Exploration & Personal Engagement

IB says: The issue here is the overall methodology. Students need to take their individual ideas and translate them into a workable method. Students must also demonstrate the thinking behind their ideas using their subject knowledge.

 

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.

Here are some examples of Exploration & Personal Engagement sections.

 

The EXPLORATION & PERSONAL ENGAGEMENT section should include two subsections:

1. Introduction: Stating the research question, variables, relevant background information and theory
2. Methods: Describing the experimental set-up and techniques used to collect sufficient data and control variables

Table 1 Overview of suggested structure of this section with the IB Criteria addressed in each part.

Report Organization and Content	IB Criteria Addressed
EXPLORATION & PERSONAL ENGAGEMENT
Subtitle:  Introduction	Exploration The topic of the investigation is identified and a relevant and fully focused research question is clearly described. The background information provided for the investigation is entirely appropriate and relevant and enhances the understanding of the context of the investigation. Personal Engagement The evidence of personal engagement with the exploration is clear with significant independent thinking, initiative or creativity.      The justification given for choosing the research question and/or the topic under investigation demonstrates personal significance, interest or curiosity.     There is evidence of personal input and initiative in the designing, implementation or presentation of the investigation.
The topic/phenomenon/situation being studied is introduced and discussed. Personal Engagement with the investigation is demonstrated. Research Question is defined, with identification of IV, DV, and controlled factors. Relevant theory is introduced and used to suggest a prediction or model, if appropriate. Sub-subtitles mirroring IB Criteria (ie:Introduction, Personal Engagement,  Background Theory, Research Question, Justification) are suggested, as appropriate.
Subtitle: Methods	Exploration The methodology of the investigation is highly appropriate to address the research question because it takes into consideration all, or nearly all, of the significant factors that may influence the relevance, reliability and sufficiency of the collected data. The report shows evidence of full awareness of the significant safety, ethical or environmental issues that are relevant to the methodology of the investigation (if appropriate).
Experimental setup is described. Methods for collecting sufficient IV data are described. Methods for collecting sufficient DV data are described. Methods for controlling outside factors are described. Sub-subtitles mirroring IB Criteria (ie Variables and Controlled Factors, Procedure, Safety, Environmental & Ethical Concerns) are suggested, as appropriate.

 

Subsection 1: Introduction

Your goal in the introduction is to place the research question in the context of relevant and important background information and theory that you will use to develop your method.

The introduction should include:

• Short introduction of the topic being studied
• Evidence of Personal Engagement with the topic
  used to provide justification for conducting the research
• Background information and theory (with citations)
• Discussion of any special lab techniques or processes
• The research question
• The independent variable(s)
• The dependent variable(s)
• Controlled variables
  
  

Introduction to the investigation

The report should start with a short introductory paragraph that:

• describes the topic, phenomenon or situation being investigated in general terms, and
• justifies the investigation. This could be accomplished by:
  • convincing the reader that the investigation will yield interesting, relevant or important results.
  • describing connections to uses in the real world.
  • showing how the investigator will personally benefit (see following section).

 

Personal Engagement

This section should demonstrate your personal engagement with the investigation. Personal engagement may be recognized in different attributes and skills.

These could include showing evidence that the investigation:

• has personal significance for you,
• is personally interesting, or
• 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.

Personal engagement must also be demonstrated by showing evidence, in the design and conduct of the investigation, of:

• independent thinking,
• creativity, or
• initiative.

 

Background information and theory

The background information and theory or models you present should:

• be targeted and focused to be directly useful in understanding your research question
• include equations if appropriate
• describe the results of previous scientific research that applies to your investigation
• cite the research described above
• use the research to suggest a prediction or model, if appropriate
• AVOID 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.

 

Special lab techniques or processes (if appropriate)

A special lab technique or process should be explained in the introduction if:

• The technique or process is not commonly used in similar investigations
• It is useful in understanding the nature of the data generated
• The relationship between the technique and its purpose is not immediately obvious.
  • For example, a spectrometer may be used to measure enzyme activity but the connection is not clear.

An explanation for a lab technique or process might include:

• Basic information needed to understand the technique or process
  • For example, a spectrophotometer measures the transmission or absorption of light as a function of wavelength.
• The connection between the technique and its use in the investigation
  • For example, an enzymatic reaction changes a colorless substrate into a blue product which would cause a change in transmission / absorption of light at some wavelengths of light.
• The relationship between the raw data generated and the dependent variable.
  • For example, during a Vitamin C titration, volume is measured, but the dependent variable is concentration of Vitamin C, which must be calculated from the concentration.

 

The Research Question

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 ONE sentence that clearly defines:

• the limits of the situation being investigated,
• the independent variable,
• and the dependent variable.

 

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 the density of canid predators affect the fitness of the brown fur allele in alpine rabbits as measured by the change in percentage of rabbits with brown fur over six generations?"

 

Variables and Controlled Factors

• The independent and dependent variables must be clearly defined.
• Important outside factors (controlled variables) which may affect the variables must be identified
  • the way in which they affect the variables discussed

 

 

Subsection 2: Methods

IB says: If the method devised does not lead to sufficient and appropriate data, this will lead to the student also being penalized in subsequent sections where this becomes the crux of the assessment.

The Methods section should clearly describe what was done in the lab to measure your variables and to control important outside factors.

 

Variables

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

• give the range and/or specific IV values used
• describe in detail the method used to measure the IV values
• ensure a sufficient range of IV values to confidently address 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. You must:

• describe in detail the method used to measure the DV values, which must:
  • generate quantitative and associated qualitative data
  • generate data that can be analyzed and treated in a scientific manner
  • generate sufficient, appropriate data (including multiple trials where appropraite) to generate a conclusion
• if appropriate, explain the relationship between the DV and the type of data generated (see special techniques and processes)

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 all significant CVs
• explain how each CV could cause a change in the DV
• clearly describe a 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)
  • if a variable cannot be controlled, it must still be identified and its impact addressed in the evaluation section

 

Materials and Procedure

How Much Data To Collect

The IB requires testing a minimum of 5 different values of the IV, with 3 trials for each value. However, ISB recommends the collection of more data in order to increase the levels of confidence in the results, and to reduce the chances that one flawed test will invalidate your results.

It is recommended that:

• For Physics and Chemistry investigations, at least 6 different values of the IV be tested, with 3-4 trials for each value.
• For Biology, because the complexity and normal variability of many biological systems require replicate observations and multiple samples of material, it is recommended that at least 7 different values of the IV be tested, with at least 5 trials for each value.

Procedure

Describe in paragraph form:

• the actual steps that were taken. These should be detailed enough that the reader understands what you did with respect to:
  • How the equipment was set up
  • Any special techniques used
  • How the computer probe was set up (sample rates, times, settings), if appropriate
  • How the IV was measured and how it was varied
  • The number of different values of the IV that were tested, and the range of values tested
  • How the DV was measured, and the number of trails performed for each value of the IV
    • (e.g. “The pH of the ethanoic acid was measured at six different temperatures between 10 C and 70 C using a calibrated pH meter.” or “The period of the pendulum was measured with a stopwatch for six different lengths between 60 cm and 120 cm.”)
  • How each of the Controlled Variables that were previously identified were kept constant, and what their values were (if they were measured)
  • Be sure to describe all quantities that were measured and how they were measured..

Write your Procedure:

• in chronological order of steps.
• in past tense, passive voice. For example: "Twelve milliliters of 1.0 M Hydrochloric acid was added.”
• with sufficient detail for a member of your class to fully understand and repeat your experiment.

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

Materials
Include a full list of materials (including volumes, concentrations, and uncertainties) used in the investigation.

• List materials before the paragraph-form procedure
  OR
• Boldface the materials within the procedure.

 

Safety, Environmental and Ethical Concerns

Safety and Risk Assessment

A risk-assessment should be included for all hands-on laboratory work. It is only acceptable for there to be no evidence of a risk assessment if the investigation is obviously risk-free such as in investigations where a database or simulation has been used to generate the data.

In the Safety and Risk Assessment section:

• all potential safety and environmental hazards must be identified
• a brief outline given as to how they will be addressed. (For example, if working with chemicals a discussion of safe handling and disposal would be expected.)

  Here are some examples of a Risk Assessment.

 

Ethical concerns

a) Live subjects

Any planned and actual experimentation involving live animals must be

• Discussed with and approved by teacher prior to experimentation
• In line with IB policies
• a last resort when it is not possible to conduct the investigation using cells, tissues, or simulations in place of animals
• Justified in terms of these principles:
  • replacement (Any investigation involving animals should initially consider the replacement of animals with cells or tissues, plants or computer simulations)
  • refinement to prevent any distress to the animal
  • reduction of the number of animals involved

Experiments involving animals must be based on observing and measuring aspects of natural animal behaviour. No experimentation should result in any cruelty to any animal, vertebrate or invertebrate. Therefore, experiments that administer drugs or medicines, or those that manipulate the environment or diet beyond that which can be regarded as humane, are unacceptable in IB schools.

 

b) Experiments involving human subjects

Any experimentation involving human subjects must meet all of the criteria for live subject and also:

• Subjects must provide legally obtained written consent.
• Parents or guardians must provide written consent for subjects under the age of 16
• The results of the investigation must be anonymous.
• Subjects must participate of their own free will.
• Subjects have the right to withdraw from the investigation at any time.
• Investigations involving any body fluids must not be performed due to the risk of the transmission of blood-borne pathogens. An exception would be an investigator using his or her own saliva or sweat.

 

c) The use of secondary data

Secondary data acquired as a result of research that would not be in line with the IB policy for students may be used if it is:

• Data acquired by professional researchers. In this case the data would be from research that has been written up in academic journals and qualifies as ground-breaking.
• Such research would have been presented to research committees for approval and be licensed research that was considered ethical at the time the research was conducted. Our view of animals and their welfare has moved on considerably in recent years. A lot of research that was conducted in a different context would not be granted permission today even though, at the time, it was considered acceptable. Data from such sources is acceptable.
• Some secondary data exists that were acquired in ways that would have been considered unethical even within the cultural and historical context of the day. The use of such data is not acceptable under any circumstances.

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