Chapter Questions
1. What are the main components of an experimental design?
2. What is the purpose of having a hypothesis in a STEM-based
research project?
3. When doing background research on independent and dependent
variables, what sort of information will help you write a good
research design?
4. How do the individual entities or trials within the experimental
groups differ? How are they the same?
5. How are the constants different from the control?
6. How should the consideration of extraneous variables affect the
design of a STEM research project?
7. How do quantitative data differ from qualitative data?
8. Why might recording inferences (instead of facts) interfere with data
collection?
Chapter Applications
Now it’s your turn. Look back at your Student Handout #1, Focusing Preliminary
Research Ideas, on page 14. Use it to complete the Student Handout #2,
the Research Design Table, on the following page. Refer to the example design
tables provided in this chapter. Carefully consider the elements of your experiment.
Think about the variables that can best be observed and measured,
taking into consideration the equipment, resources, and lab skills you have
at your disposal. Consider advice and suggestions from your teacher and
your classmates. Completing this table in writing will help you determine
the strengths and weaknesses of your research design. It will tell you what
you still need to learn more about. Don’t be surprised if you complete several
drafts of the table, maybe on completely different topics.
If you are working with a group or with a partner on this project, your
teacher may prefer that you brainstorm together regarding the research ideas
and variables and then complete the remaining parts of Student Handout #2
individually. In that case, group members can discuss the differences between
the different proposed research designs and then combine the best of each
version to make a single group draft. At that point, consider typing up the
group draft and posting it to a Google Doc that you can share with all members
of your group and with your teacher (for more information on Google
Docs, see p. xxviii). In that way, each group member can make edits to the
document, and the teacher can check on the group’s progress.
The next chapter will help you develop research questions to help focus
your background research. Continue doing background research on your
topic. Though it may seem contradictory, the more background information
you have, the better you will be able to modify your research design.
References
Cothron, J. H., R. N. Giese, and R.J. Rezba. 2006. Science experiments and projects for students:
Student version of students and research. Dubuque, IA: Kendall/Hunt.
Filson, R. 2001. In search of ... real science. Retrieved March 4, 2011, from Access Excellence:
www.accessexcellence.org/LC/TL/filson.
Gordon, J. C. 2007. Planning research: A concise guide for the environmental and natural
resource sciences. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press.
Morgan, K. 2009. Notes on behavioral recording techniques. Retrieved March 15, 2011, from
Wheaton College website: www3.wheatonma.edu/kmorgan/Animal_Behavior_Class/
recordingmethods.html.
Student Handout #2
Research Design Table
Name __________________________________________________ Class ____________ Date _______________
Directions: Complete the following table with your research project idea.
Hypothesis Draft
Independent Variable Background Questions
Dependent Variable
Quantitative
Qualitative
Constants
Experimental Groups and
Control Group
Control
Group
Exp. Group #1 Exp. Group #2 Exp. Group #3