- Step 1 (Modify your Proposal). Take your proposal and modify it in the following ways.
- Modify dates, times, and other things you may have changed [If you significantly changed your study, then you basically need to go back to the Proposal page to create everything up to the Results section].
- Change it all to past tense (in the proposal you were about to do it, now you've done it).
- Step 3 (Table/Graph). Fill in your table(s)/graph(s) with your data. Make sure your caption is complete and accurate.
Example:
Table 1. Tree, shrub, and succulent density (per 2500 m2) on the north- versus south-facing slope of Tumamoc Hill in Tucson, AZ as observed February 21 and 28, 2009. Significance (p<0.05) determined by chi square analysis.
|
North-facing Slope |
South-facing Slope |
Significant? |
Tree Density |
5 |
4 |
no |
| Shrub Density |
95 |
39 |
yes |
| Succulent Density |
10 |
12 |
no |
| Total Plant Density |
110 |
55 |
yes |
- Step 4 (Results).
- Add one or more sentences/paragraphs summarizing your data. Just state the facts; don't interpret. Add "(see Table 1)" at the end of the first sentence (if you used more than one table or graphs, then refer to them too).
- Conduct your statistical tests to determine whether the differences you observed in the data were significant differences or not. Refer to the statistics powerpoint and the statistics excel file for help. Make sure you state whether differences are statistically-different or not. If differences are not statistically different, then you discussion has to be about why they are not different (many students conduct the statistics, find the differences to be not significantly different, but then go on to explain why the numbers were different -- because they look different even though they are not statistically different).
- Example: Shrub density was significantly greater on the north-facing slope (95/2500m2) versus the south-facing slope (39/2500m2), but tree and succulent densities did not differ significantly between slopes (see Table 1). This resulted in overall plant density being significantly greater on the north-facing slope (110/2500m2) compared to the south-facing slope (55/2500m2) of Tumamoc Hill.
- Step 5 (Tentative Conclusion 1). State one part of the answer to your research question and support it by data (probably just a copy of your first sentence in the results section).
Example:
Tentative Conclusion 1: Shrub density was significantly greater on the north-facing slope (95/2500m2) versus the south-facing slope (39/2500m2).
- Step 6 (Causal Question 1). Re-write the tentative conclusion after putting a "Why" at the front of it. Make sure you spell causal correctly because many students have spelled it casual which would be the opposite of science.
Example:
Causal Question 1: Why was shrub density significanly greater on the north-facing slope compared to the south-facing slope?
- Step 7 (Multiple Hypotheses for Causal Question 1). This is the hardest part of the whole project, but also the most interesting. This is where you come up with at least three possible answers (hypotheses) to the causal question and provide supporting statements for each. You get ideas for your hypotheses from the literature, your anecdotal observations (ones for which you don't have data), and your critical thinking. Review your variables and assumptions section of the report for ideas. When you review the literature, you don't have to just use sources that include studies like your's, you can use related information. I recommend using bullets and sub-bullets for your hypotheses and supporting statements respectively. Do not plagiarize. if you use someone else's words then put them in quotes and cite the source; if you use your own words then cite the source!
Example:
- Hypothesis 1: This may be because [explanation].
- Support from literature, anecdotal observations, and critical thinking (cite sources)
- Support from literature, anecdotal observations, and critical thinking (cite sources)
- Hypothesis 2: This may be because [explanation].
- Support from literature, anecdotal observations, and critical thinking (cite sources)
- Support from literature, anecdotal observations, and critical thinking (cite sources)
- Hypothesis 3: This may be because [explanation]
- Support from literature, anecdotal observations, and critical thinking (cite sources)
- Support from literature, anecdotal observations, and critical thinking (cite sources)
.
- Step 8 (Other Tentative Conclusions, Causal Questions, and Hypotheses). Repeat steps 5-7 for other tentative conclusions.
Example:
Tentative Conclusion 2: Tree density (5 versus 4 trees per 2500m2) and succulent density (10 versus 12 succulents per 2500m2) was not significantly different between the north-facing slope and south-facing slope (39/2500m2) of Tumamoc Hill (Table 1).
Causal Question 2: Why was tree and succulent density not significanly different on the north- versus south-facing slope?
Multiple Hypotheses for Causal Question 2:
Hypothesis 1: This may be because [explanation].
Support from literature and critical thinking (cite sources).
Etc.
- Step 9 (Ways to Improve/Extend Study). If you were to do it again, what changes would you make and why? If you were perfect the first time, then tell me what other data you could have collected to broaden your study.
Example:
I would study more than one hill to make sure this phenomenon generally holds true for all hills in this area, and I would do hills in different kinds of plant communities to see if it holds true there. I suspect it may not hold true in wetter and colder climates where plants may need warmth for growing more than greater soil moisture.
- Step 10 (Next Question). In science, answering one question usually produces many other questions, and this is your chance to write down one of those for your study. Make sure the "next" question is not just re-stating one of your causal questions.
Example: Would this same pattern hold in a wetter climate?
- Step 11 (Annotated Bibliography). You must have at least two sources. After each source, write one or more sentences stating how you used the source in your report (you should be using sources to come up with and for supporting your hypotheses).
Example: Annotation 1: MacMahon, J. A. 1985. Deserts. Alfred A. Knopf, New York.
This source presents information on the differences in light intensity, temperature, and soil moisture on north-facing slopes versus south-facing slopes which was critical in many of my explanations above. This source also presents information on ....
Annotation 2: Full citation of second source goes here.
Annotation for second source goes here .
- Step 12 (Submit and Review Feedback). When you are finished, confirm that you have followed the correct format and submit your report to me by email. If you submitted your report more than one week before the due date, then you can resubmit your report by the due date for a re-grade. Otherwise, you have to resubmit in the form of a Revised Report.
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