IB Internal AssessmentExploration

Designing an Experiment

Formulate a research question. Read the background theory. State the variables. Decide on the equipment you will need. Design a method. Decide what safety and environmental

considerations there are.

Research Question

This is the purpose of your experiment. Concisely state what you are trying to find out.

“Investigate the effect of X on Y using Z”

Background Theory

A literacy search is usually carried out to find out what work has been done that is similar to your research question.

This may give methods that have been used previously and will provide the ”science” behind the experiment.

It's good practice to finish your 'background theory' with a hypothesis.

Remember to add references.

Variables State your variables:

Independent variable. Dependent variable. Control variables.• Explain in detail how you will control

your variables.

Equipment List

List the equipment you intend to use, include the size (e.g. 25ml measuring cylinder).

State the uncertainty of your measuring equipment (e.g. ± 1ml).

Include chemicals in your list, their concentration and volumes / masses to be used.

Method

Write out your intended procedure (like a recipe).

Be sure to plan to take enough repeats to make your experiment reliable.

Be sure to plan to collect relevant measurements (how precise will they be? can you calc a mean from them?).

Safety and Environmental Considerations

Assess the risks and write down any precautions necessary.

Write down any environmental / ethical issues that may arise from your experiement.

Remember the basic lab rules (no need to write these down).

Investigating osmosis in potatoes

IB Internal AssessmentAnalysis

Recording raw data

Record all data in a suitable table. Check table headers are clear, containing units

and uncertainties. Give the table a number and a full title. Record your qualitative data.

Processing raw data

This may include some of the following:Calculation of averagesCalculation of standard deviationOther statistical analysisProduction of a summary table.

Presenting processed data

Present the processed data using the most appropriate graph(s), not raw data.

Graphs have correct title and labels. Graph labels include units and uncertainties. Add a line (curve?) of best fit. Error bars should be included (state what they

show).

Measurement uncertainties

State the uncertainty (precision) of each piece of equipment that you used.

Include chemicals, if appropriate.State how the uncertainties affect the data in your experiment

IB Internal AssessmentEvaluation

Concluding

Give a detailed description of your results, referring to your data and graphs.

Explain your results with reference to cited sources.

Compare your result(s) to literary values.

Evaluating procedures

Describe the factors that were weaknesses or limited the accuracy or scope of your investigation (try NOT to look incompetent).

An evaluation describes how the mentioned weaknesses may have effected the results you recorded, be quantitative if possible.

Improving the investigation

Improvements need to be detailed and must relate to the weaknesses previously identified.

Always suggest an increase in sample size (reliability).

Always suggest an increase in the range of your independent variable (trends).

IB Internal AssessmentCommunication

If I can't understand what you are saying when I read your report, you

can't get full marks!

Present a professional document

Title page containing your information. Set up your document with appropriate headers

and footers. Contents page, with page numbers. Break your document up into numbered sub-

sections

Present a professional document

Tables with titles (Table 1. Title….) Graphs with titles (Figure 1. Title….) References: List your sources (from your

footnotes?) in alphabetical order, by author’s surname, use the Oxford referencing system(?).

Referencing

BooksM Henninger, Don’t Just Surf: Effective Research

Strategies for the Net, UNSW Press, Sydney, 1997, p. 91.

Referencing

Journal articleM. Doyle, ‘Captain Mbaye Diagne’, Granta, vol.

48, August 1994, pp. 99-103.

Referencing

WebsitesN Curthoys, ‘Future directions for rhetoric –

invention and ethos in public critique’, in Australian Humanities Review. March-April 2001, viewed on 11 April 2001, <htttp://www.lib.latrobe.edu.au/AHR/archive/Issue-April- 2001/curthoys.html>.