Pre-AP Biology Independent Research Projects
As part of the Pre-AP Biology program, each student will be required to conduct an independent research project. This research is designed to utilize the scientific research methods modeled and practiced in class, while also letting the students get a better understanding of what scientific research is truly about.
One helpful hint; do not wait until right before the due dates for each step. You will quickly find yourself overwhelmed with all you have to do!
Each step of the research project will count as a test grade during the nine weeks that the due date falls in. Any late work will fall under the classes late work policy.
The following is a basic list of the research steps we will go through. You should not move onto the next step until you have received approval from me.
Step 1 - Decide on your topic!
This will take some work. You will have to submit a formal typed proposal of your topic to me with 1-2 pages of background information on your topic, the problem you want to research and a logical hypothesis based on your background research. You will be required to cite your resources.
Make sure you pick a topic that you find interesting, because you will be spending a lot of time learning about your subject matter. Also, topics are on a first come, first serve basis. You cannot perform the same experiment as someone else in your class. The first person to get their research topic approved by me will then “own” their topic. If you turn in a proposal already submitted by someone else, you will have to “tweek” your proposal to separate it from the other experiments or write a new one all together.
Proposal Due Date: ______
Step 2 – Design Your Experiment!
Once your proposal is approved, it is time to design your experiment! Once again you will have to submit a typed Materials and Methods section to me to indicate exactly how you plan to go about your experiment. This will have a detailed account of all materials you will use and how you will conduct your experiment. Remember, I should be able to repeat your experiment exactly by reading your methods section. You should make sure that you have clearly defined your independent & dependent variables, constants and controls (if any).
Material and Methods Due Date: ______
Step 3 - Conduct Your Experiment!
Perform your approved experiment as written (or revised) in your Materials and Methods Section. Collect your data; make any necessary data tables, graphs, and figures. Write a formal Results and Conclusion section for your experiment.
Data, Results & Conclusions Due Date : ______
Step 4 – Present Your Brilliance!
The hard work has been completed and now it is time to put together your final research paper. There are two tasks to this part of the project. First, you will put all your previous work together in a final paper, which consists of your stated problem or question, your hypothesis, your materials and methods, your data, results and conclusion. Also include what further research you could do, and if you would change anything in further research.
You will need also need to communicate to others the entire process of your experiment. You will want to identify all the major parts of the experiment including your background information, problem, hypothesis, materials and methods, results and conclusions. You will have to shorten some of the information you obtained to make it easier for people to understand. You will then have to perform a 5-6 minute presentation of your research to the class.
Presentation Date: ______