Dominique Racktoo

Ms. Keene
September 25,14
Research Plan

Problem Question or Topic: Can food make an impact on your mood?

Purpose and Rationale:


Goals and Expected Outcomes: I hope to find out if food does make an impact on mood,
and why. I expect that there will be multiple outcomes, (that there will be different
results.


Hypothesis (es): If someone eats better meal, then their mood will change positively
because they are getting more of the needed nutrients that their body needs.



Research Methods and Questions: I will be conducting my research by creating an
experiment. I will also research by reviewing books/the web for information why this
has happened. What has happened? Why has this happened?


Experimental Design:
Independent Variable The type of meal that is received
Dependent Variable The persons mood after their meal
Control (Group) persons age, weight, height
Constants The same type of food eaten

Materials: Healthy meals (such as salad, or a vegetarian pasta) Fast Food meal
(something for McDonalds, chick Fillet, Taco Bell etc.) Pencil, Pen, notebook, Timer, two
other people, plus yourself, paper

Procedures:
1. Prepare, or buy your two different types of meals
2. Have the helpers (the two other people) choose a meal, and ask how are they
feeling mood wise, then record
3. Let them start eating at the same time.
4. Record who is eating which kind of meal (Fast Food or Healthy meal)
5. After the test subjects are done eating their meal, immediately ask them how they
are feeling now, Record Information.
6. Check every one-hour and see if the subjects mood changes.
7. Record for the next 5 hours.
8. Repeat steps 1-8 three times.
9. Create a graph showing how mood changes, if it did.
10. Compare Results from the other repeated trials.


Expected Trials and/or Sample Size:

Risk Assessment and Safety Precautions: None really, just make sure that the food has
been well cooked, and cannot make anyone sick

Data Analysis and Units: After each hour, ask the subjects if their mood has changed
upon eating their meals, If so then in the notebook write down the time, date and mood.
Continue doing this for once every 5 hours. Qualitative: Time, Date, That hour it is after
eating

Bibliography: Science Articles, Books, Exact internet sources will be given ( when the
project is finalized)


Special Projects Information (Optional): Humans: Age 11-20, male and/or female,. I will
find my participants at my house, or at friends houses. I will ask them kindly if they
will be able to help me test my hypothesis. The participants wil be asked to eat
different meals, and their moods may be recorded over time. , No surveys, and not
needed to be in a certain area at the same time, but moods will be recorded over the
period of 5 hours. The only information collected will be the first name, but will not be
used within the actual project and its outcomes. Data will be Confidentail to me
conducting the experiment, but anounomous to the public. The data will be stored in a
safe place, though no information that is recoreded can be used against the sunjects. I
wwill have acess to it. I will inform them about the study before they agree to take part
in the study. I will then tell them that only there mood will be recored over the course
of 5 hours., and that they will have two different meals ( healthy, and fast food) , so from
that we will test their moods. I will say that you have the right to stop being a test
subject at any time, and that this is voluntary.