Module 2: The scientific research proposal

Content Focus

Scientific Research Question and Hypothesis

Students are to propose a scientific research question that relates to one or more of the science disciplines, formulate a relevant hypothesis and conduct scientific research into an issue, problem, emerging theory or discovery, using relevant publicly available data sets. Students create a Scientific Research Portfolio to evidence and substantiate the research process.

The Beginnings of Scientific Research

Successful scientific research depends upon the quality of the scientific research question. It must be meaningful, significant and feasible and clearly guide the scientific research process. It should be framed with consideration of methodologies, data collection and processing issues.

Students will learn to develop a question that enables scientific research by exploring peer-reviewed published literature for guidance. Students will be guided to undertake relevant scientific research and to develop a detailed plan that lays the foundations for the subsequent processes to be employed to address a developed hypothesis.

Methodology and Data Collection

Students are provided with opportunities to use established scientific methods to gather, process, analyse and represent valid, accurate and reliable quantitative and qualitative data. They will also apply methods to appropriately store, record and organise data.

Developing the Question and Hypothesis

Inquiry question: What are the processes needed for developing a scientific research question and initial hypothesis?

Students:

• conduct an initial literature search, from one or more areas of science, to identify the potential use of a contemporary, relevant publicly available data set
• develop a scientific research question from the literature search
• formulate an initial scientific hypothesis based on the scientific research question
• evaluate the resources associated with the initial scientific hypothesis derived from the literature in terms of:

– the scope to perform an investigation to obtain primary data

– the availability of secondary-sourced data

– the availability of a relevant publicly available data set(s)

– reliability and validity

– assessing the current state of the theory, concept, issue or problem being considered

• assess the process involved in the development of a scientific research question and relevant hypothesis

Scientific Research Proposal

Inquiry question: How is scientific research planned, based on a relevant hypothesis?

Students:

• conduct a detailed literature review to support the validity, significance and appropriateness of the scientific research question
• formulate a final scientific hypothesis based on the scientific research question
• develop the rationale and possible outcomes for the chosen scientific research
• develop a detailed plan to investigate the scientific hypothesis including:

– the overall strategy

– methodology

– data analysis

– representation and communication of the scientific research

– timelines

– benchmarks

• critically analyse the scientific research plan to refine and make appropriate amendments
• employ accepted referencing protocols, for example:

– APA

– Harvard

– MLA

Methodology and Data Collection

Inquiry question: How is an appropriate methodology developed to collect valid and reliable data?

Students:

• assess and evaluate the uncertainty in experimental evidence, including but not limited to:

– systematic errors

– random errors

• assess and evaluate the use of errors in:

– mathematical calculations involving degrees of uncertainty

– graphical representations from curves of best fit

• compare quantitative and qualitative research methods, including but not limited to:

– design of method

– gathering of data

– analysis of data

• investigate the various methods that can be used to obtain large data sets, for example:

– remote sensing

– streamed data

• propose a suitable method to gather relevant data, including large data set(s), if appropriate, applicable to the scientific hypothesis

Processing Data for Analysis

Inquiry question: How is data processed so that it is ready for analysis?

Students:

• investigate appropriate methods for processing, recording, organising and storing data using modern technologies
• conduct a practical investigation to obtain a qualitative and a quantitative set of data and apply appropriate methods to process, record, store and organise this data
• assess the impact of making a large data set from scientific sources public, for example:

– LHC (Large Hadron Collider)

– Kepler Telescope

– Human Genome Project

• conduct an investigation to access and obtain relevant publicly available data set(s), associated with the proposed hypothesis, for inclusion in the development of the Scientific Research Project