THINKING LIKE A SCIENTIST: COLLEGIATE
SCIENCE DATA ANALYSIS PROCESS SKILLS
Colleen McLinn, Gigi Saunders, Rudi Thompson, Linda Vick
NORTH PARK UNIVERSITY
North Park University serves a diverse student
population. Our Biology major allows great
freedom in the selection and sequencing of
courses. We have a need for some means of
establishing a coherent path for the
development of fundamental skills that will
provide a foundation for scientific engagement
and thinking.
THE NEED
Prepare students to develop advanced skills
 Enhance student engagement through
participatory experiences
 Provide opportunities for assessment
 Improve student retention
 Development of skills desired by employers

THE TASK
Create a sequenced program of experiences to
introduce and/or reinforce basic knowledge
and tools that will enable students to develop
the skills that will equip them to participate
effectively as scientists and prepare them for
employment.
Engaging Students in -
JOB
Employers Seeking
Communication skills
Analytical Research skills
Computer/technical literacy
Flexibility/adaptability/managin
g multiple priorities
Interpersonal abilities
Leadership management skills
Multiculturally aware
Planning/organizing
Problem solving/
reasoning/creativity
Teamwork
3 Million Unfilled Jobs
Contract Research Organizations:
product development, formulation and
manufacturing, clinical trial management,
safety, preclinical toxicology, clinical lab,
data management, biostatistics, medical
writing
Clinical, Medical, micro, life sciences lab techs
Technical Service Rep
Scientific Company Sales Rep
Graduate School
Professional School
OUR PROCESS
A. Identify the attributes desired by employers
B. Identify skills and sub-skills that build these
attributes
C. Establish a customizable sequence for
building these skills
D. Identify experiences to present/practice skills
and skill sets
E. Incorporate faculty buy-in
BACKWARD DESIGN
A. Identify attributes
desired by employers
DESIRED ATTRIBUTES
•Communication skills (listening, verbal, written)
•Analytical research skills
-assess a situation
-seek multiple perspectives
-gather more information if necessary
-identify key issues that need to be addressed
•Computer/technical literacy
-computer – literate performance with extensive software proficiency covering a
wide variety of applications.
•Flexibility/adaptability/managing multiple priorities
•Planning/organizing
•Problem solving/reasoning/creativity
•Teamwork
•Interpersonal abilities
•Leadership management skills
•Multicultural aware
National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE)
STEP TWO
B. Identify skills and sub-skills
that develop attributes
ANALYTICAL RESEARCH SKILLS
 Assess
a situation
 What
do I know/want/need
 Descriptive statistics (central tendency, variability, etc.)
 Comparison of two data sets
 Identify variables: independent and dependent
 Identify constraints or boundaries of a situation
 Seek
multiple perspectives
 Gather more information if necessary
 Identify key issues that need to be addressed
ANALYTICAL RESEARCH SKILLS
 Assess
 Seek
a situation
multiple perspectives
 Experimental/null/alternate
hypothesis
 Multiple
data sets
 Source evaluation
 Gather
more information if necessary
 Identify key issues that need to be addressed
ANALYTICAL RESEARCH SKILLS
 Assess
a situation
 Seek multiple perspectives
 Gather
more information if necessary
 Quantitative/qualitative
data
 Subjective/objective data
 Discrete/continuous data
 When is enough, enough?
 What is the value of the info?
 Identify
key issues that need to be addressed
ANALYTICAL RESEARCH SKILLS
 Assess
a situation
 Seek multiple perspectives
 Gather more information if necessary
 Identify
key issues that need to be addressed
 Problem
sets
 Brainstorming
 Implications
 Applications
PROBLEM SOLVING/REASONING/CREATIVITY
 Problem
solving
 Tests of correlation and/or causation
 Hypothesis formation
 Experimental design
 Thinking outside the box
COMPUTER/TECHNICAL LITERACY
 Spreadsheets
 Graphic
analysis
 Report functions
 Locating and mining data
FLEXIBILITY/ADAPTABILITY
 Persistence
MANAGING MULTIPLE PRIORITIES
 Multitasking
 Leadership
 Prioritizing
PLANNING/ORGANIZING
 How
to search
 How to test
 Teamwork
COMMUNICATION
 Organize
and construct tables and charts
 Lab report writing
 Presentation/Discussion
 Peer review
C. CUSTOMIZABLE SEQUENCE
Modules
Identifying data:
•Assessment of situation [what do I know,
what do I want to discover, what do I need to
know]
•Data: subjective/ objective; quantitative/
qualitative; precision, accuracy, reliability
•Correlation and causation
•Hypothesis formulation
Using Data:
•Descriptive statistics
•Comparison of two data sets
Evaluating Data:
•Significance
•Sample size
MODULES
•Visualizing Data:
•Tables
•Graphs: styles, formatting
•Graphing skills
•Finding Data:
•Searching databases
•Evaluating data
•How to test
D. IDENTIFY EXPERIENCES
Identifying data:
Using Data:
•Comparison of Data Sets
Evaluating Data:
D. IDENTIFY EXPERIENCES
Example Lessons
Visualizing data:
Finding Data:
COMPARISON OF DATA SETS
Pedagogical objectives
 Tools
 Interactive Group Lesson
 Inquiry-based Individual Challenge
 Assessment Rubric


Pedagogical objectives
•
•




Utilize descriptive statistics to explain values in
a sample population
compare two value sets to identify separation
or overlap of the data sets
Tools
Interactive Group Lesson
Inquiry-based Individual Challenge
Assessment Rubric

Pedagogical objectives

Tools
•
Database(s)

•



BIRDD
Excel
Interactive Group Lesson(s)
Inquiry-based Individual Challenge
Assessment Rubric

Pedagogical objectives
Tools

Interactive Group Lesson

•


Matrix
Inquiry-based Individual Challenge
Assessment Rubric
Analyzing Data Like a Scientist – Resources to develop skills
INTERACTIVE GROUP LESSON MATRIX
Modules
Tools
Data
concepts:
subjective/obj
ective
quantity,
quality,
reliability
Identifying and
operationalizin
g variables
Descriptive
Tools:
Statistics and
Phylogenetic
description
Correlation
and
Causation
Compariso
n of Two
Data Sets
Introduc-ory
concept
Gapminder
Investigative Cases: As
the Stomach Turns
Investigative Cases: A
Multidimensional Study
of HIV
Analysis of
Graphical
Representat
ion of Data
Databas
e
Investiga
tion
XX
XX
XX
XX
Spreadsheets
database, graphics
and statistics
packages
studentgenerated data
Analysis of
database
Esteem Collection: TwoSpecies Model
Introduction to
models
Esteem Collection:
Island Biogeography
Scale It: Cholera Next
Door
Scale it: Forest Fever
Creating models
to explain data
and make
predictions to
test hypotheses
XX
Arcview GIS
BioQUEST Library
Online:
BIRDD:
Beagle Investigations
Return with Darwinian
Data
BioQUEST Library
Online:
Data
Collection and
Organization
Visual
Represe
ntation
of Data
Analysis of
studentgenerated data
Model potential
modes of disease
transmission during
an epidemic.
Diverse types of
data, evaluate
quality of data
sets
XX
XX
INTERACTIVE GROUP LESSON MATRIX
Problem Spaces: HIV
DNA sequence
comparison
Problem Spaces:
Desiccation Tolerance
DNA sequence
comparison
Problem Spaces:
Identifying biocontrol
agents through applied
systematics (Blunder
Down Under)
Modeling Spatial
Distribution
Phylogenetic
tools
Pharmokinetics Models
Lab
2012 Association vs.
Causation
Using Geo-referenced
Animal Observations for
Inquiry
XX
XX
Investigation
Diverse types of
data, evaluate
quality of data
sets
Determinatio
n of variables
from
observations
of bird song
XX




Pedagogical objectives
Tools
Interactive Group Lesson
•
Matrix
Inquiry-based Performance Assessment
•

Doing Science
Assessment Rubric
Inquiry-based Performance Assessment
Challenge: Apply your skills in describing and comparing data sets by using them
to compare morphometric data of finches from the Galapagos Islands. These
islands and the finches that are endemic to the islands have provided a classic
example of adaptive radiation. The data that you will use has been collected from
subpopulations of birds on several of the islands.
Your task is to compare these subpopulations: are the subpopulations on individual islands distinctive?
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Go to the BIRDD site http://bioquest.org/bird/index.php
Open Islands and habitats and note the general location and layout of the islands.
Open Morphological Data. Familiarize yourself with the morphometric measurements that have been
collected. Why might these measurements have been chosen? Scan the tables of
data. What information have you been given?
Go to http://people.rit.edu/rhrsbi/galapagospages/Darwinfinch.html to see images of the 13 species
of Galapagos finches. Are all of these species included in this data set?
Choose a species represented on two of the three islands that are listed separately [Genovesa, Santa
Cruz, and Island X].
Are the populations on either of the islands significantly different from each other in any of the
measurements? Are either of the populations significantly different from the “all islands”
values?
Construct an Excel spreadsheet to use in organizing and calculating your data. You may also wish to
construct charts or graphs to visually present your data.
Explain how you have compared the data sets, and how you have reached your conclusions.
Sheet1
STUDENT GENERATED DATA
A
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
genovesa
body length
mean
sd
n
se
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
island x
mean
sd
n
se
body length
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
all islands
mean
sd
n
se
body length
24
wing length
116.4
4.4
9
1.47
tail length
61.7
2.2
9
0.73
wing length
117.6
3
5
1.34
tail length
62.2
2
119
0.18
wing length
116.9
5.5
180
0.41
body length
beak height
40.1
1.7
9
0.57
beak height
39.3
1.4
6
0.57
tail length
62
2.3
1552
0.06
wing length
beak width
8.4
0.3
9
0.10
beak height
tail length
lower beak length upper beak length
nostril-upper
tarsus length
7.6
14.2
9.4
0.5
0.8
0.5
9
9
9
0.17
0.27
0.17
17.9
0.8
9
0.27
6.5
0.2
6
0.08
lower beak length upper beak length
nostril-upper
tarsus length
6.3
12.4
8.4
0.3
0.5
0.4
6
102
122
0.12
0.05
0.04
18.8
0.4
6
0.16
6.7
0.3
188
0.02
lower beak length upper beak length
nostril-upper
tarsus length
6.7
12.5
8.5
0.5
0.7
0.5
186
1452
1561
0.04
0.02
0.01
18.8
0.8
189
0.06
beak width
8.1
0.4
113
0.04
39.1
3
187
0.22
6.6
0.3
9
0.10
beak width
8.1
0.5
1355
0.01
beak height
beak width
lower beak length upper beak length
nostril-upper
tarsus length
25
genovesa
26
27
plus2se
mean
119.3
116.4
63.2
61.7
41.2
40.1
8.6
8.4
6.8
6.6
7.9
7.6
14.7
14.2
9.7
9.4
18.4
17.9
28
29
minus2se
113.5
60.2
39.0
8.2
6.4
7.3
13.7
9.1
17.4
30
1sland x
31
32
plus2se
mean
120.3
117.6
62.6
62.2
40.4
39.3
8.2
8.1
6.7
6.5
6.5
6.3
12.5
12.4
8.5
8.4
19.1
18.8
33
34
minus2se
114.9
61.8
38.2
8.0
6.3
6.1
12.3
8.3
18.5
35
all islands
36
37
plus2se
mean
117.7
116.9
62.1
62
39.5
39.1
8.1
8.1
6.7
6.7
6.8
6.7
12.5
12.5
8.5
8.5
18.9
18.8
38
minus2se
116.1
61.9
38.7
8.1
6.7
6.6
12.5
8.5
18.7

Pedagogical objectives
Tools
Interactive Group Lesson
Inquiry-based Individual Challenge

Assessment Rubric



FINCHES ASSESSMENT RUBRIC
Criteria
• Select an appropriate dataset: identify a species found on at least two islands (1.1.5, 2.1,
3.4, 6.2)
• Properly set up spreadsheet from data provided (1.14, 2.4, 3.1, 7.1)
• Calculate standard error for each trait and population (1.1.2, 3.1)
• Calculate mean +/- 2 standard errors for each trait and population (1.1.2, 3.1)
• Compare the three populations for each of the nine morphometric traits (either numerically
or with graphs) (1.1.3, 3.2, 3.3, 3.4, 7.1)
• Identify where there is no overlap between mean +/- SE’s and recognize what that means
(1.1.3, 3.2)
• Between island populations
• Between the island populations and species summary data
• Write explanatory paragraph (how compared the datasets and reached conclusions)
• Interpret the data or graphs, describe what the data told them, describe
how they got their answer (3.2, 7.2)
• Interpret what the observed patterns mean at an evolutionary/population level
and hypothesize what might have caused those differences (1.3.5, 1.4.3,
2.3, 7.2)
Levels:
Beginning (0-3)
Developing (4-7)
Proficient (8-10)
E. ENCOURAGE FACULTY BUY-IN
Flexibility
 Independent modules
 Clear process-related objectives
 Ease of use
 Value for retention
 Value for assessment
 Value for student
placement

WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE?
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Continue to locate/ develop experiences that
can be incorporated into the program
Develop an assessment strategy
Test the elements of the program
Use science!
Seek funding to support further development
of program