Project Description
Each team will select or design a short game that each of their classmates will play. As each person plays, the teams will collect data on whatever parameters they choose -- time it takes to complete, which hand/strategy was used, player's height, number of points, etc. After the data is collected into a Google Spreadsheet, each team will write a paper clarifying and sharing their conclusions.
Goals
Clarify the difference between experiments and observational studies
Put together the entire flow of designing a study, collecting the appropriate data, analyzing the data, and clearly communicating results
Learn how to write a technical paper to communicate mathematical results to an audience
Improve team skills and interpersonal feedback skills
Pre-Project (in-class)
Make a copy of THIS TEMPLATE: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1fMyoSfQ8ientJp2s_UabHthDT7LdT8hskO4Fqq5RMac/edit.
In the doc, you describe your game in enough detail that a classmate can understand how to play without asking any questions (you should test your description on classmates to see if this is true)
In the doc, you describe your experiment with enough detail that I understand what you are comparing. Your experiment must have at least 2 groups. Subjects must be split into these groups randomly (use an ID for each person to get roughly equal-sized groups). The groups must receive a different "treatment" (using different strategies, throwing with a different hand first, shooting at a smaller rim, etc).
In the doc, you mention what variable you will track as part of an observational study. This may be things like gender, what their dominant hand is, height, etc. You only need one thing but may have more. It needs to be something you can observe but CANNOT be randomly assigned.
Doc is shared to "anyone with link" with edit rights
Make a copy of THIS TEMPLATE: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0Atr_o0WOGG5odFlDUDRXQk5KbkNiVm5rYUlEU0lhNmc.
Fill in the headers of the spreadsheet to match what you are going to track.
Fill in the rows of the spreadsheet with the other individuals in the class. Assign half to each treatment group (or assign an order of treatments if doing matched pairs).
Spreadsheet is shared to "anyone with link" with edit rights
Create a new Google Doc
Name the doc "Name, Name, Name, and Name's Minute to Win It Paper" (replace with your names)
Doc is shared to "anyone with link" with edit rights
Write an email to me AND all of your teammates
In the body of an email, list all supplies you need and who is bringing what for game day.
Include a link to the plan document and label it as such
Include a link to the spreadsheet document and label it as such
Include a link to the paper and label it as such
Paper (30 points)
See example paper to guide your work.
Abstract (2 points): Concisely describes the study, purpose, and results in a few sentences. THIS IS WRITTEN AFTER THE REST OF THE PAPER IS FINISHED. If you do it at the beginning, it will be horrible.
Introduction (1 point): Includes a short introduction that describes what motivated your specific study. THIS IS WRITTEN AFTER THE BODY IS FINISHED. If you do it at the beginning, it will be bad.
Procedures and experimental design (5 points):
Clearly explains what you did. It should be clear enough that another person could repeat your study. This includes the rules of the game, the data you tracked, and the equipment you used.
You describe how one variable was tested between two groups OR between the same people twice (matched pairs).
The explanation must explain why it was a valid experiment (such as using random assignment of treatments, or random ordering for matched pairs, and controlling all other factors).
Data table located in experiment results section (1 point):
Table has headers above each column that describe what is in the column
Data displayed:
If matched pairs, table shows each individual, his/her results from each of the two treatments, and the difference between their scores/times.
If two separate treatment groups, create two separate tables that show each individual and his/her score/time.
Don't use real names. Label subjects as "1, 2, 3" or "A, B, C", not "Jon", "Sue", "Jimmy".
Report scores/times as a single number and use consistent units (such as 65 seconds, not 1:05). Label units in the table header.
Experiment results (6 points):
An alternative hypothesis and its corresponding null hypothesis are posed as a prediction before the results are found. This should be done in words AND symbols with clear subscripts.
An alpha level is chosen before results are found.
p-value is calculated using the appropriate test. You say which test you used to find the p-value.
You reject or fail to reject the null hypothesis based on the comparison of your p-value and alpha level. You describe to the reader what this means given that you have a valid experiment.
You estimate the difference between the treatments using the appropriate confidence interval and express the result in +/- form. You explain what this interval actually means in a clear sentence using a positive x-bar value.
Data table located in observational study results section (1 point):
Table has headers above each column that describe what is in the column
Data displayed:
If matched pairs, table shows each individual, his/her results from each of the two treatments, and the difference between their scores/times.
If two separate treatment groups, create two separate tables that show each individual and his/her score/time.
Don't use real names. Label subjects as "1, 2, 3" or "A, B, C", not "Jon", "Sue", "Jimmy".
Report scores/times as a single number and use consistent units (such as 65 seconds, not 1:05). Label units in the table header.
Observational study results (6 points):
An alternative hypothesis and its corresponding null hypothesis are posed as a prediction before the results are found. This should be done in words AND symbols with clear subscripts.
An alpha level is chosen before results are found.
p-value is calculated using the appropriate test. You say which test you used to find the p-value.
You reject or fail to reject the null hypothesis based on the comparison of your p-value and alpha level. You describe to the reader what this means given that you have an observational study.
You estimate the difference between the treatments using the appropriate confidence interval and express the result in +/- form. You explain what this interval actually means in a clear sentence using a positive x-bar value.
ALTERNATE: if you compared two sets of quantitative data, you would make a scatter plot. Use Google Spreadsheets and copy the plot into your doc. Include title, axes labels, making the x-axis your assumed cause, plotting the points correctly, finding the line of best fit, and finding the square of the correlation coefficient (r2). Also explain your interpretation in a short paragraph.
Inconsistencies and errors (2 point): Problems from the study, such as leaking bottles, moved containers, crumbling cookies, or clever rule-benders are thoroughly discussed and addressed as excusable error or something to seriously look out for when interpreting results.
Conclusion (1 point): Includes a short conclusion that discusses the limitations of the study and points to future studies that could be done to further this research. THIS IS WRITTEN AFTER THE BODY IS FINISHED.
Organization and flow (2 point): Sections are clearly divided with descriptive headings (including an abstract, introduction, procedures and experiment design, experiment results, observational study results, inconsistencies and errors, and conclusion). There is a cover page. Ideas logically flow throughout the paper. Writing flows between sections (does not feel like multiple people wrote it, even though they did). All is located in the Google Doc.
Style guide website: http://bcs.bedfordstmartins.com/resdoc5e/, sample paper in CSE style: http://bcs.bedfordstmartins.com/resdoc5e/pdf/Hacker-Mart-CSE.pdf
Active voice (1 point): Written in first-person active voice (I did, we did) and NO PASSIVE VOICE.
Concise (2 point): No "fluff" or grandiose introductions to sections or wasted words. Notice that there is no minimum length anywhere on this rubric.
Team Contribution (6 points) -- note that this grade is based on an average of your teammates' grading of you and modified with my input and observations.
0-1 point: This person created quality work for the team project.
0-1 point: This person completed work on time for the needs and deadlines of the group.
0-1 point: This person took a leadership/captain role on an even number of tasks.
0-1 point: This person shared responsibility of the project (did not hog all of the work)
0-1 point: This person contributed an equal amount of effort to the team’s success
0-1 point: This person clearly communicated their concerns with me and the group
Reflection (5 points)
The purpose of the reflection is to see what you personally learned / gained from this experience, specifically about experimental design, technical writing, teamwork and communication, and hands-on learning. A good reflection will answer most of the questions below in a thoughtful piece of writing. It should take you about 40 minutes to write.
Explain how this project clarified the difference between an observational study and an experiment.
Explain how writing a technical paper is different from writing a paper in an English or social studies class. Did you like it more or less and why?
Is this your first team paper or have you written any in the past? Were you happy with the final product? Did you learn any lessons about writing a team paper?
Describe the challenges of running a real experiment and collecting valid data.
What parts of this project were the most fun? The most interesting? The most frustrating? Caused you to learn the most? Did any aha! moments occur over the past week?
Do you think you could have learned the Statistics topics used in this project better if you did the project and then did videos / homework? Was it better to do the other work first? Do you think you would do better on any of the quarter 2 tests if you took them after doing this project? Explain.
What did you contribute to your team? What did your teammates contribute? Did you think it was a fair balance?
What lessons did you learn about working with a team on a larger project? How might you go about things differently next time to reduce frustration?
How useful were the feedback discussions / exercises? Would you ever use them on teams in another class / in college?
Links to Minute to Win It game ideas: