Extended Practical Investigation

Make sure you are familiar with the Assessment criteria

The student-designed investigation will be managed in seven stages and you will be expected to have the stages complete by the dates specified.

1. Developing a plan (Due: Monday 22nd Feb)

Each group is expected to prepare a plan of what they intend to do. You will be given one hour to work with your team on this. It should be submitted through Google Classroom. The plan should include:

· relevant variables and how they will be measured

· limits or constraints to be placed on the investigation

· experimental procedure/s to be used

· the required equipment

· safety precautions required and risk assessment

Failure to submit any part of this on time will result in you not being able to start your experiment.

2. Introduction (Draft due: Monday 29th Feb)

As an individual you will write your report at home and in class. The introduction should contain the following information and will be submitted with your Method and Results on the day of the SAC. You may submit a draft introduction that will be accepted up to Monday 29th February. No drafts will be accepted after this date. Your introduction should include:

· the context of the investigation

· preliminary background research

· the research question central to the investigation

· the purpose/aim

· the hypothesis

· relevant physics ideas

· relevant variables

All research needs to be appropriately referenced using Harvard Referencing system.

3. Implementing the plan (Wednesday 24th Feb - Monday 29th, P4)

. During this stage students will:

· make observations

· estimate uncertainties in measuring devices

· record measurements

· analyse data

· interpret results

· refine ideas

· keep detailed records of procedures in a logbook

4. Method (Draft due: Friday 4th of March)

Your will document the process you followed to design and implement your experiment. The method should contain the following information and will be submitted with your Introduction and Results on the day of the SAC. You may submit a draft method that will be accepted up to Friday March 4th. No drafts will be accepted after this date. Your method should include:

· list and explanation of apparatus

· detailed description of the development of the method illustrating

- how the design was refined to reduce error

- failed attempts and why they were abandoned

- precautions taken to ensure safety

· numbered step by step method of the experiment.

5. Analysis and evaluation (Monday 29th Feb , P5 - Friday 4th March)

Each student will analyse independently the findings of their investigation, using records from their logbook. This will include:

· critical analysis of data

· consideration of the accuracy of measurements and instruments used and derived quantities calculated

· consideration of problems encountered and how they were overcome

· identification of key findings based on the data

· formulation of conclusions and how they relate to the aim/hypothesis of the investigation

· identification and use of key knowledge and application of key skills to analyse and evaluate the practical investigation.

6. Discussion and conclusion (Draft: Monday 7th March)

Draft dot points addressing the above Analysis and evaluation will be accepted up to Monday March 7th. No draft dot points will be considered after this date.

7. Reporting (Friday March 11th)

Final submission and SAC. Students are to have ready for submission their Introduction, Method and Results printed in hard copy. These plus dot point notes of their analysis and evaluation may be used in the SAC task. Students will be given 60 minutes to complete the written SAC task under examination conditions. All sections and notes will be submitted with the SAC task.