Wall Seeking Behavior of Mice

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 Answer the following questions in complete, quality, and correct sentences that reflect the question in your answers.

 

1. Tell  the study subject of this experment.

 

2a. Identify the Manipulated (experimental) variable in this experiment.

 

2b. Describe the Responding (measured) Variable.

 

3. What scientific question is this experiment trying to answer? (Format)

 

4. Develop an appropriate hypothesis for the above question. (If, Then, Because FORMAT)

 

 

5. Identify two controlled variables and one uncontrolled variable in this experiment

(Not the MV or RV).

 

6. Enter the total for each lab station, then total and average all the classes' data below.

 

Data Table 1- Class Data for Wall Seeking Behavior

Lab Sta
W1
W2
W3
W4
W5
W6
1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

Totals

Averages

Observer                        Recorder

 

7.  What was the total number of observations each team took?

 

8.  Tell the total number of observations taken by the entire class?

 

9. Use the AVERAGES from your Data Table to Bar Graph the data from Data Table 1 below

a. Use two spaces for each corridor bar, with one between each station. 

b. Label both the x and y axis properly and put the AVERAGE occurrences for each corridor on top of the bar for that corridor.

Bar Graph One - Wall Seeking Behavior of Mice

 

 

10. Analyze the Data.  Use the TOTALS from Data Table One to determine how often the mice were in the inside pair of corridors (1&2), the middle pair of corridors (3&4), and the outer pair of corridors (5&6) of the box?    

Use this formula: 

Divide the total occurances for each pair of corridors by the total number of observations taken by the class . 

Next multiply this number by 100 to get the %)

a.  Corridors 1 & 2%                    b.  Corridors 3 & 4%              c.  Corridors 5 & 6%

_______ 
_______  
    _______
                                         

Do 11 through 13 . ON A SEPARATE SHEET OF PAPER

11. Create a conclusion that:

a. Restates your original question and hypothesis and tells if the hypothesis was Accepted or Rejected

b. Explains WHY you came to this conclusion and clearly supports each statement with data. Use the averages from  the Data Table and percentages above   to explain clearly and completely. Be sure to include the High and Low occurances.

c.  Describes what you think caused the results you observed in the experiment.

d. Summarizes what you learned in this experiment.

e. Tell 2 important safety precautions that need to be followed in this experiment.

12. Tell how reliable this data was and explain why you think this was so.

13. Explain how to increase the validity of this experiment without changing the study subject.  (to improve validity -> develop another, similar, experiment that shows a change in the MV actually caused a change in the RV)

Observer ____________________Timekeeper __________________

Animal Handler _______________Recorder ____________________

 

schmied/reid © 2010
all rights reserved