Research & Research Report

• You will work in groups to complete original research which can consist of an experiment or a field study.

An Experiment

• In an experiment, you must have a clear research question. For example, does sugar and candy make kids hyper? To answer your question, you will have an experimental situation or a group and a control situation or group. In the experimental situation or group, you apply the treatment, whereas in the control situation or group, there will be no treatment.

Experimenting with Electricity

Procedure of Experiment

• The treatment may consist of a substance that is eaten or drunk, exercise, special behaviour or any other special treatment.

• You then compare the experimental situation or group to the control situation or group during or after the treatment.

A Field Study

• In a field study, you will study a situation to understand how it changes and develops. In a field study, you must identify a clear point of focus, a research question. What exactly are you observing? For example, what are Quebecers’ attitudes to immigrants? Or, which gender has a better short term memory?

Take a closer look at what IS

Your Report

• Your Report: You and your partners will write a report about your research. This report must be detailed enough that anyone could replicate your research. It should consist of AT LEAST 500 words. The main parts of your report will be:

The Introduction

• What are you studying? • What motivated your research? • Why is this research worthwhile? • If you have a hypothesis, what is it?

The Method• Exactly what did you do to answer your research question? • Who or what were your research subjects? • What was the treatment? • How did you administer it? • What instruments did you use? • Did the subjects know the purpose of the experiment or study? • What questions did you ask? • When, where, and how did you ask them? • Think about what the reader needs to know to be able to

replicate your research?

The Method

• When you describe the methods used in your research, you do not have to answer all the questions on the previous slide.

• Think about which details might influence the results of your experience. Those details should be mentioned.

The Results

• Exactly what did you find? • Observe carefully. • Present any statistics you have gathered or typical

answers to your questions. • Think about what the reader needs to know in order

to see if her replication of your experiment produced the same results.

The Conclusion

• What should we understand from these results? • Why are they interesting? • What might explain these results?• What can we learn from this experiment? • What further research is necessary?

Appendices

• An appendix might be included. • It should include anything that you used that is not

central to the method or results. For example, it might present all the questions and all the answers to the questions.

Due Dates

• The research proposal must be submitted in week 8 or earlier.

• The reports must be submitted in week 11.

Enjoy exploring life!