Student research project
Planning your project
Number: 43935
Title: Student Research Project
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Extracts from Science Syllabus Stages 4-5 © Board of Studies, NSW 2003
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Graphing Data
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Contents – Planning your project
Introduction....................................................................... 3
Choosing a research project............................................. 5
Your research problem .............................................................5
Starting your logbook........................................................ 9
What is a logbook? ...................................................................9
Writing the hypothesis .................................................... 13
But what is a hypothesis?.......................................................13
Restricting your research................................................ 17
Time.........................................................................................17
Resources ...............................................................................18
Expertise..................................................................................18
Risk assessment .....................................................................18
Setting a timetable.......................................................... 21
Suggested answers ........................................................ 23
Exercises – Planning ...................................................... 25
Planning your project
1
2
Student research project
Introduction
As part of your science course you are expected to do a research project
that shows the skills you have been developing. In Stage 4 (Years 7 and
8) you should have done at least one research project in a group. In Stage
5 (Years 9 and 10) you must do at least one individual project that
includes a ‘hands-on’ practical task. This series of lessons helps you to
plan and organise this research project.
Start thinking now of an area of science that you would like to know
more about.
By the end of this part you should be able to:
•
describe your research project
•
state the hypothesis that you will be testing
•
prepare a mind map about your topic
•
describe the information you will need
•
justify the project you have described in terms of your available
time, resources, expertise and safety limits
•
start a logbook to record your plans
•
evaluate whether your topic is suitable as a research project.
The purpose of this work is to take you step-by-step through the process
of carrying out your own research project so that you can improve and
demonstrate your skills as a scientist.
Planning your project
3
4
Student research project
Choosing a research project
Before starting your research project you will have some questions that
need to be answered.
Remember to consult your teacher at all stages of your project. Don’t
start something without first checking that the project can be done within
the time available. Also, make sure that the equipment needed is
available and that safety has been considered.
Your research problem
What will you do your research on? One of the critical steps in research
is writing a research problem that is clearly defined and can be
investigated by collecting data. Your investigations must be carried out
using the scientific method. So you need to choose a topic and write a
hypothesis.
Planning your project
5
Do you have an area of interest?
Have you got a clearly defined research task in mind? Don’t be
concerned if you haven’t. You can start by identifying an area that you
are interested in.
Look at the list below and see if you can find a topic that might interest
you.
6
•
Do all spiders spin the same type of web?
•
Do cola drinks dissolve teeth or coins?
•
What fish species are in local rivers?
•
What is the fat content of sausages?
•
What pest species are in local waterways? (Salvinia, water hyacinth,
Caulerpa taxifolia)
•
Does white chalk last longer than blue chalk?
•
What is the strongest type of different shopping bags?
•
Which fertilisers improve plant growth?
•
Do different lights affect the growth of plants?
•
What is the effect of magnets on plant growth?
•
Algal blooms – how can they be prevented?
•
What are carp doing to our inland rivers?
•
What is the best paper aeroplane design?
•
Do plant roots always grow downwards?
•
How fast do Venus flytraps close on their prey?
•
Do normal and galvanised nails rust at the same rate?
•
Does music increase the rate of plant growth?
•
Does sugar in the water make cut flowers last longer?
•
Which brand of disposable nappy holds the most water?
•
Which toilet paper brand is the strongest?
•
How do bubbles change as they move up a liquid?
•
How thick is an oil film on water?
•
Which brand of pen lasts the longest?
•
Which paper glue is strongest?
Student research project
•
Which battery lasts the longest?
•
What is the average size of a soap bubble?
•
What is the effect of exercise on blood pressure?
•
Do slaters prefer light or dark conditions?
•
How much energy is there in a peanut?
•
Which metal conducts heat fastest?
•
Do parents and children have similar fingerprints?
•
Which brand of aspirin dissolves fastest?
•
Does human leg hair grow back faster after shaving or waxing?
•
Does cold water or hot water freeze fastest?
•
Do girls have faster reactions than boys?
•
How acidic are different fruits?
•
Do boys and girls have different resting pulse rates?
•
On which surface does a ping pong ball bounce highest?
If not maybe the list has triggered an idea or topic you would like to take
a closer look at.
The Internet is a good place to search for a project. Start with the Young
Scientist Award site (http://www.stansw.asn.au/ys/ysmain.htm) and then
use a search engine such as Google (www.google.com). Try the following
keywords, 'science fair projects'.
Make sure that your experiment does not include explosives, does not
harm any animals and is not destructive to the environment.
Go to the exercises section and complete Exercise: Choosing a project.
Planning your project
7
8
Student research project
Starting your logbook
Often when you write something down an idea will pop into your mind.
Keeping your ideas together in one place is a useful method of recording
your progress through an investigation. For this you will need a logbook.
What is a logbook?
A logbook records the steps you take to complete a project. It does not
need to be excessively neat. It is a record of what you did and what you
were thinking. It should show how your thinking changes throughout the
process of carrying out a research project. The logbook also records
where things go wrong and what you did to overcome any unexpected
results.
Starting your logbook
At this point start a logbook for your investigation by writing down any
ideas you may have. You can use an exercise book or download a scaffold
from the Science Online website.
Use a computer to access the Science Online website.
www.cli.nsw.edu.au/kto12
Go to Science, Stage 5 Science and then Student research project.
Start with today’s date and write down what you did on this date. Include
any discussion you have had, any telephone conversations, letters you
have written and the resources that you have found related to your
project. If you take any photographs or audio recordings write down in
your logbook where and when these were gathered.
You need to keep accurate records of your plans, what you do, how you
do it and what you find out. You will use your logbook when you prepare
your final report. You will also submit your logbook to show your
teacher how you organised your research and how you made steady
progress.
Planning your project
9
Here is a sample entry into a student logbook.
Include all the things that affect the progress of your project. This means
all the things you do when you plan your project as well as summaries of
conversations and reading, lists of equipment, drawings of models,
names and descriptions of resources used, your results and thoughts you
have along the way. Things that go wrong should also be written in the
logbook and any false starts or dead ends that you encounter.
Your logbook is evidence that you have worked scientifically. It is also a
record of the type of activities you carried out during your investigation.
Your teacher may ask to see your logbook as part of your ongoing
assessment.
Keep your logbook with you whenever you are working on your project.
Mind mapping
A useful tool for moving onto the next phase is a mind or concept map.
Mind mapping is a method of visualising your ideas. You can use a mind
map to link old and new information and generate ideas. An example of a
mind map about investigating slaters follows.
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Student research project
Writing out the thoughts you have helps with your ideas. The next step is
to identify sources of information. This may be a library, the Internet or
through a first-hand investigation.
A good way to start mind mapping is to write some keywords into the
mind map boxes.
Your mind map
Start a mind map about your topic in your logbook. Write some
keywords, then list your sources of information.
Keep thinking about what you want to investigate – you'll be surprised by
where and when you have good ideas!
Go to the exercises section and complete Exercise: Mind map.
Planning your project
11
12
Student research project
Writing the hypothesis
Having a clear idea of what is to be investigated is one of the best ways
to start a research project. A scientific investigation is guided by the
hypothesis.
But what is a hypothesis?
Here are some definitions that people use for a hypothesis.
Planning your project
13
Spot the hypothesis
Tick the boxes next to the following hypotheses. One of these statements
is not a hypothesis. Which one?
Hypothesis 1
If the amount of water is increased then plant growth increases.
Is the hypothesis the objective of the experiment?
Is it is a clear testable statement?
Is it a statement and not a question?
Does it express a relationship between two or more variables (things)?
Does it say what you expect in your results?
Hypothesis 2
Blue shopping bags can carry more weight than white shopping bags
Is the hypothesis the objective of the experiment?
Is it is a clear testable statement?
Is it a statement and not a question?
Does it express a relationship between two or more variables (things)?
Does it say what you expect in your results?
Hypothesis 3
Why do magpies dive bomb?
Is the hypothesis the objective of the experiment?
Is it is a clear testable statement?
Is it a statement and not a question?
Does it express a relationship between two or more variables (things)?
It should say what you expect in your results
Hypothesis 4
On concrete tennis balls bounce higher than ping pong balls.
Is the hypothesis the objective of the experiment?
Is it is a clear testable statement?
14
Student research project
Is it a statement and not a question?
Does it express a relationship between two or more variables (things).
Does it say what you expect in your results?
Check your answers.
Now have a go at writing a hypothesis for your investigation in the space
below.
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
Use the check boxes to make sure you have written a hypothesis and then
get your teacher to check if your hypothesis is testable.
The hypothesis is the objective of the experiment.
It is a clear testable statement.
It is not a question.
It expresses a relationship between two or more variables (things).
It should say what you expect in your results
Another way to write a hypothesis is to consider the independent and
dependent variables in the experiment. The independent variable is what
is changed or manipulated during the experiment and the dependent
variable is what is measured. A scaffold for a hypothesis can help you to
write your own hypothesis in the correct from.
If the independent variable is changed, then the dependent variable
will respond.
Example:
If the independent variable is (increased, decreased, changed), then
the dependent variable will (increase, decrease, change.)
Hypothesis: If the amount of heat is decreased then germination will
decrease.
In the example the independent variable is amount of heat, it will be
decreased, then the dependent germination will decease.
Planning your project
15
In the example of a student studying the behaviour of a slater, then the
amount of light will be the independent variable and the movement of the
slater will be the dependent variable. A hypothesis for this experiment
could be:
If the light is increased then the slater will move to where it is darker.
Spend some time getting your hypothesis right in your logbook. After
you are satisfied with your hypothesis write it in the exercises.
Complete Exercise: Your hypothesis.
16
Student research project
Restricting your research
Many students set themselves projects that are far too ambitious to
complete. It’s a good idea to work out the restrictions before you start.
Restrictions that might limit you include:
• time
• resources
• expertise
• risk assessment.
Time
You have a time limit in which to complete your project. Probably, you
will have about three weeks to complete the research and one week to
prepare and present your report.
Do you realistically think you can complete your project in that time? Do
you need to make your project bigger or smaller? What could you add or
remove?
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
Planning your project
17
Resources
List the resources that will be useful for your task.
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
Are all of these resources available to you? Where can you access these?
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
Expertise
You may need help with your investigation so seek advice from people
with more experience of the topic.
Name some people you could ask for help.
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
Risk assessment
There are some safety issues that you need to consider. You may need to
carry out a risk assessment to identify the hazards. These will be different
depending on your individual project.
However there are some risks that you must not take regardless of your
investigation. You cannot work with poisonous or explosive materials. If
you are going to do an electrical project do not use mains power. Other
risks might include working outdoors and using equipment such as a saw.
18
Student research project
Working with animals
Your experiment must not cause harm to an animal. If you wish to work
with a vertebrate you will have to follow the guidelines supplied by the
Department of Education and Training. You must talk to your teacher if
you wish to use a vertebrate animal in your investigation.
Safety with chemicals
The three main areas of your body that you should protect when you are
using chemicals are:
•
•
•
eyes
skin
lungs.
Body
part
Protection
eyes
Protect your eyes by wearing goggles and making sure that chemicals in
test tubes are never pointed towards anyone.
skin
Protect your skin by covering the body with personal protective clothing
made of non flammable material.
lungs
Avoid inhaling fumes as these may damage the soft tissue of the lungs.
You may have access to a fume cupboard to reduce the risk of inhaling
fumes.
Managing risks
Use the check list below to work out the risks involved in your project
and then describe what you are doing to overcome these risks.
Identify the risk
Level of risk (low,
medium, high)
Control method
transport to study site
sunburn
insect bites
Planning your project
19
chemical spills
burns from hot liquids
fire hazards
poisonous chemicals
cutting injuries from
sharp equipment
(scalpels, knives)
electrical shock
injury from animals
injury from caustic
chemicals (strong acids
and bases)
water safety
infection from microbes
injury to animals
Make notes in your logbook about any follow up you need to do to
ensure a safe research project that doesn't affect your health and the
environment.
Supervision
You need a responsible adult to check your plans and hypothesis. Work
out how to carry and safely use equipment. Remember to follow the
safety rules for the use of any scientific equipment. Don't start anything
until you have your teacher's approval.
After all that planning, you should be fairly certain of what you are going
to try to find out in your research project!
Go to the exercises section and complete Exercise: Restricting your
research.
20
Student research project
Setting a timetable
The secret of a successful research project is careful and thorough
preparation. Since you must complete your project in about four or five
weeks, you need to plan what you are going to do and when. This should
be done before you start.
The table below is one student’s estimate of the time required.
Things to do
Time it will probably take
choose a research topic
1 hour
library
5 hours
talking to people
2 hours
summarising information
5 hours
design experiment
3 hours
organise equipment
1 hour
measure and record data
5 hours
pull ideas together
3 hours
prepare report
5 hours
From this estimate, the following timetable was created.
Planning your project
21
Week 1
Week 2
Week 3
Week 4
Week 5
collect resources – library, talking
summarise information and ideas
formulate problem
design activity and test equipment
collect data
pull ideas together
prepar e report
You cannot expect to finish your project in just a few days. It requires a
serious commitment to the task spread over the time allowed.
Now it’s your turn to prepare a timetable and a timeline.
Your plan
Follow the steps on the next two pages.
1
Job list
In your logbook make a list of the things you think you will need
to do.
2
Time estimate
In your logbook predict how much time you will need for each
task on your job list. Add in the extra tasks that you think of as
you go along.
Go to the exercises section and complete Exercise: Setting a timetable.
You will need to make changes to your plans but well done for getting
ready to start!
22
Student research project
Suggested answers
But what is a hypothesis?
Hypothesis 1
If the amount of water is increased then plant growth increases.
Is the hypothesis the objective of the experiment?
Is it is a clear testable statement?
Is it a statement and not a question?
Does it express a relationship between two or more variables (things)?
Does it say what you expect in your results?
Hypothesis 2
Blue shopping bags can carry more weight than white shopping bags
Is the hypothesis the objective of the experiment?
Is it is a clear testable statement?
Is it a statement and not a question?
Does it express a relationship between two or more variables (things)?
Does it say what you expect in your results?
Hypothesis 3
Why do magpies dive bomb?
Is the hypothesis the objective of the experiment?
Is it is a clear testable statement?
Is it a statement and not a question?
Does it express a relationship between two or more variables (things)?
Does it say what you expect in your results?
Planning your project
23
Hypothesis 4
On concrete tennis balls bounce higher than ping-pong balls.
Is the hypothesis the objective of the experiment?
Is it is a clear testable statement?
Is it a statement and not a question?
Does it express a relationship between two or more variables (things)?
Does it say what you expect in your results?
Hypothesis 3 is not a good hypothesis. It is not a testable question, and it is
written as a question.
24
Student research project
Exercises – Planning
Name
____________________________
Teacher ____________________________
Exercise: Choosing a research project
Write down any ideas you have for your project.
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
Planning your project
25
Exercise: Mind map
1
Copy your completed mind map onto this page. You can write
and draw over the shaded guide or use the space provided to
prepare your own mind map.
your area of interest
26
Student research project
Exercise: Your hypothesis
1
Practise writing a hypothesis for each of the topics below. The first
one is done for you.
Does white chalk last longer than blue chalk?
White chalk will laster longer than blue chalk.
Different lights affect the growth of plants.
_______________________________________________________
Do plant roots always grow downwards?
_______________________________________________________
Compare rusting in normal and galvanised nails
_______________________________________________________
Does music increase plant growth?
_______________________________________________________
Does sugar in the water make cut flowers last longer?
_______________________________________________________
What is the effect of exercise on blood pressure?
_______________________________________________________
Do slaters prefer light or dark conditions?
_______________________________________________________
Which metal copper or iron conducts heat fastest?
_______________________________________________________
Does cold water or hot water freeze fastest?
_______________________________________________________
Do girls have faster reactions than boys?
_______________________________________________________
2
Write your research hypothesis here.
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
Planning your project
27
Exercise: Restricting your research
1
What are some resources that you plan to use?
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
2
What risks have you identified for your research project?
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
3
What will you do to ensure that you, and others, are safe throughout
this research project?
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
28
Student research project
Exercise: Setting a timetable
Fill in your plan.
Week 1
Planning your project
Week 2
Week 3
Week 4
Week 5
29