Lesson Description

Complete the activities below using the worksheets or on paper using this page.

Activity 1 - Avoid writing a vague, unfocused research question

Worksheet for Activity 1 - Avoid a vague research question

Spending ten minutes getting the research question right is time well spent at the beginning of an IA.
The first question (below) is not fully focused, the student knows what they want to do but they haven't expressed it precisely.
Students who are vague like this often don't include enough biological detail in the background, or in their conclusion.

The second example is better, it describes the Independent variable and the Dependent Variable more precisely.
It also refers to a derived variable. This is really what interests the student, but it is not directly measurable. We can try to estimate the speed of the nervous system using the reaction time. So writing it into the research questions helps to guide the student in their IA.
Explaining how to work out a derived variable should form part or the background section, and this might encourage a biological explanation of how the independent variable will cause changes to the dependent variable.
The scientific names of species are also expected. Although for humans it seems a bit odd to do, better safe than sorry.

It is also good to describe the range of the independent variable which will be tested in the RQ. This can be explained and justified in the background part of the Exploration.

Help these students to improve their research questions

Improve the RQs below by:

• completing the precise details of the IV and DV. 
• giving a range of values for the IV
• adding a scientific name
• including a derived variable, which is not measured, but calculated from the data.

Activity 2 - Avoid omitting biological theory in the background section

Worksheet for Activity 2 Avoid omitting biological theory

Some students collect relevant pieces of information for the "Background" of their IA without deciding first what are the details which the reader needs to know to understand the context of the IA.

• Why is the question interesting? (Engagement)
• Why does the IV affect the DV? (Hypothesis)
• What reasoning was used for the choice of the range of IV? (so the Method tests the Hypothesis!)
• What apparatus, chemicals or techniques does the reader need to know? (Methodology)
• How will you take the results collected and use them to answer the RQ? (plan of Analysis)

Evaluate the Background information below.

Annotate the text to show each type of content. Can you identify which part of the background has been left out?

Here is the raw data which was collected in the experiment after 24 hours of yeast incubation at 37°C.

Write a paragraph explaining the missing information

Activity 3 - Avoid forgetting to control variables in the method after identifying them

Worksheet for Activity 3 avoid forgetting to control variables in the method

The student identified the following variable which would need to be controlled.

Controlled variables:

• Mass of yeast:  To make it a fair test this should always be the same.
• Temperature of the solutions: so that the yeast grows at the same speed in each experiment.
• Total volume of solution: so that concentrations don't vary.
• Time allowed for yeast growth: so that yeast grows for the same time in each.
• The amount of stirring / shaking:  So that there is the same amount of oxygen dissolved in the solution, for aerobic respiration.
• The type of yeast used, and its freshness / age: Some yeast might grow faster than others.
• The concentration of sugar added: So yeast has the same amount of 'food' in each experiment.

In his experiment Dara wrote;

Add details to the method completing the practical control of all six variables.

Students sound more convincing if the step-by-step method includes control of variables.

Activity 4 - Avoid doing the data analysis without understanding why

Worksheet for Activities 4&5 - Avoid misunderstanding the data analysis

Some schools seem to tell students to do a selection of graphs and statistical calculations. While it is important that teachers guide students in the analysis, students need to choose the data analysis method themselves.
It is only possible to choose correctly if students understand why they are doing the analysis.

Describe what the purpose of each data analysis method is, and when you might use it.

This is a list of ten possible types of data analysis. Some of the explanations have been done already.
For any methods which are unknown, look up the method, and note down it's purpose. 

Help Dara choose the data analysis for his experiment.

Which steps would be suitable for Dara's experiment on Yeast?

1.  .................................................
2.  .................................................
3.  .................................................

Activity 5 - Forgetting to include a strength and an extension in the Evaluation

Worksheet for Activities 4&5 - Avoid forgetting a strength and an extension.

Students who are running out of time, and perhaps enthusiasm, usually forget to include these less prominent details in their Evaluation section. This impacts on their marks.

There is no excuse for this. A little thought and two sentences will cover these details in most cases.

A table of limitations and suggestions for improvements also safes time, and avoids the risk of forgetting an improvement for each limitation.

Help Dara think of another idea for a strength and an extension.

A strength of this experiment is ........................................................ .................................................... .................................................... .................................................... ....................................................

An extension to this experiment could be  ........................................................ ....................................... .................................................... .................................................... ....................................................