You are to do an actual research project (NOT just a “paper”) where you try to answer a question by conducting a substantive controlled, well-thought-out experiment. Post your ideas and issues in the Discussions for us all to comment on. Be sure to also post your summary by the deadline. See examples below and be sure to review the attached grading rubric carefully to see what the standards for the assignment will be!
Start by watching this video:
Your first project assignment is to use the steps in the scientific method to form a hypothesis concerning a testable observation, then plan and conduct an experiment or data collection to test your hypothesis and draw conclusions.
1. Make an observation about something that you are not sure what the “answer” Is:
Here are some examples from previous student groups:
-Tall people seem to wear larger shoes than short ones.
People with light-colored eyes are said to have weaker vision.
-Everyone knows that people driving red sports cars are stopped more often by the police for speeding.
You get the picture, right? These are things you can actually go out and collect data on, by examining records, taking surveys or even better, by your own direct observation!
2. Propose a TESTABLELinks to an external site., FALSIFIABLELinks to an external site. HYPOTHESIS Links to an external site.which may explain your observation, using your best critical thinking skills.
FOR EXAMPLE: “People’s height correlates well with shoe size” is a testable Links to an external site. and falsifiable Links to an external site. hypothesis.
3. Plan an experiment Links to an external site./data collection procedure that allows you to test your hypothesis:
Consider things like bias Links to an external site., the need for blinding Links to an external site., random sampling Links to an external site., and or a control group Links to an external site.. For example, you have to compare the blue-eyed people to those with other colors! The more thought you put into controlling the variables Links to an external site. the better and more meaningful (and believable) your data will be to others.
4. Execute the experiment or data collection as planned and report your data. Statistical analysis is not required but remember its importance in the “real world”! Charts and graphs are highly desirable ..they make your results much more visually appealing and easier to interpret.
5. Examine your data critically, draw conclusion Slinks to an external site., state whether your initial hypothesis was supported, and then critically assess where you could improve your design and/or modify your hypothesis.
6. Once you have done all this, write up your project in the format provided above including a 250 word maximum summary (in science we call this an Abstract) of your ENTIRE project from start to finish including conclusions and future directions.
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