10
4.
THE RESEARCH PROJECT
In this section, we will be working on the Final task (page 7). We should use the
scientific method to carry out our research.
A
research project
uses the scientific method to obtain information and
formulate a hypothesis about a phenomenon.
We need to follow these steps of the scientific method: ask a question; formulate
a hypothesis; design and carry out experiments; analyse results and confirm the
hypothesis. Our project consists of finding out if beans are alive.
4.1.
Finding information
Before formulating a hypothesis it is important to find out about the phenomenon
that is going to be studied. We should use existing scientific knowledge to support
our work and resolve our questions.
It is important to obtain information from reliable sources, for example:
Always write the sources of information in a section called the
bibliography
.
To do a project well we have to select information very carefully. We have to think
of good questions and try to answer them. Possible questions:
Does water affect
seed germination? Do seeds germinate better during a particular season? Are
seeds in packets dead and for this reason they do not germinate?
These questions
will help us establish the
objectives
for our research.
Possible objectives for our project:
❚
To understand the variables that affect bean germination.
❚
To design an experiment to observe bean germination.
Analyse
6.
Examine a scientific journal. Make a note of its name, date of publication
and the main subjects that are covered in the magazine.
7.
Choose an article from a scientific journal or a web page and find the
bibliography. Discuss what information is included in the bibliography and
how the information is organised with a partner.
MALARIA
PARASITES
455,
9October2008
|
|
£10
THE INTERNATIONALWEEKLY JOURNALOF SCIENCE
NewPlasmodiumsequenceskick-start
comparativegenomics
CLIMATEPOLITICS
Themeetingthat
turnedthetide
SYSTEMSBIOLOGY
Fromhypetodelivery
THERMOSPINTRONICS
Spintronics justgothotter
NATUREJOBS
Adviceonline
Scientific magazines
for
the general public
Specialised scientific
journals
for scientists
Web pages
from universities and
other reliable institutions
