Step 3: Step 3: Experiment Experiment

DesignDesign

Student Research ProjectMiss Bowen

Mr. Clark’s 7th grade science classShahala Middle School

What is Experimental What is Experimental Design?Design?

• How do you envision the data gathering phase of your research project?

• Determining the goal of an experiment and selecting the process for the study

• Experimento Cause and Effecto Comparison

• Observational researcho Over time

What is the optimal pH What is the optimal pH for for DaphniaDaphnia survival? survival?

• MV: pH• RV: survival

33 77 1111 Control

Control

Treatment Groups Control Group

9955

33 77 1111 Control

Control9955

33 77 1111 Control

Control9955

Cause and Effect Experiment

Trial 1

Trial 2

Trial 3

What type of food attracts What type of food attracts the most flickers?the most flickers?

NutsNuts BerriesBerries Nuts Berries

Nuts Berries

Control

Control

NutsNuts BerriesBerries Nuts Berries

Nuts Berries

Control

Control

NutsNuts BerriesBerries Nuts Berries

Nuts Berries

Control

Control

Comparison Experiment

• MV: type of food• RV: number of flickers

When are Nitrate When are Nitrate concentrations highest in concentrations highest in Sierra Creek?Sierra Creek?

Observational Study

OpenShady

Urban

Good Experimental Good Experimental Designs:Designs:

• Maximize the amount of information that can be collected for a given amount of efforto Collecting more data might help you out later if you

can’t find any patterns or trends during data analysis

• Include as much replication within groups as possible (as many trials as time/budget will allow)o Minimizes the possibility of random chance impacting

your results

A Place to Start:A Place to Start:• Be sure to clearly define any necessary terms

before starting your experiment

• Start by making a list of all possible influential factors. Then, be sure you control as many of them as is possible.

• How will you incorporate: o Standardization (among researchers)o Randomization (among treatment groups)

Homework:Homework:

• Individually in your project journal, make a list of all possible influential factors in your study

NEXT STEPS:• With your partner, determine the goal of your

project (HINT: this has nothing to do with hypotheses)

• After you have identified your goal, start thinking about your project timeline o What are the big milestones in your projecto When do you hope to have them done