Research the science behind your topic:
Before you start testing it is important that you develop your background knowledge of your topic. This will come in handy when devising your aim and hypothesis.
Collect information from a range of sources:
In your logbook devise some questions to ask an expert ( it may be easier to email your expert). Have your questions checked by me before interviewing or emailing.
Once you have gathered your background information and performed your interview you can move to the next stage.
Aim (Purpose)
This details the problem you were trying to solve, even though this is probably obvious from your title, but it should also say why you thought this was a problem worth solving, and the benefits that might be obtained from solving the problem.
Hypothesis:
Hypothesis means "what do you expect to happen in your experiment?" Suppose your research question is, "what happens to seeds if I change the temperatures they are kept at before they are planted?" The hypothesis might be, "the higher the temperature that seeds are kept at, the quicker I expect them to sprout."
It's important to word your hypothesis correctly. For example, don't say "higher temperatures are better for seeds." "Better cannot be measured. Decide on a hypothesis that can be proved in a measurable way. For example. "higher temperatures will make the seeds sprout faster."'
It is perfectly fine for your experiment to disprove your hypothesis. If something happens during your experiment, the investigation doesn't need to be trashed. You just discovered something new and showed that what we expect is not always what we get.
Before you start testing it is important that you develop your background knowledge of your topic. This will come in handy when devising your aim and hypothesis.
Collect information from a range of sources:
- Websites (note down the name and address of the website in your logbook.)
- Books (note down the title, author, publisher and published date in your logbook.)
- Interviews with experts - e.g. if you are making a light bulb changer you could interview an electrician to find out any tips or tricks.
In your logbook devise some questions to ask an expert ( it may be easier to email your expert). Have your questions checked by me before interviewing or emailing.
Once you have gathered your background information and performed your interview you can move to the next stage.
Aim (Purpose)
This details the problem you were trying to solve, even though this is probably obvious from your title, but it should also say why you thought this was a problem worth solving, and the benefits that might be obtained from solving the problem.
Hypothesis:
Hypothesis means "what do you expect to happen in your experiment?" Suppose your research question is, "what happens to seeds if I change the temperatures they are kept at before they are planted?" The hypothesis might be, "the higher the temperature that seeds are kept at, the quicker I expect them to sprout."
It's important to word your hypothesis correctly. For example, don't say "higher temperatures are better for seeds." "Better cannot be measured. Decide on a hypothesis that can be proved in a measurable way. For example. "higher temperatures will make the seeds sprout faster."'
It is perfectly fine for your experiment to disprove your hypothesis. If something happens during your experiment, the investigation doesn't need to be trashed. You just discovered something new and showed that what we expect is not always what we get.