Analyzing Science Research NEED TODAY BRAINS Analyzing Science Research Students will learn the difference between CORRELATION and CAUSATION through a game. ELL IV-R-2-B-21 IV-R-2-B-22 IV-R-2-B-23 IV-R-2-B-28

Presentation Cues No one wants to listen to the teacher the whole time;) Volunteer/Class Discussion – quick answer from raised hand (remember/understand) Pair/share – quick chat with neighbor and volunteer or teacher pick share (remember/understand/apply) Group task – longer time for pair or group to apply, analyze, evaluate or create Individual write – personal reflection on topic Rotations – solve the station with group and write answer on paper, rotate with timer and stay with your group 5?Quiz – quick check for understanding about topic

Today we will analyze graphical relationships to determine correlation or causation Game Articles

I’ll KNOW I HAVE IT WHEN…. TODAY WE WILL… Explore the concept of correlation through discussion and game. I’ll KNOW I HAVE IT WHEN…. I can identify relationships in graphs I will NEED… NOTEBOOK PENCIL ELECTRONICS Away UNTIL GAME!!! I will TURN IN… OUTSTANDING LABS

CORRELATION When two events are related to eachother

POSITIVE CORRELATION Both go up OR both go down When variables on axis, line goes up When two lines being compared, lines move together

NEGATIVE CORRELATION When one goes up, the other goes down When variables on axis, line goes down When two lines being compared, lines cross

NO CORRELATION LINES HAVE NO REAL RELATIONSHIP When variables on axis, DOTS everywhere When two lines being compared, lines cross

Science gets tricky because of these things… Just because two things are related, doesn’t mean that one is causing the other… Melting ice cream doesn’t cause a sunburn! They are both caused by the sun!

What is CAUSATION? When one thing causes another to happen…

Just because two events related…

Just because two events related…

Just because two events related…

Just because two events related…

Just because two events related…

Just because two events related…

Just because two events related…

Just because two events related…

Just because two events related…

Just because two events related…

Controlled experiments are the only way to determine causation… Once we see a positive correlation, then controlled experiments determine if one thing really is causing another! Evidence =Correlation Repetition of Controlled Experiments and Reasoning =Causation

Bad Science Makes cause effects off small amounts of corollary data MEDIA often responsible for taking results from one study linking 2 things and writing paper saying it is cause-effect

Correlation vs Causation Example New Zealand causes skin cancer

Correlation vs Causation Example Daylight savings time causes strokes! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zsm2ABUNo0g

Still don’t get it? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VMUQSMFGBDo

Let’s play a little game Kahoot.it

How do we know if an article is… Good Source Complete nonsense

Sometimes its hard to tell… But there are some clues!

Authorship GOOD SOURCE QUESTIONABLE SOURCE Name of author displayed Search for person reveals actual contact info Anonymous (author not taking credit for work) When searching person, no contact info on internet

Website domain GOOD SOURCE QUESTIONABLE SOURCE .edu– only available to schools (must peer review before publishing) .gov – only available to gov’t (usually research based, trust depends on trust in gov’t) .org – only available to non-profits (usually non-biased, although may be trying to push a point) .com – available to anyone (usually trying to make money) .net – available to anyone (student beware)

Website info Has a “Contact Us” and/or “About us” GOOD SOURCE QUESTIONABLE SOURCE Has a “Contact Us” and/or “About us” Has a physical address by which to find author No “Disclaimers” saying it is for “Entertainment” https://student.societyforscience.org/sciencenews-students No way to contact/ information about site or author No physical address “Disclaimers” state the site is for entertainment http://worldnewsdailyreport.com/disclaimer/

Info Availability GOOD SOURCE QUESTIONABLE SOURCE Information can be found on another “credible” source Information found “exclusively” on that site Or another uncredible source

Sources Clear GOOD SOURCE QUESTIONABLE SOURCE Persons interviewed and research locations clearly given credit According to Ernesto Marques at the University of Pennsylvania Sources and research locations not given credit “according to our source”

METHODS What was done to collect data… Examples Survey One group does A while another does B Group does X for Y amount of time

SAMPLE SIZE How many people were involved Or How many trials were done LARGER IS TYPICALLY BETTER!

CONTROL One group gets A while another gets B OR One group does C then does D GIVES US COMPARISON TO BASE OUR RESULTS ON. MUST BE “BETTER, FASTER, STRONGER, ETC” THAN SOMETHING ELSE.

RESULTS Always going to be a numerical description… Percentage Ratio Of what was observed in study

CONCLUSION Sentence or two describing the meaning of the results.

BIAS Preconceptions of scientists that could interfere with their design/interpretation of results Feelings about topic (good or bad) Expectations for success or failure Who funded the research Whether money will be made off research

ERROR Problems with the research that could have contributed to incorrect results/conclusion Flawed design (test not good test) Lack of control (no comparison) Inaccurate measurements (hard to tell from article) Computational errors (problems with math, hard to tell without data table) Unethical reporting (saying something that isn’t all true)

You will select good source article Read both articles Choose the one that is a credible source of information You will only get credit if you choose correctly!