schmied/reid©2010	Question, Prediction	Name ________
all rights reserved!	Hypothesis Formation	Period ____
	Strong or Weak Practice!

Part One: Creating strong Scientific Questions

A strong scientific question includes the:

• Study Subject (SS)

• Manipulated Variable (MV)

• Responding Variable (RV)

• Is phrased to ask for an answer that provides details vs a simple yes or no answer.

• Is a definite statement of what is proposed. ex: increasing the amount of fertilizer

• Has no Pronouns. Pronouns like "it" are vague, easy to misunderstand.

Use proper nouns instead.

 

Example format:

How will ...?... Manipulated Variable .... Study Subject.. (either order) affect the Responding Variable ?

(The Responding Variable should be last.)

 

Example: How will increasing the amount of sunlight on tulips affect the height of the tulips?

 

 

Part Two: Strong and Weak Questions:

These are actual questions written by Science Seven students.

SS = Guinea Pigs

MV = Diet of apples

RV = Mass of the Guinea Pigs

Strong or Weak Question? Analyze each example and give technical reasons to tell why.

 

a. Will changing a Guinea Pig's diet to apples affect the Guinea Pig's mass?

 

b. Can changing its diet change its mass.

 

c. Will apples change Guinea Pigs?

 

d. How will changing a Guinea Pigs diet affect the Guinea Pig's mass?

 

e. Can feeding Guinea Pigs apples affect their mass?

 

f. How will feeding Guinea Pigs a diet of apples affect the Guinea Pig's mass?

 

Part Three: Create a properly formatted Scientific Question for the UV Beads experiment.

 

1. First identify, then write down these elements.

 

SS =

MV =

RV =

 2. Now, using this format, create a properly formatted Scientific Question.

 

How will _ ?_ Manipulated Variable of the Study Subject affect the Responding Variable ?

 

3. Next compare yours to your partner and troubleshoot each. Be ready to share with the class.

 

 

Part Four: Creating strong Predictions

To create a strong prediction, a person needs to know / do the following:

• Study Subject (SS)

• Manipulated Variable (MV)

• Responding Variable (RV)

• Control Trial (CT),

• Experimental Trial (ET)and

• Is an Educated Guess about the Outcome of the experiment on TOPIC.

• Is a definite statement of what is predicted to happen. ex: increasing the amount of fertilizer on tulips will .........what??!

• Compare to the Control (if present)

(Note : Predictions don't have to be right, only your best educated guess given the present data.)

 

Prediction Format (Cause and effect) Uses the If , Then...compared to Format

 

IF contains the Manipulated Variable and Study Subject (either order!),

Then contains the Experimental Trial and a specific prediction about the Responding Variable

and "compares to" the Control (if a control is used)

(Please be sure to follow the ET, RV, CT order given in the Then statement.)

 

SS = Guinea Pigs	MV = Diet of apples	RV = Mass of Guinea Pigs
CT = Guinea Pigs fed a variety of food	ET = Guinea Pigs fed only apples

 

Part Five: Strong or Weak? Analyze these predictions.

Analyze each prediction below, then tell why each is strong or weak using technical reasons.

 

If apples are fed guinea pigs,

Then the guinea pigs fed apples will get more nutrition

than guinea pigs fed a variety of food.

 

If apples are fed to them,

Then if they are fed only apples would gain less mass

compared to guinea pig's fed a variety of food.

 

If guinea pig's eat one food,

Then the guinea pigs fed that food would get more nutrition

than guinea pig's fed a variety of food.

 

If Guinea Pigs are only fed apples ,

Then the Guinea Pigs fed apples will gain less mass

compared to Guinea Pigs fed a variety of food.

 

Part Six: Prediction Writing

Now create a properly formatted Prediction for the UV Beads experiment.

 

1. Identify and write down these elements of the experiment.

SS =	MV =	RV =
CT =	ET =

 

2. Now use this format & create a properly formatted Prediction.

 

IF contains the Manipulated Variable and Study Subject (either order!),

Then contains the Experimental Trial and a specific prediction about the Responding Variable

and"compares to" the Control (if a control is used)

 

3. Next compare yours to your partner and troubleshoot each. Be ready to share with the class.

 

Part Seven: Creating a strong Hypothesis

A Prediction with a Reason, the Hypothesis

To create a stong Hypothesis you'll need to know the same items as when creating a strong prediction and have a good grasp of the experiment being performed.

Format: If, Then..Compares to, Because

The If, Then...compared to statement is the same as the Prediction!

Three guidelines for a strong because statement are:

a. The Because gives a logical, realistic, reason for choosing the predicted outcome.

b. The Because contains the Study Subject, the Manipulated Variable, & the Responding Variable (in any order).

c. The Because can be more than one sentence and should include the Study Subject, Manipulated Variable, & Responding Variable in this explanation.

 

Part Eight: Strong or Weak Hypothesis?

Analyze the following Hypothesis & tell if each is strong or weak and why using technical reasons.

 

If Guinea Pigs are fed a new diet,

Then the Guinea Pigs the new diet will gain less mass

than Guinea Pigs fed a variety of food.

Because apples can't make pigs fat

 

 

If Guinea Pigs are only fed apples,

Then they will gain less mass

compared to Guinea Pigs fed a variety of food.

Because a diet of apples gives the Pigs the runs.

 

 

If Guinea Pigs are only fed apples,

Then the Guinea Pigs fed apples will lose mass.

Because a diet of apples is not well balanced.

Thus, this diet will cause the Guinea Pigs to lose mass.

 

 

If Guinea Pigs are only fed apples,

Then the Guinea Pigs fed apples will gain less mass

compared to Guinea Pigs fed a variety of foods,

Because a diet of apples is not well balanced.

Thus, this diet will cause the Guinea Pigs to lose mass.

 

Part Nine: Hypothesis Formation

Create a properly formatted Hypothesis for the UV Beads experiment.

 

1. Identify and write down these elements of the experiment.

SS =	MV =	RV =
CT =	ET =

 

2. Now use this format & create a properly formatted Hypothesis.

 

Format: If, Then... compared to, Because

Use your properly created IF, Then, compared to Prediction and add a Because statement.

 

Guidelines

a. The Because gives a logical, realistic, reason for choosing the predicted outcome.

b. The Because contains the Study Subject, the Manipulated Variable, & the Responding Variable (in any order.

c. The Because can be more than one sentence.

 

3. Next compare yours to your partner and troubleshoot each. Be ready to share with the class.

 

Data on the Guinea Pig Scenario

Experimental Trial	Guinea Pigs fed only apples
Control Trial	Guinea Pigs fed all types of food.
Study Subject	Guinea Pigs
Manipulated (changed) Variable	Diet &endash;> fed only apples
Responding (measured) Variable	Mass of the Guinea Pigs

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