Scientific Method Booklet

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Identifying Variables & Designing Investigations Notes

3 Kinds of Variables 1. 2. 3.

Example # 1 Problem: Independent Variable: Dependent Variable: Constant Variables:

Example # 2 Problem: Independent Variable: Dependent Variable: Constant Variables:

Example # 3 Problem: Independent Variable: Dependent Variable: Constant Variables:

Example # 4 Problem: Independent Variable: Dependent Variable:

Constant Variables:

Dogs and Turnips Activity

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Conclusion #3 __________________________________________________ __________________________________________________ __________________________________________________ __________________________________________________ __________________________________________________ ____________

Conclusion #4 __________________________________________________ __________________________________________________ __________________________________________________ __________________________________________________ __________________________________________________ ____________

OBSERVATIONS VS. INFERENCES In science, there are two basic kin kinds of facts that people talk about. Things that you can directly see or show are called observations. For example, color, height, mass, number of branches, and things like e that. Other facts which you have to think about orr use logic in order to prove are called inferences. For example, we can make the observation that a giraffe has a long neck (we can see it), and the observation that a giraffe eats leaves (if we see the gi giraffe munching on some leaves), but to say that a giraffe s long neck helps it reach leaves to eat, that is an inference, we re putting two and two together. Try and figure f out which of these are observations and which are inferences. Put a letter O next ne to the observations and a letter I next to the inferences.

The table is two feet high.

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The table has four legs.

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The table was brought in by the custodian.

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That frog is green.

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All frogs are green.

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Yesterday, there were 45 cows in the field.

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Today, there are only 40 cows in the field.

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The cows must have been abducted by aliens.

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Those tracks are three inches long.

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Those tracks were made by a mouse.

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That gold brick is ten kilograms.

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That silver brick is seven kilograms.

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Gold is heavier than silver.

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All metals are heavy.

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A clear data table must: Show the relationship between the independent and dependent variables Show the order in which the independent variable was changed Have a title which communicates why your experiment was done

General Rules: The independent variable is usually recorded in the left column and the dependent variable in the right. When repeated trials are conducted, they are recorded in subdivisions of the dependent variable column. If an operation is performed on the data (averages, sums, etc.,) this information is recorded in an additional column to the right. The values of the independent variable are ordered (usually, smallest to largest.) The title of the table should name both the dependent and independent variables and communicate the purpose of the experiment, i.e., The Effect of Light on the Growth of Radish Seeds. The independent variable is the amount of light and the dependent variable is the growth of the seeds. Task: Draw a data table to record data for this experiment for the next 5 school days.

Best Value and Uncertainty