1. Science Research
Group 4 Project

2. As IB Science students, you have the unique opportunity to work on a research project that steps outside the boundaries of the traditional class curriculum. The Collaborative Research Project is an interdisciplinary endeavor. Our goal is to develop and implement an investigation that combines areas of both Biology and Physics. Such an investigation has the potential to open your eyes to applications of the sciences that you may never have considered.

3. Collaborative Research Projects will culminate in:
Written report
Poster
Oral presentation

4. Progression of Research Project
Area of Interest
Question
Measureable
Doable
Hypothesis
Variables
Research Design
Take Enough Data!!!

5. Progression of Research Project
Execute Investigation
Data Analysis
Graphs
Statistical Analysis
Final Write-Up
Research Paper
Poster Symposium

6. Objectives for Day 1 Introduction to the project
Meet in small groups containing students from both classes
“Brain Storm” project ideas

7. Guidelines Allow everyone in the group to have input.
Elect a group leader that ensures everyone is heard.
Limit suggestions to projects that can be done in a high school laboratory, at a reasonable cost, and in the allotted time period.
Learn from one another!

8. Objectives for Day 2
Meet in small groups containing students from both classes
Present project ideas
Explain the research topic
Explain the biology component of each idea
Explain the physics component of each idea

9. Guidelines Allow everyone in the group to have input.
Elect a group leader that ensures everyone is heard.
Limit suggestions to projects that can be done in a high school laboratory, at a reasonable cost, and in the allotted time period.
Learn from one another!

10. Objectives Day 3 Draw teams and topics. Begin to brainstorm
Research question
Hypothesis
Experimental design

11. Each team is responsible for:
Scheduling its own meetings
Keeping minutes of all meetings
Organizing equipment and workers
Collecting pertinent data
Analyzing data in an appropriate fashion

12. Data Analysis
Now you’ve got data…….
……so what does it mean?

13. Data Analysis
Your conclusions must be supported by statistical analysis!
This will tell you whether your results can be viewed as significant, or whether your results are likely just crass chance.
Which statistical analysis should you do?
What do you want to find out?

14. Data Analysis Analyzing the difference between two sample means
“t” test
Is there a significant difference between this average and that average?

15. Data Analysis
Analyzing the difference between more than two sample means
Analysis of Variance
Compares the variance within the samples to the variance between the samples

16. Data Analysis Analyzing the relationship between two factors
Coefficient of Correlation
How does one variable change as the other variable changes?

17. Data Analysis
Determining if the actual frequency differs significantly from the expected frequency
Chi Square Test

18. Writing Up The Research
Title
Should be descriptive

19. Writing Up The Research
Abstract
Purpose
Procedure
Data Analysis
Results

20. Writing Up The Research
Introduction
Provide background information
Review other work on the subject
Citing literary research is a must!

21. Writing Up The Research
Materials and Methods
Paragraph form
Sketches should be placed near the related text
Briefly account for time

22. Writing Up The Research
Results
Brief description of results
Cite results of statistical analysis

23. Writing Up The Research
Discussion
Interpret your Results
Refer back to Introduction
Compare to published data results (with proper citation)
Suggestions for further research

24. Writing Up The Research
Acknowledgements
Sources of materials
Use of facilities
Help of participants

25. Writing Up The Research
Literature Cited
Proper format
Must actually be “cited”

26. Presenting the Research
Poster Presentation
Proper Sections
Role of both sciences?
Data
Uncertainty
Diagrams
Clearly labeled (free-body if appropriate)
Statistical Analysis
Decision values (critical value for r or values from t-table)

27. Presenting the Research
Introduction
Introduce researchers
Give title

28. Presenting the Research
Brief History
Pertinent background info – cite literature
How did you get the idea?
Lead audience up to the hypothesis.

29. Presenting the Research
Methodology
Experimental Design
Special Apparatus
Statistical Analysis

30. Presenting the Research
Results
Professionally Presented
Correct labels, units, significant digits, etc.

31. Presenting the Research
Conclusions
Did the data support or reject the hypothesis?
New questions and suggestions for further research
Any negative results?

32. Presenting the Research
Solicit and Answer Audience Questions
Direct
Confident
Honest
No Excuses
Acknowledge suggestions