T HE S CIENTIFIC M ETHOD And Formal Lab Write-up

O BSERVATION Information that is gathered using our 5 senses See Smell Hear Taste Touch A report of what can be observed immediately

I NFERENCE A conclusion based on the observations A statement about what happened even though you can’t see it actually happening right then.

O BSERVATIONS Give three observations:

G IVE TWO POSSIBLE INFERENCES :

S CIENTIFIC Q UESTION Has to be testable and measurable Good Ex: What type of soil filters water best? Bad Ex: How does a cat feel when it eats certain foods? Your turn: Good or Bad? Does heart rate increase with increasing sound volume? Do polar bears prefer to jump in water or slide from the ice? What is the diet of the oldest person in the world?

B ACKGROUND Finding out about what is already known about the topic is important. This shows you are knowledgeable about the information out there and gives you authority on the topic. Normally is a paragraph to 12 pages in a formal lab write-up

H YPOTHESIS (C LAIM ) This is a prediction statement. Made of two variables from the experiment: Independent Variable = the thing being tested This is the ONE (I) thing different among your trials or set-ups. Dependent Variable = the results Hypothesis Format: If (state the independent variable), then (make a prediction about the dependent variable). NO Personal Pronouns!! (I, we, me, etc.)

M ATERIALS AND P ROCEDURE Materials: A vertical list(s) of needed materials No bullets or numbers Blue/Black pen paper Pencilcolored pencils 3 ring binder Procedure: Clear but concise directions on how to run the lab Numbered steps 1. Design the lab with your group. Be sure to include all of the needed steps. 2. Using the materials given, set up and run your experiment. Record your data on the data table you designed.

R ESULTS Three types of results: Data Table Graph Written Results Data Table: (Quantitative Data = Numbers) Don’t forget units on the label of a column, OR they need to go on every number in the column. Type of PlantHeight of Plants This: (cm) OR this: 23 (cm) 25 (cm)

A G OOD G RAPH : Axis label with unit Minimum Wage (dollars) Time (years) Axis label with unit Title with proper capitals Even spacing of numbers Equal intervals between numbers Data properly plotted

G RAPHS What makes a good graph? Know what type of graph to use! Title: Like a Book With All Major Words Capitalized Axes Labels: include units! X and Y Axes: X is horizontal, Y is vertical X axis = independent variable (the one set up) “Time” normally goes on the X axis, but NOT ALWAYS! Y axis = dependent variable (the results) Number lines: Even spacing (the number of grid lines) Even intervals (the value between the numbers) Take up the full space of the grid!

W HAT K IND OF G RAPH TO U SE ? Pie Chart Parts of a whole Percents Bar Graph One set of numbers and one set of categories Ex: colors or car types Line Graph Two sets of numbers Makes (x, y) coordinate points

W HY NOT ?

W RITTEN R ESULTS A report of the data Qualitative Data (descriptions/observations): State observations (the leaves turned yellow on day 9) Paragraph form Refer to specific parts of the graph Discuss trends (increasing, decreasing, stays the same, minimum value, maximum value) Save the reasons why for the conclusion Ex: The roots showed no change in size from day one to day three. But after that, the roots increased in length and width by 3 cm until day 7. From day 8 to day 12, the roots decreased in width only.

C ONCLUSION (E XPLAIN AND R EASON ) Paragraph form Restate the hypothesis and tell whether it was proven correct or incorrect. Give reasons why the hypothesis was correct or incorrect. Identify ALL sources of error. Give suggestions on how to improve this experiment or what the next experiment will need to be to further the research.

P RACTICE Bart believes that mice exposed to microwaves will become extra strong (maybe he’s been reading too much Radioactive Man). He decides to perform this experiment by placing 10 mice in a microwave for 10 seconds. He compared these 10 mice to another 10 mice that had not been exposed. His test consisted of a heavy block of wood that blocked the mouse food. He found that 8 out of 10 of the microwaved mice were able to push the block away. 7 out of 10 of the non- microwaved mice were able to do the same. Identify the: 1. Control Group 2. Independent Variable 3. Dependent Variable 4. What should Bart’s conclusion be? 5. How could Bart’s experiment be improved?

P RACTICE Homer notices that his shower is covered in a strange green slime. His friend Barney tells him that coconut juice will get rid of the green slime. Homer decides to check this out by spraying half of the shower with coconut juice. He sprays the other half of the shower with water. After 3 days of “treatment” there is no change in the appearance of the green slime on either side of the shower. Identify the: 1. Control Group 2. Independent Variable 3. Dependent Variable 4. What should Homer’s conclusion be?