evaporates faster salt water or
fresh water?
Procedures







All steps to do the experiment
All steps must be numbered
Include: labeling, brands, types, amounts, units,
and sizes
Include repeat steps if appropriate
Should have at least 3 trials
Gathering materials is not part of the procedures
Anyone should be able to perform this
experiment with the procedures.
Question: Will Bounty or Gala
paper towels absorb more water?
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
Cut one Bounty paper towel into a 20 x 20 cm square
Place the paper towel into the square metal cake pan
Pour 100 mL of water onto the paper towel in the metal cake pan
Let paper towel sit in water for 30 seconds
Hold the paper towel by two corners and lift it out of the water
Let paper towel drip for 30 seconds
Throw paper towel away
Pour water left in the metal cake pan into a beaker
Determine amount absorbed: subtract amount of water left from 100 mL
Record the amount absorbed on the data table
Repeat steps 1-10 two more times with Bounty paper towels
Repeat steps 1 – 11 with Gala Towels
Procedure Practice
2. Does flake or chunk shaped cereal absorb
more milk?
3. Will nail polish dry faster under a light or
a fan?
Material Lists
1. List all materials and equipment used in
experiment
2. Include: brands, types, amounts, units,
and sizes
3. Use only metric measurements
Example Material List
Question: Will Bounty or Gala absorb more water?
3 – 20 x 20 cm squares each: Bounty and Gala
paper towels
1 pair of scissors
250 mL beaker
600 mL water 20*C
1 - 20 x 20 cm sq metal cake pan
1 - Celsius thermometer
1 - Clock with second hand
Underline the brands, types, amounts, units, and sizes
Example
3 –squares each: Bounty and Gala paper
towels
1 pair of scissors
250 mL beaker
600 mL water 20*C
1 - 20 x 20 cm sq metal cake pan
1 - Celsius thermometer
1 - Clock with second hand
Material List Practice
Select the question you wrote procedures
for and write a material list
2. Does flake or chunk shaped cereal absorb
more milk?
3. Will nail polish dry faster under a light or
a fan?
Data Tables
1.
2.
3.
4.
Used to collect data from experiment
Columns and rows must be labeled
May contain a row for a total or average
Have a main title = what’s on the graph
Paper Towel Absorbency
Bounty mL
Gala mL
Trial 1
75
62
Trial 2
80
58
Trial 3
72
60
Total
227
180
Average
76
60
Graphing
Two main types of graphs
BAR: used to compare – data that does not
occur in a continuous manner
LINE: data that occurs in a continuous
manner
Graph Construction
Title: short description of data being displayed,
each axis also needs a title
Horizontal Axis: independent variable
Vertical Axis: dependent variable
Spacing: evenly placed across both horizontal and
vertical axes
Paper Towel Absorbency
80
70
Water Absorbed (mL)
60
50
Trial 1
Trial 2
Trial 3
Average
40
30
20
10
0
Bounty
Paper Towels
Gala
Graph Practice
The following data was collected during an
experiment with the question: Will chunk
or flake cereal absorb more milk?
Chunk mL
Flake mL
Trial 1
25
20
Trial 2
28
17
Trial 3
26
20
Total
79
57
Average
39.5
30
Graph Practice
Will chunk or flack cereal absorb more milk?
Conclusion
1. Examine all of your data: charts and graphs
2. Ask yourself questions???
– Were the results expected – how were they
different
– Any problems or occurrences that effected the
outcome
– Did you collect enough data/have enough
Conclusion
3. State what your results were – include
data numbers
4. Was your hypothesis supported or refuted
5. Describe any problems or unusual events
6. What should be done differently
7. Revised hypothesis if needed.
Conclusion
If chunk and flake cereal are placed in milk, then chunk
cereal will absorb more milk.
Our group preformed an experiment to find out which
type of cereal absorbed more milk. We used chunk and
flake cereal and 2% milk to perform the experiment.
The experimental results showed us that chunk cereal
absorbed 39.5 mL of milk while the flake cereal
absorbed 30 mL of milk. This data shows that chunk
cereal absorbs more milk than flake therefore, our
hypothesis was supported. The experiment proceeded
as expected and no problems occurred.