Investigative Questions

Question 1

What is an aim or an investigative question?

Answer 1

A question or a statement that you intend to answer by the end of your investigation.

Question 2

What is the difference between an aim and an investigative question.

Answer 2

An aim is a statement and an investigative question is a question.
Duh….

Question 3

What is a hypothesis?

Answer 3

The hypothesis is what you think your investigation is going to prove.

Question 4

What does the aim/investigative question, graph title and table title need to include?

Answer 4

They all need to include the dependent and the independent variables.

Question 5

What is an independent variable?

Answer 5

The variable that changes.

Question 6

What is a dependent variable?

Answer 6

It is the variable that you measure.

Question 7

What are controls?

Answer 7

Controls are the variables that remain the same.

Question 8

Why do we use controls?

Answer 8

To make sure that it is a fair test and reliable and accurate.

Question 9

What does it mean to analyze results?

Answer 9

It means to see if there are any patterns. [ is one increasing while the other is decreasing or vise versa ] etc.

Question 10

What are the rules for drawing tables?

Answer 10

~ There must be a heading starting with the words “table to show” and describe what’s in the table using your independent and dependent variable.
~ Draw the table using a pencil and ruler.
~ The columns/rows must have headings with units. Units shouldn’t be in the columns.
~ The data must be in ascending order of the independent variable.
~ The independent variable must be in the first column or row.

Question 11

What does it mean to make observations?

Answer 11

Observations are made using your senses. [ sight, touch, sound, taste and hearing. ]

Question 12

What are the rules for observations?

Answer 12

They must be very specific. Eg. Include reason for change and/or nam of chemical/s.

Question 13

What does it mean for your investigation to be valid?

Answer 13

This means that you can make predictions and are confident in knowing that you have done a good job. It also means that you are confident in comparing your results.

Question 14

How do you know if your investigation is valid?

Answer 14

It first has to be a fair test and basically just us common sense. [ Eg. In doing an investigation on how the amount of sunlight affects the growth of seedlings, would it be better to expose them to 2 mins, 3 mins, 4 mins of sunlight per day or from a range between 1-12 hours ]

Question 15

How to be accurate?

Answer 15

~ By having apparatus set us properly
~ Readings must be recorded accurately
~ Dependent variable must be recorded correctly
~ Apparatus must be handled with care
A.P.C.R.D.R

Question 16

How to be valid?

Answer 16

~ Must have lots of controls to make it a fair test

~ Experiment must be performed at leased 3 times and it has to be an odd number

Question 17

How to be precise?

Answer 17

Make sure to:

~ Copy correctly                                 C.W.M.D.A
~ Write accurately 
~ Measure correctly
~ Draw with accuracy 
~ Analyze correctly

Question 18

How to be reliable?

Answer 18

You must:

~ Have a large sample size S.D.R
~ Generate loads of data
~ Repeating experiment