Designing Investigations

Designing Investigations

Planning the Investigation

  • Thorough planning is essential for successful investigations. This should include: identifying the research question, forming a testable hypothesis, and determining the variables to be tested.
  • Aim to include an independent variable (the one you will change), a dependent variable (the one you will measure), and several controlled variables (those kept the same to ensure a fair test).

Selecting Methods

  • The selected method should be suitable for the investigation. Consider if you need a controlled experiment, an observational study, or a field study.
  • While choosing a method, consider its reliability, validity, and practical issues such as resources and safety.
  • Detail the step-by-step procedure, keeping the method simple, clear and replicable.

Designing Data Collection

  • Plan how you will collect and record data. For quantitative data, consider the units, range, and interval of measurement. For qualitative data, consider how observations will be categorized.
  • Consider any potential errors and uncertainties in your data collection process, and plan how these can be mitigated.

Sample Size and Replication

  • Determine an appropriate sample size. A larger sample size can give more reliable results and more statistical power.
  • Plan for replication of the experiment to ensure results are reliable and not due to random chance. Where possible, repeat the experiment multiple times.

Ethical Considerations

  • Investigations involving living organisms should be ethically sound. Always consider animal welfare and environmental impacts in the design of the experiment.
  • Always obtain necessary permissions and adhere to legislation and guidelines.

Risk Assessment

  • A risk assessment should be completed to identify potential hazards associated with the investigation, and to assess the likelihood and severity of harm.
  • Mitigate risks with suitable safety precautions, and have plans in place for how to respond to potential incidents.

Remember, a well-designed scientific investigation should be logical, ethical, safe, replicable and sufficiently robust to test your hypothesis effectively.