Experimental Design Notes

What is Experimental Design?

-special way in which scientists gather information and test ideas
-logical way of solving problems

Why would you use experimental design?

-to solve a problem

Steps in Experimental Design:

1. Identify the Problem or Purpose
 Generally in the form of a question or a statement
Ex: What is the effect of weed-killing chemicals on the bird population?

2. Background Research
 What to do now that you have a question?
 Are you the only person that has ever asked this question?
 What might you need to do to find useful information?
 review literature, dictionary, encyclopedia, text book, magazine, people (experts)

3. Hypothesis
 If…….then…….
 An educated guess
Ex: If weed-killing chemicals are eaten by birds,
then the number of birds will decrease

4. Experimental Procedure
o Detailed description of how to do the activity
o Includes Variables
 Independent—What I (the scientist) change in the experiment
 Dependent—what is MEASURED
 Constant—what remained the same
o May also included must be
 Control Group—group under “normal” conditions
 Experimental Group—group with one condition different than normal
o Examples: diaper brands, acid rain
5. Results/Data

 COMPLETE sentences explaining what happened

 Includes observations
 Qualitative—What something looks like (reports characteristics: green
in color)
 Quantitative—Anything involving numbers (measurements: 20lbs, 4inces)
 Inference—judgment based on observation (That plant is ugly)
o Graph showing what happened
 Graph must organize information and simplify results, it should include:
 Title, labels, and color
6. Conclusion
 Statement identifying whether the hypothesis was SUPPORTED, REJECTED, or
INCONCLUSIVE (if there wasn’t enough evidence either way).
 Describe at least 3 sources of error!