Independent, dependent and controlled variables
Chemical concepts specific to the investigation and their significance, including definitions of key terms, and chemical representations
The characteristics of scientific research methodologies and techniques of primary qualitative and quantitative data collection relevant to the selected investigation: volumetric analysis, instrumental analysis, calorimetry and/or construction of electrochemical cells; precision, accuracy, reliability and validity of data; and minimisation of experimental bias
Ethics of and concerns with research including identification and application of relevant health and safety guidelines
Methods of organising, analysing and evaluating primary data to identify patterns and relationships including sources of error and uncertainty, and limitations of data and methodologies
Models and theories and their use in organising and understanding observed phenomena and chemical concepts including their limitations
The nature of evidence that supports or refutes a hypothesis, model or theory
The key findings of the selected investigation and their relationship to thermochemical, equilibrium and/or organic structure and bonding concepts
The conventions of scientific report writing and scientific poster presentation including chemical terminology and representations, symbols, chemical equations, formulas, units of measurement, significant figures, standard abbreviations and acknowledgment of references.
Chapter 14. Practical investigation, pages 506-573
Exercise 14.10 Review, pages 568-573
Logbook
A bound practical logbook must be maintained and will contain a record of all practical activity. This is not to leave the classroom.
Poster design
Area of Study 3 requires you to carry out an independent research activity and present the results in poster format. According to the study design, this is to related to energy and/or food and can draw from what you have learned in Unit 3 or Unit 4, or across both units. Details about the poster are below.
From the Study Design
The following template is to be used by students in the development of the scientific poster for the investigation undertaken. The total word count should not to exceed 1000 words.
Question under investigation is the title
Explanation or reason for undertaking the investigation, including a clear aim, a hypothesis and/or prediction and relevant background chemical concepts
Summary that outlines the methodology used in the investigation and is authenticated by logbook entries
Identification and management of relevant risks, including the relevant health, safety and ethical guidelines followed in the investigation
Presentation of collected data/evidence in appropriate format to illustrate trends, patterns and/or relationships
Analysis and evaluation of primary data
Identification of outliers and their subsequent treatment
Identification of limitations in data and methods, and suggested improvements
Linking of results to relevant chemical concepts
Conclusion that provides a response to the question
Referencing and acknowledgment of all quotations and sourced content as they appear in the poster.
NOTE: "Acknowledgements" are not thank yous to friends and family "for their undying love and support during these tumultuous VCE years, etc., etc." Rather they are where you give credit to the source of work that you may have included but you did not directly generate and cannot be cited in any other way. For example, if a scientist gave you DNA sequence data that had not previously been published and was not available from a public database, you should acknowledge that individual's contribution.
Note: The production quality of the poster is not assessed, but clarity of presentation plays a very important role in communicating the depth of your understanding, which is being assessed.
A very good, general description of the "DOs and DON'Ts" of scientific poster design prepared by Colin Purrington can be found at "Designing conference posters". Note that this is aimed at a research audience, but the general advice is still good.
Templates by Colin Purrington (there are others that you can find online, but I'm a bit partial to these)
If you choose to create your poster in Google Slides using one of the PowerPoint templates, you MUST Open..., then Upload the PowerPoint file. DO NOT Import slide... If you do, it will try to fit a 142 x 91 cm poster onto a 25 x 14 cm slide.
Here are a couple templates that have already been converted to Google Slides format. They include some suggestions about what should go in each section. Keep in mind that not everything you did needs to go in the poster. Your logbook serves this purpose.
Google Slides poster template 1 (based on one from Colin Purrington's site)
Google Slides poster template 2 (originally from PosterPresentation.com)