Exploration

In this section, you will:

Present your individual idea (if it is independent research)
Explain relevant scientific understandings and show how they connect to your research.
Provide evidence of personal engagement
Present the method that you will use to control the conditions of your experiment and collect data
Show that you have considered safety and ethical concerns

An overview of the suggested structure of this section is shown in Table 1.
Details of what should be addressed in each subsection is presented after the table.

The EXPLORATION section has two subsections:

Introduction
Methods

Table 1 Suggested Structure of Exploration Section with Rubric Criteria addressed in each part.

Report Organization and Content	Rubric Criteria Addressed
Section 1: EXPLORATION
Subtitle: Introduction	Exploration Introduction Identifies a focused problem or research question. Scientific context introduced is completely accurate, focused and enhances understanding of the investigation. Meaningful discussion of research question demonstrates clear personal interest and creativity or initiative. Independent and dependent variables correctly identified. Identification and explanation of all relevant controlled variables. Complete consideration of safety, environmental, or ethical concerns is shown.
Topic of the investigation is described. Relevant theory and vocabulary are introduced. If appropriate, theory is used to suggest a prediction or model. Personal Engagement or Creativity with the investigation is demonstrated. Research Question is clearly defined. Independent variable(s), dependent variable(s) and controlled factors are all clearly identified. Safety, environmental, and ethical concerns are addressed.
Subtitle: Methods	Methods Procedure outlines a fair test giving details regarding control of all variables. Materials selected are suitable for the experiment. Sensible order of commands for the procedure, giving details of apparatus set-up, methodology, and when and how to make observations. Method allows for the collection of sufficient relevant data. Diagrams are relevant and clearly labeled.
Experimental setup is described, often with use of images or diagrams. Methods for collecting sufficient independent variable data are described. Methods for collecting sufficient dependent variable data are described. Methods for controlling other relevant factors are described.

Here are some examples of the Exploration sections of lab research reports.

Detailed description of what should be included in the
Exploration Section

Subsection 1: Introduction

Place the research question in the context of important scientific information that will help your reader understand your investigation and/or help you design your lab.

The introduction should include:

Short introduction of the topic with background information and theory (cited)
Evidence of Personal Engagement with the topic
The Research Question
The key variables: Independent Variable(s) (IV), Dependent Variable(s) (DV), and controlled variables

a) Introduction to the investigation / background information and theory

The report should start with an introductory paragraph that:

describes the investigation in general terms

includes background information and the results of previous scientific research directly useful in understanding your research question

explains the connection between the raw data collected and the research question (if not already clear)

uses the research to suggest a prediction or model, if appropriate

includes equations if appropriate

properly cites the research described above

AVOIDS an extended description of theory that is not directly relevant to or addressed by the Research Question.

Research and citations should be from authoritative academic sources. Do not cite Wikipedia – a good Wikipedia article will have citations that you can follow to find the original source of the information.

b) Personal Engagement

This could be part of the introduction paragraph or a short paragraph of its own. You should demonstrate your interest in and personal contributions to the investigation.

You might show that the investigation:

has personal significance for you,

will satisfy your sense of curiosity in an important way.

For example, a student had a grandmother who told her that during WWII, they would place iron nails in apples and leave them for a few days before eating the apples. This was supposed to ‘add iron’ to the apple since fresh meat and vegetables were scarce during the war. The student wanted to see if this was true or not, and designed an experiment to see if the iron oxidized significantly to add iron ions to the apple.
In independent research, your research question and method might also show:

independent thinking,

creativity

initiative

c) The Research Question

Your research question should be clearly labeled and easy to find. It is often listed separately from other text. It must be possible to investigate the chosen research question (RQ) in a scientific way using the materials that are available.

The research question must:

be a SINGLE sentence

by answerable in a scientific way with the time and materials you have

state the independent variable (X),

and state the dependent variable (Y).

The research question often takes the form of “How does X affect Y, (as measured by Z)?” where X is the independent variable, Y is the dependent variable, and Z is the specific type of data collected.

For example:

"How does the angle of a ramp affect the acceleration of a basketball rolling down the ramp?"
"How does salinity affect the surface tension of water, as measured by the number of drops that can fit on a penny?"

There are other formats that may be appropriate for a research question. For example, a research question might ask, "Which technique, A or B, is more useful in determining C?" Please see your teacher for approval if you want to use a different format for your research question.

d) Variables and Controlled Factors

The independent variable (IV) is the variable that you change experimentally. You must:

state the range or specific IV values used

explain how you measured the IV values

have a large enough range of IV values to answer your research question (by generating a significant change in the DV)

For example, if you were trying to determine how the length of a pendulum affects the time of its swing, changing a 60 cm long pendulum by 1 cm (a range of 60 cm to 61 cm) would not be good experimental design. A good rule of thumb is to at least double your independent variable.

The dependent variable (DV) is the variable that is affected by the changes in the independent variable. (It DEPENDS on the IV) You must:

describe the method used to measure the DV values

if the raw data is not the dependent variable in the research question, explain how to process the data to reach the DV

For example, your dependent variable might be the rate of a reaction. You might use a gas pressure sensor to measure the gas released in the reaction. You should explain the relationship between gas pressure and rate of reaction (formulas and sample calculations can go in the “analysis” section.)

The controlled variables (CVs) are any outside factors that, if changed, could cause a change in your dependent variable. You must:

understand your investigation well so that you can identify CVs

identify the significant CVs

clearly describe your method to control each identified CV

if a constant level could not be maintained, state the range of the variable during your experiment (e.g. 40-43°C or 20±2°C)

if a variable cannot be controlled, it must still be identified. Its impact can be discussed later in the report.

Subsection 2: Methods

The Methods section includes:

a clear description of what was used and what was done throughout the lab

an assessment that shows the investigation is safe and ethical

How Much Data To Collect
A general rule is to test a minimum of 5 different values of the IV, with 3 trials for each value. Additional data will increase the levels of confidence in the results, and reduce the chances that one flawed test will invalidate your results. Your teacher will let you know if a different standard is needed.

a) Procedure

Write your Procedure:

in the order the steps were performed.

in past tense, passive voice. For example, "Twelve milliliters of 1.0 M Hydrochloric acid was added.” (Not “I added twelve milliliters…” and not “Add twelve milliliters…”)

with sufficient detail for a member of your class to understand and repeat your experiment. For example, "Twelve milliliters of 1.0 M hydrochloric acid was added". (Not "Hydrochloric acid was added".)

Also include labeled diagrams or digital images of the experimental set-up, especially if specialized equipment is used.

b) Safety, Environmental and Ethical Concerns

Safety, Risk and Ethical Concerns
Every investigation should have a statement showing that safely and ethics have been considered.
If appropriate the statement could read, “ No safety or ethical concerns have been identified.”
In the Safety and Risk Assessment section:

potential safety and environmental hazards must be identified. (For example, use of hot plates, hazardous chemicals, or glassware)

a brief outline given as to how the concerns will be addressed. (For example, a discussion of safe handling and disposal of a hazardous chemical would be expected.)

If working with animals

teacher approval is required

the experiment must not cause stress or harm to the animals

If working with humans,

teacher approval is required

the experiment must not cause stress or harm

Subjects must provide informed written consent.

Subjects must be free to not participate or stop participating at any time without negative consequences.

Back to Home