EXERCISE 1

Read the text and identify the elements of the study.

Tea 'could cut down skin cancer risk'

Drinking just two cups of tea per day could cut the risk of developing skin cancer, a
study suggests.

The US research compared the tea-drinking habits of 1,400 people with skin cancer and
700 who had not developed the disease. The study, in the European Journal of Cancer
Prevention, suggests chemicals in tea could have a protective effect. But British cancer
experts warned that the best way to guard against the disease was to protect the skin.

The study, by a team at Dartmouth Medical School, New Hampshire, looked at 770 adults
with basal cell carcinoma and 696 with squamous cell carcinoma. Both are cancers which
develop in skin cells. Sunlight is a contributing factor in around 90% of cases. Around
70,000 people in Britain are affected by the cancers each year. All those studied were
diagnosed between 1993 and 1995 or 1997 and 2000.

The study asked the people with cancer, plus the healthy group - all aged between 25 and
74 - about diet, lifestyle and their consumption of both green and black teas. Both kinds of
tea are rich in antioxidants which animal studies have been shown prevent the
development of cancer cells.

This research found that people who drank tea regularly had a lower risk of either cancer.
Those who drank two or more cups a day had a 65% lower risk of developing squamous
cell carcinoma. Tea-drinking also appeared to protect against basal cell carcinoma, but to
a lesser degree. Adding lemon peel to the tea, a practice more common in the US than the
UK, seemed to increase the benefits of the drink, the researchers said.

Writing in the journal, the team led by Dr Judy Rees, said: "The constituents of tea have
been investigated for their activity against a variety of diseases and cancers. "But the most
potent appear to be polyphenols [antioxidants]." The team said further research into the
protective effects of tea could lead to a better understanding of how cancer develops.

But Dr Alison Ross, science information officer at Cancer Research UK, said: "Although
these results sound interesting they do not provide firm evidence that drinking tea offers
protection against non-melanoma skin cancer. "Our advice is to spend some time in the
shade between 11am and 3pm, to make sure you never burn, to cover up with a hat, t-shirt
and sunglasses, to take extra care with children and to use a factor 15+ sunscreen."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/6571147.stm

Observations:
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Problem:
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Hypothesis:
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Phenomenon:
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Experiment:

Sample: Group 1 a:
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b.
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Time when they were diagnosed:

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Group 2:
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Age: ____________________________________________

Method:
General method:
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Specific method:
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Results: 1. General:
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Specific:
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2.
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 3.
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Conclusion: ____________________________________________________________

EXERCISE 2

Read the text and identify the elements of the study.

TV 'can numb pain for children'

Watching television may act as a natural painkiller for children, Italian research
indicates.

A University of Siena team studied the level of pain reported by 69 children aged between
seven and 12 as they gave blood samples. Some were distracted by their mothers during
the procedure, some had no distraction and some watched cartoons. Those who watched
TV reported least pain, the study - published in Archives of Disease in Childhood - said.

The 69 children studied were randomly divided into the three groups to have a blood
sample taken. None of the children was given any form of anesthesia. After the samples
had been taken, the children and their mothers rated their pain scores.

Children who were given no distraction at all registered pain scores around three times
higher than those who watched cartoons. Even a mother's attempts at distraction, for
example by soothing or caressing the child, proved to be no match for the soothing effect
of television.

The results suggested that, not only did watching television reduce levels of pain, it also
improved children's tolerance of the pain they did register, the team said.

The researchers say it is not clear whether the key factor was the distracting power of
television or the emotional involvement of mothers undermining their attempts to help their
children.

Writing in the journal, they say: "The higher pain level reported by children during mothers'
efforts at distraction shows the difficulty mothers have in interacting positively at a difficult
moment in their children's life. This does not mean that the mothers' presence is negative:
although it does not reduce pain, the children will recall that they were not left alone on a
stressful occasion. Children who are experiencing pain in health care settings of course
need the supportive presence of a parent to help them cope effectively. Indeed, children
state that having their parent present provides the most comfort when in pain."

Researcher Dr Carlo Bellieni said watching television might simply divert attention but it
was also possible that the pleasure it generated might stimulate the release of natural
painkilling hormones called endorphins. He said health workers should consider using
television to minimize distress for children undergoing minor painful procedures. He also
warned the study underlined the potentially powerful effect of television - which might not
be welcome in everyday life.

Dr Ray MacDonald, a psychologist at Glasgow Caledonian University, has carried out

research showing that listening to music can counter the pain of undergoing a procedure
called haemodialysis in adult kidney disease patients. He said: "There is evidence to show
you can reduce people's perception of pain given the right sort of intervention and I can
certainly see parallels between listening to music and watching television."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/4795287.stm
Observations

Problem

Hypothesis

Phenomenon

Experiment
Sample: ______________________________________

Age: ____________________

Method:
______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

Group 1:
___________________________________________________________________

Group 2:
___________________________________________________________________

Group3:
___________________________________________________________________

Results: General result:

_______________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________

Specific results:

1.______________________________________________________________
___

______________________________________________________________
___

2_______________________________________________________________
___

_______________________________________________________________
____
Conclusion

Observations

Problem

Hypothesis

Phenomenon

Experiment
Sample: ______________________________________

Age: ____________________

Method:
______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

Group 1:
___________________________________________________________________

Group 2:
___________________________________________________________________

Group 3:
___________________________________________________________________

Results: General result:

_______________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________

Specific results:

1.______________________________________________________________
___

______________________________________________________________
___

2_______________________________________________________________
___
 _______________________________________________________________
____

Conclusion