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Week 3 PR2 Stem PDF

This document provides information on developing a good hypothesis for a STEM experimental research design. It defines what a hypothesis is and key aspects that should be considered when writing one, such as making sure it is based on research, specifies variables, and makes a clear and testable prediction about the expected outcome of an experiment. The document emphasizes that a strong hypothesis relates the independent and dependent variables and can be proven or disproven through experimental testing and measurement.

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Mai Sasa
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129 views38 pages

Week 3 PR2 Stem PDF

This document provides information on developing a good hypothesis for a STEM experimental research design. It defines what a hypothesis is and key aspects that should be considered when writing one, such as making sure it is based on research, specifies variables, and makes a clear and testable prediction about the expected outcome of an experiment. The document emphasizes that a strong hypothesis relates the independent and dependent variables and can be proven or disproven through experimental testing and measurement.

Uploaded by

Mai Sasa
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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FOR A

STEM RESEARCH
MELC
At the end of the lesson the student should be
able to:

• Differentiate kinds of variables and their uses


• Design a research used in daily life
describes the structure of an
experiment. It determines both
whether the experiment is likely
to succeed and the reliability
of its results.
Key
Terms
Constants
The factors within an experiment that are kept
the same for all groups or trials in an attempt to
reduce the influence of extraneous variables.
Control Group
A group in an experiment that receives the exact
treatment as the experimental groups except it
does not receive any change of the
independent variable
Experimental Groups
The groups or trials in an experiment that receive
all the same conditions except varying amounts
or qualities of the independent variable.
Dependent variable (DV)
The variable in an experiment that changes in
response to the independent variable and,
therefore, is also referred to as the responding
variable.
Independent variable (IV)
The variable in an experiment that is purposely
changed or manipulated, either in quantity or
quality, by the researcher
Extraneous variable
An “undesirable” variable in addition to the independent
variable that may influence the results of an experiment,
introducing error if it is not, as much as possible, controlled
or significantly decreased in the research design.
Focal Sampling
A behavioural recording technique where a narrative
(i.e., what is called an essay in English class) is written on
every behaviour of one individual or group for a set
length of time
Hypothesis
tentative (i.e., not final and definite) and testable
proposed explanation for an observable
phenomenon.
Inference
A conclusion, based on facts, that a
person perceives to be true
Qualitative data
Data that describe characteristics or qualities, such as
color, odor, or texture, or data that describe category
frequency or ratings, such as stem sturdiness (e.g.,
“sturdy,” “somewhat sturdy,” “limp”).
Quantitative data
Data that use numbers with a unit of measurement,
such as the length of an insect in millimeters (millimeter
is the unit of measurement) or the weight of a
projectile in kilograms (kilograms is the unit of
measurement).
Population
The complete collection of every item that has the
same characteristics of the individuals in the sample
group.
Sample
A subcollection of data that represent a larger
population.
Scan sampling
A behavioral recording technique where the activity
of the individual or group is recorded only at
preselected time intervals.
Sequence sampling
A behavioral recording technique where behaviors
that occur within a sequence are recorded in the
order in which they occur.
Trial
The replication of experimental and control groups;
used to decrease the influence of variations
associated with the independent variable, researcher
measurement error, and difference between entities
studied.
Components of a STEM
Experimental Research Design
An experimental research design includes
 a hypothesis,
 variables,
 experimental groups and
 control groups, and
 constants.
Hypothesis
In writing a hypothesis, you will:

1. determine a specific variable to be tested,


2. determine how changes within the experiment will
be measured or recorded, and
3. predict an outcome of what you think the results of
the experiment will be.
The question comes
first.
Before you make a hypothesis,
you have to clearly identify the
question you are interested in
studying.
A hypothesis is a
statement, not a question.
Your hypothesis is not the scientific
question in your project. The
hypothesis is an educated, testable
prediction about what will happen.
Make it clear
A good hypothesis is written in clear
and simple language
Keep the variables
in mind.
A good hypothesis defines the
variables in easy-to-measure terms,
like who the participants are, what
changes during the testing, and what
the effect of the changes will be.
Make sure your
hypothesis is "testable."
To prove or disprove your hypothesis,
you need to be able to do an
experiment and take measurements
or make observations to see how two
things (your variables) are related.
• Thought about what experiments you will need to
carry out to do the test.
• Identified the variables in the project.
• Included the independent and dependent variables
in the hypothesis statement. (This helps ensure that
your statement is specific enough.
Do your research.
You may find many studies similar
to yours have already been
conducted. What you learn from
available research and data can
help you shape your project and
hypothesis.
Make sure your hypothesis is
a specific statement relating
to a single experiment.
This may be written as an If and then
statement. Null and alternative
hypothesis are used when a
statistically significant relationship is
being tested.
For a Good Hypothesis, You
What Makes a Good Hypothesis? Should Answer "Yes" to Every
Question

Is the hypothesis based on


information from reference Yes / No
materials about the topic?
For a Good Hypothesis, You
What Makes a Good Hypothesis? Should Answer "Yes" to Every
Question

Can at least one clear


prediction be made from the Yes / No
hypothesis?
For a Good Hypothesis, You
What Makes a Good Hypothesis? Should Answer "Yes" to Every
Question

Are predictions resulting from


the hypothesis testable in an Yes / No
experiment?
For a Good Hypothesis, You
What Makes a Good Hypothesis? Should Answer "Yes" to Every
Question

Does the prediction have both


an independent variable
(something you change) and a
Yes / No
dependent variable
(something you observe or
measure)?
Please refer to the module posted in the classroom.

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