RESEARCH III Quarter 2

LESSON 1

Scientific Experiment
Science revolves around experiments and learning the best way of conducting an experiment
is crucial to obtaining useful and valid results.
Experience and practice mean that many scientists follow an instinctive process of conducting an
experiment, the “streamlined” scientific process. Following the basic steps will usually generate valid
results, but where experiments are complex and expensive, it is always advisable to follow the
rigorous scientific protocols.

Conducting an experiment has a number of stages, where the parameters and

structure of the experiment are made clear. While it is rarely practical to follow each
step strictly, any irregularities must be justified, whether they arise because of
budget, impracticality or ethics.

First Stage
(Specify the Sample Groups)
These should be large enough to give a statistically viable study, but small enough to be practical.
Ideally, groups should be selected at random, from a wide selection of the sample population. This
allows results to be generalized to the population as a whole.

Second Stage
(Sample groups should be divided into a control group and a test group)
To reduce the possibility of confounding variables. This, again, should be random, and the assigning
of subjects to groups should be blind or double blind.

Blind - In a single-blind study, patients do not know which study group they are in

Double blind - In a double-blind study, neither the patients nor the researchers know which study
group the patients are in.

Third Stage
(Determining the time scale and frequency of the sampling)
ex.
Researchers studying the effectiveness of a cure for colds would take frequent ♡ samples, over a
period of days.
Researchers testing a cure for Parkinson's disease would use less frequent tests, over a period of
months or years.
Fourth Stage
(Performing the experiment)
♡ The second to last stage of the experiment. performing the experiment according to the methods
stipulated during the design phase. The independent variable is manipulated, generating a usable
data set for the dependent variable.

Fifth Stage
(The raw data from the results should be gathered and analyzed by statistical means)
♡ This allows the researcher to establish if there is any relationship between the variables and
accept, or reject, the null hypothesis.

All experiments should be objective. The views and opinions of

the researcher should not affect the results of a study. This is
good as it makes the data more valid, and less biased.
Research Instruments
♡ The selection of instruments that will be used to collect data is a crucial step in the research
process. Validity and reliability of the collected data and, above all, their potential comparability with
data from previous investigations must be prioritized during this phase. A research instrument is
considered reliable when it is able to consistently generate the same results after being applied
repeatedly to the same group of subjects
♡ Each research tool is appropriate in a given situation to accomplish a specific purpose depending
on the research investigation.

Research Instrument
♡ Is a tool used to collect, measure, and analyze data related to your research interests. It is
usually determined by researcher and is tied to the study methodology. scientific and systematic tools
which are designed in order to help the researcher collect data on his/her topic of interest.

Characteristics of a good Research Instrument:

1. Valid and reliable
2. Based on a conceptual framework, or the researcher's understanding of how the particular variables
in the study connect with each other.
3. Must gather data suitable for and relevant to the research topic.
4. Able to test hypothesis and/or answer proposed research questions under investigation.
5. Free of bias and appropriate for the context, culture, and diversity of the study site.
6. Contains clear and definite instructions to use the instrument.
Types of Research Instrument
• Observation - Is a systematic data collection approach. Researchers use all of their senses
to examine people or event in natural settings or naturally occurring situations. Any data
recorded during an experiment can be called an observation.

• Interviews - Are primarily done in qualitative research and occur when researchers ask one
or more participants general, open-ended questions and record their answers In
qualitative research specifically, interviews are used to pursue the meanings of central themes
in the world of their subjects. The main task in interviewing is to understand the meaning of
what the interviewers say

• Focus Group Discussion | FGD - Is a qualitative research method and data collection
technique in which a selected group of people discusses a given topic or issue in-depth,
facilitated by a professional, external moderator. This method serves to solicit participants’
attitudes and perceptions, knowledge and experiences, and practices, shared in the course of
interaction with different people.

• Questionnaire - Is a research instrument consisting of a series of questions for the purpose

of gathering information from respondents. Questionnaires can be thought of as a kind of
written interview. They can be carried out face to face, by telephone, computer or post.

• Survey - Is a research instrument used for collecting data from a predefined group of
respondents to gain information and insights into various topics of interest. They can have
multiple purposes, and researchers can conduct it in many ways depending on the
methodology chosen and the study’s goal.

• Experimentation - Is a research instrument in which one or more variables are consciously

manipulated and the outcome or effect of that manipulation on other variables is observed.
LESSON 2:.

Project Data Logbook

♡ One of the most important aspects of doing a science fair project is documentation. Whether you are a research
student or a first-time science fair student, a logbook is a crucial part of any research project It ic a detailed account of
every phase of your project, from the initial brainstorming to the final research report.

♡ The logbook is proof that certain activities occured at a specific time. This is why it is important to keep it as you go
and to make sure it is written in your own handwriting and not in a computer where it can be modified and falsified.

Important Points for Documenting Your Work

1. Use a durable composition book. Do not use a spiral. It will not hold up the rigor needed. Also, pages can be easily
removed with no evidence of them being torn at, which means paper can be lost.

2. Label your logbook with your name, phone number, email address, as well as the necessary information of your
adult sponsor and qualified scientist. Make logbook entries in PEN not in pencil. This is a permanent record of all of your
activities associated with your project.

3. Number the pages in your logbook before using it.

4. Always date every entry, just like a journal. Entries should be brief and concise. Full sentences are not required.

5. Don’t worry about neatness. It’s a personal record of your work. Make it legible but resist the urge to rewrite is
because it is not "pretty enough" for others. Think of the journal as your science fair diary. It’s not just for recording data
during the experimental phase of your project and it's not just for your teacher. It’s about EVERYTHING related to your
project.

6. Use it regularly and write down everything, even if it seems insignificant, it could later be extremely useful. Make
sure that you describe things completely, so that when you read your notes weeks or months later you will be able to
accurately reconstruct your thoughts and your work.

7. Glue, staple, or tape any loose papers, including emails from mentors or teachers with advice, photo copies of
important items.

8. Organize your logbook. Create tabs for different sections within your logbook (Topic/Problem Question, Contacts,
Background Research, Hypothesis/Variables, Data/Results, Conclusion/Future, Reflection).

9. Include a reflections section in your logbook. For example, what, if anything would I do differently next time? What
part of the experiment could be changed to improve the experimental procedure?

10. Always include any changes made to procedures, mishaps, failures, or mistakes. As human beings, all of us make
mistakes.

11. Include any and all observations made during your experiment. In other words, record ALL data directly in your
journal. If that is not possible, then staple photocopies of data in the journal. Remember, Keeping up a great logbook
throughout the entire duration of the science project really pays off later! Not only will a nicely maintained logbook
impress your teacher and the judges at the fair, it will alco help you stay out of trouble later when you need to look back
and provide details of what you did.
12. When you put unnecessary information and you want to erase it, you should neatly mark it out using a ruler and ink
pen then initial and date your mark out. Do not use correction tape.

Suggested format for a Project Data Logbook entry

1. Date and Time

2. Location (Laboratory, fields, libraries, research institutes, complete address, etc.)

• Research related activity conducted for the day

♡ Include all details (eg. learn discussions, meeting with the adult-sponsor/qualified scientist, review of related
literatures in library, visiting the regulated research institute, preparing the set-ups, observing and recording of
experimental set-ups, etc.)

• Data/Information Gathered

♡ Include all key details (eg. all raw data observed and recorded)

♡ Attach related documents acquired (eg. copy of the procedures for a standard test provided by the research related
institute, copy of related literature acquired from the library)

3. Signature of Adult-Sponsor

♡ If applicable, signature of people responsible (eg. qualified scientist, librarian, director of the RRL, statistician)

LESSON 3:

Tables and Graphs

♡ Research papers are often based on numerous amounts of data that can be summarized and easily read through
tables and graphs. When writing a research paper, the importance of tables and figures cannot be underestimated since
it is important for data to be presented to the reader in a visual appealing way.

♡ Tables and graphs are visual representations. They are used to organize information to show patterns and
relationships. A graph shows this information by representing it as a shape. Researchers and scientists often use tables
and graphs to report findings from their research.

Tables

♡ A table organizes numerical and/or descriptive data in rows and columns that aid in the understanding of a large
amount of data.

♡ Often overlooked when students begin organizing data for visual display.

♡ Do not underestimate the ability of a table to clearly display data.

♡ It is good practice to provide raw data in the presentation of your results.

♡ Tables constructed with data from each of the groups help to highlight which groups had the most change and how
groups compare to one another.
Graphs

♡ Charts and graphs are just another way of presenting the same data that is presented in tables. At the same time,
however, you get less detail or less precision in a chart or graph than you do in the table.

♡ In bar charts/graphs and line graphs, don’t forget to indicate what the x and y axes represent.

♡ Bar charts, line graphs, and pie charts often use special color, shading, or line style (solid or dashed).

♡ Be sure to indicate what these mean; translate them in a key (a legend) in some unused place in the chart or graph.