Getting Started with the EETT/ARRA Grant Project
Resources: Use the following resources in order to effectively create your group's product. This product should follow the guidelines as prescribed within the grant. Click here to read the grant project overview if you so desire. Below you will find other links helpful in fulfilling the goals of the project.
Getting Started: Use this Topic Selection Wizard (1) found at http://www.sciencebuddies.org
Resource Links:
11.A.4c - Collect, organize and analyze data accurately and precisely.
Goal 11 - Inquiry and Design (2)
Goal 12 - Concepts and Principles (2)
Goal 13 - Science, Technology, and Society (2)
We will publish our final works on this website: Student Product Website
Your group project should include all necessary components of a Science Fair Project including:
Other aspects of the project include:
Knowledge gained -
The student will demonstrate their knowledge or their understanding of the subject area through their discussion of the background information within the Review of Literature.
Scientific Approach -
Students have adequately demonstrated the scientific method in their product.
Experimental Approach - variable -
Students can identify the independent variable in their project. Many students will have a single variable. However, a more complex project might test multiple independent variables simultaneously.
Experimental Approach - controlled variable -
All other variables other than the independent variable and dependent variable have been controlled. For examples, were all of the environmental conditions that may have affected the results controlled (that is, kept the same), i.e. temperature, humidity, kind of soil, type of containers that the plants were grown in, etc.
Experimental Approach - control group -
A control group can be described as the group that lacks or is absent of the independent variable. For example, if testing the effect of salinity on the boiling temperature of H2O, the control group would be a group that was boiled without salt, and the experimental group(s) is(are) groups of boiled water with varying amounts of salt. In some cases the independent variable cannot be removed and therefore the control group becomes the comparison group. For example, a comparison of brands of basketball shoes; all shoes have brands and there cannot be an absence of that variable. Therefore, it is a comparison group.
Reliability of Data -
There are several ways to increase the reliability of an experiment, here are two examples:
Experimental error can be as simple as correctly recognizing how accurate the tools used for measurement were for the experiment.
A second simple way that experimental error can be expressed is to recognize that sample size or multiple trials increase the accuracy of the data collected.
The following statistical analysis will also reflect experimental error.
A conclusion should answer the question asked in the purpose. Make sure the conclusion accurately reflects the data collected.
Originality -
Students may wish to investigate new ideas or old ideas in a new way. You may wish to include an original video uploaded to YouTube.com
Take a moment to view the example video at the bottom of this page created with Windows Live Movie Maker, uploaded to YouTube.com, then embedded as a multimedia option in Weeble.com
Display of Product -
Students should follow the rubric for the product provided as a linked resource on this page.
Review of Literature -
With the exception of an introductory and/or concluding paragraph, all paragraphs should have at least one citation. Remember, the review of literature is not an original work of the student's, but reflects the research of other people.
Page Sources:
(1) Topic Selection Wizard: http://sciencebuddies.org
Page viewed on February 24, 2011.
(2) Illinois State Learning Goals: http://www.isbe.state.il.us/ils/science/standards.htm
Page viewed on February 24, 2011.
(3) Illinois Junior Academy of Science Policy and Procedures Manual: http://www2.niles-hs.k12.il.us/jacnau/IJAS/
Page retrieved on February 24, 2011.
(4) Trochim, William M. The Research Methods Knowledge Base, 2nd Edition. Internet WWW page, at URL:
http://www.socialresearchmethods.net/kb/ (version current as of March 03, 2011).
(5) Biology Concepts for Student Projects: http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/biology/biocon.html
Page retrieved on February 24, 2011
(6) History of Biology: http://www.bioexplorer.net/History_of_Biology/
Page retrieved on February 24,2011
Getting Started: Use this Topic Selection Wizard (1) found at http://www.sciencebuddies.org
Resource Links:
- Illinois Learning Goals, Standards, and Benchmarks for Science - Benchmarks should be expressed within the web pages using the following as an examples:
11.A.4c - Collect, organize and analyze data accurately and precisely.
Goal 11 - Inquiry and Design (2)
Goal 12 - Concepts and Principles (2)
Goal 13 - Science, Technology, and Society (2)
We will publish our final works on this website: Student Product Website
Your group project should include all necessary components of a Science Fair Project including:
- Abstract - Contains a concise summary of the purpose, procedure, and conclusion.
- Safety Page: Statement identifying any and all safety hazards experienced within the duration of the study.
- Title Page including a Table of Contents
- Acknowledgements - Credit has been given to those who have helped within the project.
- Purpose and Hypothesis - The problem has been defined and a prediction has been made.
- Review of Literature (R of L) - Review of Literature is thorough, adequately cited within the R of L, and pertinent to the topic.
- Materials - All materials are listed and measurements are in metric.
- Procedure - Procedure is easily followed; all steps included. Measurements are in metric.
- Results - Results are organized in tables or graphs; easily read by someone not familiar with the work. Data is quantitative; explanations are given when needed.
- Conclusion - A concise evaluation and interpretation of the data and/or results; referred to purpose and hypothesis.
- Reference List - Quality, quantity and variety of sources is adequate for topic. Sources listed are cited within Review of Literature and/or cited under figures (Figures include graphics, digital photos, videos, etc).
- Spelling/Grammar - Good grammar and spelling are evident.
- Order - The project is neat and follows the order of this guide.
Other aspects of the project include:
Knowledge gained -
The student will demonstrate their knowledge or their understanding of the subject area through their discussion of the background information within the Review of Literature.
Scientific Approach -
Students have adequately demonstrated the scientific method in their product.
Experimental Approach - variable -
Students can identify the independent variable in their project. Many students will have a single variable. However, a more complex project might test multiple independent variables simultaneously.
Experimental Approach - controlled variable -
All other variables other than the independent variable and dependent variable have been controlled. For examples, were all of the environmental conditions that may have affected the results controlled (that is, kept the same), i.e. temperature, humidity, kind of soil, type of containers that the plants were grown in, etc.
Experimental Approach - control group -
A control group can be described as the group that lacks or is absent of the independent variable. For example, if testing the effect of salinity on the boiling temperature of H2O, the control group would be a group that was boiled without salt, and the experimental group(s) is(are) groups of boiled water with varying amounts of salt. In some cases the independent variable cannot be removed and therefore the control group becomes the comparison group. For example, a comparison of brands of basketball shoes; all shoes have brands and there cannot be an absence of that variable. Therefore, it is a comparison group.
Reliability of Data -
There are several ways to increase the reliability of an experiment, here are two examples:
- Do the experiment multiple times or
- Have a large sample size
Experimental error can be as simple as correctly recognizing how accurate the tools used for measurement were for the experiment.
A second simple way that experimental error can be expressed is to recognize that sample size or multiple trials increase the accuracy of the data collected.
The following statistical analysis will also reflect experimental error.
- Standard deviation
- Chi squared
- T tests
- Paired T's
A conclusion should answer the question asked in the purpose. Make sure the conclusion accurately reflects the data collected.
Originality -
Students may wish to investigate new ideas or old ideas in a new way. You may wish to include an original video uploaded to YouTube.com
Take a moment to view the example video at the bottom of this page created with Windows Live Movie Maker, uploaded to YouTube.com, then embedded as a multimedia option in Weeble.com
Display of Product -
Students should follow the rubric for the product provided as a linked resource on this page.
Review of Literature -
With the exception of an introductory and/or concluding paragraph, all paragraphs should have at least one citation. Remember, the review of literature is not an original work of the student's, but reflects the research of other people.
Page Sources:
(1) Topic Selection Wizard: http://sciencebuddies.org
Page viewed on February 24, 2011.
(2) Illinois State Learning Goals: http://www.isbe.state.il.us/ils/science/standards.htm
Page viewed on February 24, 2011.
(3) Illinois Junior Academy of Science Policy and Procedures Manual: http://www2.niles-hs.k12.il.us/jacnau/IJAS/
Page retrieved on February 24, 2011.
(4) Trochim, William M. The Research Methods Knowledge Base, 2nd Edition. Internet WWW page, at URL:
http://www.socialresearchmethods.net/kb/ (version current as of March 03, 2011).
(5) Biology Concepts for Student Projects: http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/biology/biocon.html
Page retrieved on February 24, 2011
(6) History of Biology: http://www.bioexplorer.net/History_of_Biology/
Page retrieved on February 24,2011
Below is a sample YouTube Video: The video demonstrates a simple effect of adding a title to the raw video footage. Windows Live Movie Maker was used to add the title. The video was uploaded directly from Windows Live Movie Maker to YouTube. A YouTube account is required in order to accomplish this task.
