The key to inquiry investigations How we do science… The key to inquiry investigations

Asking the right questions related to scientific inquiry Questioning… Asking the right questions related to scientific inquiry

Questioning Skills Scientific questions need to be answered by observations or evidence If questions cannot be answered by gathering evidence, it’s not science They should identify a relationship or a factor you can investigate

Hints to help! If your questions are general, break them down into questions that can be investigated one at a time Good questions begin with: ‘What is the relationship between…’ ‘What factors cause…’ ‘What is the effect…’

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Recap: Writing A Proper Hypothesis Using the “If / Then… because” Method

Independent Variable The variable that you change is called the manipulated variable (independent variable). The condition be studied. It is controlled by the experimenter

Dependent Variable The variables that may change as a result of your independent variable are called responding variables (dependent variables). The condition affected by the ind. variable. It can’t be controlled by the experimenter.

Control Many experiments have a control. This is a treatment or experiment that you can compare with the results of your test group. The condition that is represented in a ‘normal’ situation (what happens with no manipulation)

Common Variables? Most common are: Time, temperature, length, width, height, mass, volume, number, and kinds of substances being used in the experiment.

Steps to Writing the “If” section of your Hypothesis Start your sentence with the word “If” Write down one of the variables Connect statement with one of the following: is related to is affected by causes Write down the other variable

Writing the “Then” section of your Hypothesis Write the word then (following the “if” section) Make a comment on the relationship between those two variables. Ex. If section: If water is related to plant growth, Ex. Then section: then the more you water plants, the bigger they will grow.

Final “If / Then” Statement If water is related to plant growth, then the more you water plants, the bigger they will grow.

A new addition… ‘because’! …because write a VERY brief statement explaining why. If water is related to plant growth, then the more you water plants, the bigger they will grow because water is needed for the reactions that create more plant cells.

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