Mr.kousen is … Water Man

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1.    Always use the correct steps of the Scientific Method in the proper order.  They are:  Stating the
      Problem, Hypothesis, Experimental Design, Experiment or Test the Hypothesis, Collection of Data,
      Analyzing the Data, and then your Conclusion.
2.    All research papers are major assignments.  They must be completed in black or blue ink if
      Handwritten, typewritten, or computer generated.  Any drawings or illustrations can be completed neatly
      in pencil.
3.    Never, ever, write on the backs of any lab work, drawings, or paper that you are turning in for a
      grade.
4.    If using a computer and printer, font size of any paper should be between 12-14.

5.    Examples of previous research papers, projects, and computer projects will be made available for your
      review as you start a project.  I would suggest you look at the good and bad points of each example
      paper.

    PROBLEM-  In the problem you need to state what it is you are trying to solve in your research.  This should be written in the form of a question.  It should also explain the purpose of doing this form of research paper.

    HYPOTHESIS-  This should be written before you do any of your experiment..day one...this is to explain what you believe will explain the answer to your proposed question which you stated earlier.

    EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN-  In this section it is important that you explain everything about what you did to set up the research experiment that you are starting.  This will include background information about where you obtained samples, what the area looked like, dates and times, and exact locations of samples.

    EXPERIMENT OR TEST HYPOTHESIS-  In this section you will explain what you did from beginning to end on a daily basis of how you ran your experiment to test your hypothesis.  You need to explain everything you did, equipment you used, and how you went going about setting up your research.

    COLLECTION OF DATA-    This is where you explain on a daily basis what you observed, changes that took place, drawings, charts, data tables, times, etc.  Only observable information belongs in this section.  No thinking please!  Obnserve and record.  Date all observations correctly.  If you make drawings, they belong in this section along with proper labels and magnifications if you are using a microscope.

    ANALYSIS OF DATA-      This is the section that you can now think!  Try to review your recorded data and see where some relationships may occur to events recorded and the date that it happened.  Now is the time to explain why certain things happened and why you will be coming up with the conclusion that you will.  In other words, use data here to help support the reasons you are coming up with the conclusions to your reesearch.  This section should be the longest along with the data section.

    CONCLUSION-    Last part of the paper.  Here is where you will give your conclusion as to whether your hypothesis has been supported, not supported, or contridicted!  Supported means that your data indicates that your hypothesis was very close to being true as your predicted.  Not supported means that there wasn't enough good data, problems with your experiment, or something went wrong which would not provide you with a way to evaluate your hypothesis.  Contridicted means that the data that you obtained indicates that your hypothesis was incorrect and not close at all to what you predicted.  One of the three underlined words is how you will end your conclusion.  You also need to give a brief paragraph afterwards which indicates why you came up with the conclusion that you did.