What is a Science Investigatory

Project?
Yzzel T. Agorilla |
How do we define an
Investigatory Project?
Statement of the problem
Definition: Investigatory Project

•Planned undertaking in a
particular field like Biology,
Chemistry, Physical sciences,
Applied Sciences, environment
etc.
Definition: Investigatory Project

•An investigation to apply

certain scientific principles or
ideas, of improve present
inventions, formula ,
processes etc.
 Definition: Investigatory Project

•A research activity which aims to

develop one’s ability to identify
and determine possible
solutions to a particular
problem in the community
THIS WAS
CONCEIVED BY AN
OFFICE WORKER
WHO ALWAYS FIND
IT HARD TO CARRY A
SAUCER OR BISCUIT
DISPENSER DURING
COFFEE BREAK.
 Objectives of SIPs

• Encourage research and development among young Filipino

students;
• Undertake scientific activities that will develop the youth’s
creativity, analytical mind and integrity
• Develop the student’s capacity to actively and effectively
participate in the solution of problems in our environment;
• Provide a venue for intellectual and social interaction among
students and the S&T experts;
 Undertaking the Investigatory Project
• Project Planning: You have to consider the following:
• the need for prior knowledge on the area proposed for
investigation;
• -the urgency of the problem to be researched on;
• - the available resources like money, experts as your
consultants, materials to be used; time; etc
• - the contribution of project to the community , like
improving the environment or solutions to problems of the
environment
Steps in Conducting Investigatory Projects
1. Identifying the Subject Area for investigation- You
can get ideas from survey of community problems,
environmental problems; through library research;
available research studies; thru internet;
2. Selecting a Topic- this refers to an specific topic for
investigation:
* Topic should be in line of your interests and
abilities, availability of materials and needs of the
community;
 Steps in Conducting Investigatory Projects

-Topic should be relevant to the socio-economic growth

or development needs of the country ;
-topic should be within your scope or level of
knowledge;
-Time required to complete the project must be
reasonable enough to allow you to finish the project;
-Necessary safety measures should be followed in
conducting the investigation;
-Expenses should be commensurate to the benefits of
the expected results.
 Steps in Conducting Investigatory Projects

3. Defining the Research Problem and Objectives:

Your study or project must focus on a particular
aspect of the topic in order to make a definite
conclusion possible;
-State the problem in the form of question or a
declarative statement- & must be precise, accurate
and clear;
-Objectives must be clear , specific, measurable,
attainable and time-bound.
 Steps in Conducting Investigatory Projects
4. Formulating the Hypothesis: a Hypothesis is an educated guess or
inference to explain observed facts. Sometimes, it is similar to an
OPINION.
-Hypothesis limits the area of investigation; It becomes the
groundwork upon which the experiment is based; and Hypothesis
can be tested and verified by experimental procedures;
5. Conducting Experiments:
To experiment means to try something in order to see what
happens.
_ Experiment is observation under controlled conditions.
 Choosing the Research Design

• RD is the plan, structure and strategy of the investigation

Plan overall scheme to be followed
Structure specific outline on how the variables are
operationalized
Strategy description of details such as methods to be
employed in collecting and analyzing data
• The main target of the RD is to attain the objectives of the study
 BASIC EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN

• Experimental Design is a system of

procedure regulating the assignment of
treatments to experimental plot. The
basic principles involve in these designs
are replications, randomization and
error control
 BASIC EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN

•Replication- the precision of the

experiment can only be increase by
additional of replication but the
degree of improvement may fall off
as the number of replication
increases
 BASIC EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN

• Randomization- the procedure involve in

the selection of samples or the
assignment of treatment in a manner that
the probability of drawing a sample or
assigning a treatment is the same as any
other sample or treatment
 BASIC EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN

• Error control- the various experimental

techniques administered to increase
precision. In field experiment this may
take the form of managing one or more of
the following
• Plot size Residual effect
• Replicates Missing data/observation
• Blocking Treatment & expt’l mat
• Randomization Sampling technique
• Border effect
 The Basic Research Design

1. Descriptive Design -
is used for inquires into the nature of an event
or a phenomenon. It seeks to identify the
characteristics of the event and categories it
into some descriptive variables
 The basic Research Design

• An example of an investigatory project of this type is the

“Identification of the optimum level of N fertilizer for Crop
yield”
•The object event crop yield
•The independent variable is the N level
•The dependent variable is yield
•The objective is which N level gives the highest
yield.
 The Basic Research Design
• The design consist of the treatment & the number of
replicates. Thus we have:
Treatment 0 – no fertilizer
5 kg N fertilizer
10 kg N fertilizer
• Replicate 3 or 4 each treatment
• Analysis technique- Simple CRD
• The findings- answers which level N gives the highest yield
 The Basic Research Design
2. Analytic Design
The analytic Design test hypothesis of
relationship. There are two groups of this
design.
2.1 Observational- involve test of hypothesis
without manipulating the study factors.
This is usually based on records of the past
event.
2.2 Experimental – the researcher manipulates
the study factors. An important pre-
requisite of this in the use of randomization
or random sampling
The basic Research Design

3. Experiment – characteristics of well planned

experiment
3.1. Simplicity
3.2. Degree of precision
3.3. Absence of Systematic error
3.4. Range of validity
3.5. Calculation of degree of uncertainty
 The basic Research Design

4. Basic Requirement of Experiments

4.1. Random assignment of treatment.
4.2. Treatment and control (no treatment ) group
4.3. Observations during the experiment and other
factors which may effect the experimental
treatment
Steps in Conducting Investigatory Projects

• Conducting Experiments:
Experiment involves 2
factors:
Control (Made constant)
Treatments (Can be
changed- T1, T2 T3 T4
etc.)
 Cont’n 5. Conducting the Experiment
• For a beginner, have only one experimental subject like maybe
study on fertilizer; growth of a plant; effects of a new process; an
invention etc.

• To reduce percentage of error; conduct the experiment in a

minimum of three trials- or replications;

• Compute for average of the recorded measurement which will be

used later in the analysis of your data.
 Conducting an Experiment

• Example: Your subject for

investigation if Water Lily plant;
what part of the plant will be used
and for what purpose ?
• Or what problem have you
encountered with the plant- is it bad
to the environment so that you want
to remove it from its natural habitat
or decrease its population?
Example: “How to acdcelerate * You have to know first the
The fermentation process of old procedure , then you will
Making Boneless Bagoong” experiment on a new process
you want to introduce.
* You can use an enzyme of
a chemical to accelerate
fermentation;
•You can vary the sizes of
the fish to be fermented by a
certain procedure;
• You can Vary the
proportion of materials used
in making bagoong;
• You have to design the methodology of your experiment in
consultation with an expert.
• Consider what observations will be recorded and the
frequency of taking or recording the observation;
• Use the correct units in your methodology like for mass: use
grams or kilos for height or distances: use centimeters of
meter for weight: use grams and kilos converted to newtons
or dynes
for temperature: use Celsius;
* Counting no. of pieces : Use 1,2,3, instead of dozens; or
better if you can use multiples of 10 for easier manipulation of
data.
 Steps in Conducting Investigatory Projects
6. Collecting and Recording Data:
In an experiment, there must be data to be collected, organized
and analyzed and interpreted.
Data are either qualitative or quantitative;
Data consist of an accepted number, a quantity, observed facts, or
relationship.
Data are used as the basis for drawing conclusions and making
inferences.
Data are presented in table form, and in graphs
 Steps in Conducting Investigatory Projects
7. Analyzingand Interpreting
Data: After the data are
collected, they are analyzed
and interpreted according to 90
the design of the experiment. 80
70
60
50 East
The analysis tries to explain 40 West
the results of the experiment 30 North
to see whether they support or 20
reject the hypothesis. 10
0
1st Qtr 2nd Qtr 3rd Qtr 4th Qtr
Steps in Conducting Investigatory Projects

8. Formulating Generalization:
The Generalization is a statement that
answers the objectives of the project.
It must apply only to the particular
experimental units used. It should be
valid in the sense that it will produce
the same results should the same
experiment be repeated.
Steps in Conducting Investigatory Projects

9. Making Recommendations.
Prepare suggestions for other possible
investigations that may be conducted, using
the same experimental subject but a
different experimental design. Also, suggest
further studies on other aspects of the
research problem.