Science Content for educators First Hand Investigation
Description
Perform a first-hand investigation and produce a scientific report.
Choose one of the scenarios from the supplied list or design an experiment of your choice. Ensure that the experiment you choose has value. This means it should be relatively novel and not simply a repeat of an existing experiment, unless you aim to replicate or confirm previous findings, and that there is a reason for conducting the experiment (that the findings provide some utility).
Students will be assessed on their ability to:
• identify the purpose of the investigation and design an appropriate testable question or hypothesis
• Include a literature review/background section that covers what we already know about the topic (e.g. scientific principles) and justify why it is important to conduct this research, with reference to other similar investigations being conducted
• describe a logical procedure for undertaking a controlled experiment
• design and perform a fair test (show understanding of independent, dependent and controlled variables and perform appropriate sampling or repetition for validity)
• select appropriate equipment and assess risks with a formal risk assessment
• present observations and measurements to show trends and relationships, utilising appropriate data analyses and measurement approaches
• discuss the results using cause and effect relationships and explain how the procedure and results were or could have been improved
• state a valid conclusion, identifying data which supports or rejects the question or hypothesis
• demonstrate that you conducted the experiment yourself: Students are required to demonstrate that the experiment was carried out between the beginning of semester and the due date.
Evidence of conducting the experiment may include taking photographs (with time/date stamps or in front of newspapers or holding a print out of this assessment task), records (e.g., in Google Docs which records timing of entries) or links to video.
Students are responsible for determining whether their evidence is sufficient through contact with the tutor/subject coordinator. Experiments conducted for other subjects/purposes or at other times will not be accepted.
• Progressive Task 1 worksheet needs to be included as an appendix
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