How to do a Deadly EEI in Biology

- by Dr Richard Walding, Research Fellow, School of Science, Grifth

University
Edited by Josie !Shea, "iology #eacher, $oreton "ay %ollege
Web& senior'hysics(co)*biol
+,r'ose of the doc,)ent(
These are some hints about the requirements of a high quality Extended Experimental
Investigation for the Queensland Senior Biology Syllabus. Guidelines given to you by
your teacher should tae precedence if there is any doubt. They are addressing a !ear
"# EEI but $ill still guide you for !ear "". They refer to a hypothesis%testing EEI.
What!s the ',r'ose of an EE-.
!ou&ll do an EEI to research a question you have about some biology%related
phenomena you have come across. In the process you gain a better understanding of
the concepts. It does not matter that your experiment has been done a thousand
times before or that your teacher already no$s the results. 'hat matters is that you
don(t no$ the results and that you can $or independently to )nd a veri)able
ans$er.
Sho,ld - wor/ in a gro,' or by )yself.
The decision about $oring individually or in a group should be given careful
consideration. In the real world* scientists $or collaboratively across the full range of
activities associated $ith a research tas. +ot all aspects of an EEI lend themselves to
group $or and $hile it is appropriate for you to $or in a team to develop ideas and
collect data your )nal report must sho$ clear evidence of individual research*
planning and analysis that uniquely re,ects your understanding of and conclusions
related to the research question. Sharing the requirements for appropriate data
collection can also mae $oring in a group a better arrangement than $oring alone.
In some EEI&s* the collection of data can be time consuming and $ith students also
have a range of other demands on their time* it often better to $or $ith other to
share this load. Illness and other absences also mean that $oring on your o$n can
be risy to your data collection.
What are so)e ti's for s,ccessf,l gro,' wor/.
-ere are the best nine.
'or in a team* be inclusive
Establish each person&s role by negotiation and mae use of other people&s strengths
/onitor and rede)ne timelines to suit progress
0articipate in activities. be active and sho$ consistent behaviour in group activities
Sho$ interest $hen others are speaing and be an attentive listener
0articipate in discussions. be active and maintain focus $hen group decision maing
is occuring
'elcome di1erent 2usti)ed opinions as valid and incorporate these vie$s3 be
inclusive
Encourage participation of all and be sensitive to others& needs
Sho$ leadership in developing consensus and resolving con,icts.
0ow do - 1nd a research foc,s 2to'ic3 for )y EE-.
If you are in !ear ""* you are most liely to be given an EEI topic by your teacher or
are told to choose from a list of maybe half%a%do4en. This helps your teacher
concentrate on experimental design* measurement and management sills. In !ear "#
0age "
ho$ever* you are most liely to be given a much more free choice of the topic either
$ithin a speci)c context you may be currently studying* or outside of this. 'ise choice
of a topic can mae or brea your EEI. There are several $ays to decide.
". 5s you progress through your course of study identify
concepts6ideas6applications that might be useful as a research focus for an EEI.
That is* you should eep in mind some investigation you lied or $anted to no$
more about.
#. !ou could select from a list of ideas. Google 7biology science fair pro2ects8 and
you&ll see a lot. 5lternatively loo at the $ebsite
seniorphysics.com6biol6eei.html.
9. It might be possible to introduce a degree of complexity to a simple
investigation that you have encountered in class time. :or example* you may
have measured conditions necessary for the gro$th of mung beans so you could
then turn this into an EEI by investigating ho$ manipulation of one or more of
the variables a1ects this gro$th.
;. If you are interesting in designing an investigation using vertebrates* then you
need to ensure that your school has ethical approval for your investigation. This
means that you probably need to apply to the Queensland Schools 5nimal Ethics
<ommittee up to a year before carrying out the experiment. If students have
carried out similar investigations from previous years* your school may already
have approvals in place for speci)c investigations.
=. >astly* you could have a ?brainstorming session&. Get together $ith a group of
other students and thin up as many ideas as you can. Thin creatively. @on&t
comment on each of the ideas that come up. @o not criticise the ideas of others.
Some ideas may seem silly or impractical but they can often act as a stimulus
and trigger other ideas. The more ideas that are generated* the more liely it is
that some of the ideas $ill prove useful. Ane member of the group needs to
$rite do$n the ideas as they are generated. 5ll students need to be involved in
listening and thining. 'hen you have )nished brainstorming tae a loo at the
list that has been generated. Select from the list 2ust four or )ve ideas $hich
you thin you might be interested in and able to investigate. 5s a group try to
identify ho$ you $ould carry out an investigation into these topics.
0ow do - decide on a Research 4,estion.
Ance you have decided the research topic you need to formulate a Besearch Question.
It is often a broad question and identi)es a query about the ($orld out there(. :or
example* you may as. What efect will salinity have on the growth and development
of brine shrimp? It must be a question so it should start $ith. How or What Cforget
about who* when* where and why3 this is Biology not -istory or GeographyD.
Bemember also that you need to be able to 2ustify a hypothesis based around your
research question
This is $here many students )rst get into trouble3 that is* proposing a research topic
$ithout formulating a good Besearch Question to guide their investigation. :or
example Cthis is $hat not to doD. say your research topic is Gro$th and @evelopment
C$hich is )neD but you propose a Besearch Question How to make and test a bird
bath. 5 research question of this nature $ill limit your ability to access the criteria at
the upper end of the achievement continuum. If you do something lie this you are
doomed from the start as it is not speci)c enough. !ou need to establish a research
topic that $ill allo$ you to demonstrate engagement $ith the investigative process.
What!s the di5erence in wording between an 6i) and a Research 4,estion.
!ou $ill need to develop a properly $orded 75im8 for your investigation but leave the
exact $ording until later. The 5im is a re)nement of the broad Besearch Question3 it
0age #
narro$s and describes the parameters actually used $ithin the experiment. It should
be in the form of an explicit statement Cbeginning $ith the $ord 7To8D relating to your
variables* eg. 7To investigate the e1ect of Cindependent variableD on Cdependent
variableD $hen Ccontrolled variablesD are ept constant8. -ere&s an example. 7To
investigate the e1ect of salinity on the gro$th of sea moneys8. This aim allo$s us to
set the boundaries $ithin $hich the investigation $ill proceed. It is critically important
as it maes sure your investigation $ill not be too big or too small.
Do - need a hy'othesis.
+ot all scienti)c research involves testing hypotheses but for a Senior 0hysics EEI*
most schools $ill require it. There is no mention in the syllabus of necessarily
proposing a hypothesis but most teachers mae it a requirement of the tas. These
guidelines are $ritten $ith that in mind. The formulation of a hypothesis forces you to
state clearly $hat you intend to measure and change. This is crucial as a lead in to
your experimental design.
#er)inology re)inder& :ormali4ed hypotheses contain t$o variables. Ane is
7independent8 or sometimes called 7manipulated83 and the other is 7dependent8.
The independent variable is the one you* the 7student physicist8* manipulates
CchangesD and the dependent variable is the one that you observe and6or measure the
results of. :actors that you control are called the 7controlled8 variables. In the
example above* the manipulated variable is salinity* the dependent variable is growth
rate* and the controlled variables are the temperature* light intensity* atmosphere and
si4e6shape of container.
Writing a hy'othesis is the tricy part and probably the most important part of an
EEI. 5ll EEIs have a Besearch Question follo$ed by a more speci)c 5im* generally
follo$ed by a ?testable& hypothesis. This hypothesis gives a tentative explanation for
an observation* phenomenon* scienti)c problem Cposed in the Besearch QuestionD that
can be tested by investigation. /ost of the time a hypothesis begins lie this. 7That
as EEEECthis is doneD EEEEE* then EEEEECthis $ill happenD 8. :or example* a hypothesis
for the salinity question above might be. That as the salinity is increased then the
reproduction rate will decrease. In general. That as EEEEEEEEEE increases EEEEEEE $ill
increase6decrease6 stay the same.

5 ?@eadly& hypothesis goes further. It $ill present. CaD this general statement3 CbD
identify the expected form of the relationship bet$een the variables3 and CcD the
controlled parameters identi)ed.

:or example. It $as hypothesised that as the salinity is increased then the
reproduction rate will decrease, when temperature, light intensity, atmosphere and
size/shape of container are kept constant.
-t was hy'othesi7ed that8
if 82the inde'endent variable is changed in this way3 8,
then 82the de'endent variable will res'ond in this way 38
when 82the controlled variables are /e't this way3(
:or all hypotheses you must decide on the three types of variables and state them in
your report. Fust a fe$ more points about the independent and dependent variables in
your hypothesis3 it is a useful to mae these as explicit as possible in your hypothesis.
:or example* a more explicit hypothesis on sea moneys might say. as the salinity of
the environment of sea monkeys is increased from !ppm to "!ppm, then the length
of the sea monkey adults and the number of ofspring produced will increase, when
all other conditions are kept constant.
0age 9
0ow can - state a hy'othesis if - don!t /now what will ha''en when - )a/e a
change.
The ultimate value of a formali4ed hypothesis is it forces you to thin about $hat
results you should loo for in an experiment and should inform Cbe the basis forD the
experimental design. If you are not sure $hat $ill happen to the dependent variable
$hen you mae the changes to the independent variable then you could use the $ord
7may8. :or example# as the salinity is increased then the reproduction rate may
change. This is still a hypothesis because it uses the tentative $ord 7may8 but it lacs
complexity and thus limits your capacity to demonstrate the higher order thining
sills required to access the criteria at the higher achievement levels. !ou&d be better
o1 reading up on the biology theory and maing the statement de)nite. So $hat if
your hypothesis is not con)rmedG So long as you can base it on $ell%argued biology
theory then it $on&t matter. +obel laureate and Brisbane%based scientist 0eter @oherty
said that he often $rites his hypotheses after the experiments are )nished to mae
the report easier to understand.
0ow )any variables sho,ld - investigate.
So that you have suHcient time for the experiment you may chose to investigate only
one dependent and one independent variable. . In living organisms* changes in gro$th
and development can be measured in a number of $ays* including length of an
organism or number of leaves gro$n or an increase in mass* and reproduction could be
measured in number of o1spring produced or sex of o1spring. So in your investigation
you may measure a number of dependent variables to determine the e1ect of your
independent variable on something lie gro$th. To ensure that the tas allo$s for a
suHcient degree of complexity it may be necessary to include t$o independent
variables3 ho$ever experience $ith biological EEIs has sho$n that investigations are
generally complex enough $ith 2ust one independent variable.
What )a/es a good 0y'othesis.
!our hypothesis should be something that you can actually test % $hat(s called a
testable hypothesis. In other $ords* you need to be able to measure both 7$hat you
do8 Cchange the temperatureD and 7$hat $ill happen8 Cresistance $ill changeD. It also
forms the basis of your later analysis of the data.
The requirements for a good hypothesis includes the magni)cent seven.
9( -t has to de1ne the variables( That is* state the dependent and independent
variables Cand mention the controlled variablesD.
:( -t has to lin/ the variables( That is* it must mae a statement about a change in
the independent variable CIID and its e1ect on the dependent variable C@ID in the
form. ifJthenJ.
;( -t has to be testable( That is* you can actually carry out the investigation and
get some results $hich $ill clearly either support or refute CcontradictD the
hypothesis. Some examples are.
if the amount of light incident on a plant CIID is increased then it&s gro$th height
C@ID $ill increase3
if the amount of exercise a person does $ith their arm increases CIID then the
biceps circumference $ill C@ID $ill also increase.
<ote& If your investigation is more trial and error then you may choose a more
general statement Ca 7prediction8 rather than a formali4ed hypothesisD.
0age ;
if the $avelength of light incident on a plant is increased Cblue to redD then the
gro$th rate $ill change.
if the amount of potassium in a fertili4er applied to a plant is increased then its
gro$th height $ill change.
5 hypothesis that $ould not be testable is. as the $arth warms then the amount of
carbon dio%ide in the oceans decreases.
=( -t has to be signi1cant( That is* it has to be $orth no$ing and not too trivial.
5n important question to as is. are my results of practical or scienti)c importance
Ceg design of insulation in clothing* sporting gear* electronic equipment* adding to
scienti)c no$ledge etcD. 5 hypothesis is also not signi)cant if it is 2ust about
proving $hat is already $ell no$n Ceg $ater is needed for plants to gro$D or
something that is too dumb. eg that if water is heated then its temperature rises.
@on&t 2ust state the bleeding obviousKK
>( -t has to be valid( That is* it has to be based on some biology concept* idea* la$
or principle. The hypotheses given in 0oint 9 above are all valid. -ypotheses that
are not valid $ould include.
that mung beans taste better than navy beans Cthis is Biology not 0layschoolD3
that a pendulum can be used to determine the sex of a chicen egg Cit may be
testable but $hat are the biology principlesGD.
?( -t!s testing has to be )anageable( That is* it has to be able to be conducted
over a period of a fe$ $ees. It $ould be of no use to begin an experiment on the
seasonal behavior of moths and expect useful results over t$o $ees. 5s $ell* you
should consider if you can manage $ith the usual laboratory or home equipment. It
is no good expecting the school to order equipment or chemicals as they may tae
$ees to arrive3 and you should also )nd out if your school $ill be paying for it. !ou
could assume that technical advice about using equipment Ce.g. data loggers*
video capture cameras* computer interfaces* microscopes etc $ill be given by your
teacher or the laboratory technicians L but this may not al$ays be the case.
@( -t!s testing has to be safe( !ou shouldn&t formulate an EEI that requires adult
supervision $hen no supervision $ill be available or the ha4ards cannot be minimi4ed
or controlled. !ou $ill be expected to complete a Bis 5ssessment form any$ay so it
might be best to quicly decide if your pro2ect is safe from the outset and not $aste
time. Secondly* it has to meet any legal requirements regarding animals in education.
Iarious la$s apply to the use of animals in schools particularly any Mlive non%human
vertebrate* that is )sh* amphibians* reptiles* birds and mammals* encompassing
domestic animals* purpose%bred animals* livestoc* $ildlife* and also cephalopods
such as octopus and squidM. !ou may have to consult the 5nimal <are and 0rotection
5ct #NN"* and The 5ustralian code of practice for the care and use of animals for
scienti)c purposes C#NN;D and be a$are of the many la$s and requirements governing
the use of animals in schools* even for observation. !ou should be a$are that the
school must submit applications to the Queensland Schools 5nimal Ethics <ommittee
CQS5E<D and have those applications approved before any animal%use activities can
be undertaen in your school.
Do - need a logboo/ or Ao,rnal. -f so, what do - /ee' in itB is it assessed.
5 logboo or 2ournal is noteboo in $hich you can record your research question* aim*
hypothesis* the list of equipment that you need* your method* all results and all other
$or. 0racticing scientists use this technique all the time. Essentially* it is a no%frills*
on%the%spot recording of the essentials of your $or in one place and can be later
0age =
used for your report $riting. If you mae changes to the method or if you have
problems $hich need to be overcome* this information should be recorded. !ou might
lie to include diagrams of the equipment that you used* especially if it is a very
special arrangement of unusual equipment. If you have diHculty $ith dra$ing* a
photograph could be useful. It need only be intelligible to you but it may be used to
verify the authenticity of your $or. !our teacher may choose to have you record your
notes in the form of a blog C$hich then includes a date stampD.
Start $riting in your 2ournal from the start. /ae a note of the date of each entry. Glue
in sheets you have run o1 or have photocopied. !our 2ournal may not be directly
assessable but it can be used to verify that you have engaged in the research process.
But teachers and revie$ panels may choose to refer to your 2ournal as a $ay of
authenticating your $or. !ou may prefer to eep your 2ournal electronically as you
go* so obviously it is oay for these to be typed. !ou may have to submit a printed
copy $ith your report.
0ow ),ch bac/gro,nd research do - need to do.
!ou may be given class time to develop your research question* $rite a hypothesis
and )nd supporting information.
There are t$o areas that you need to collect information for. Both require reference to
biology principles* facts and concepts. They are your.
CaD Research foc,s 2to'ic3& $hat is the bacground theory
CbD 0y'othesis& ho$ can it be 2usti)ed
!ou may spend some time on CaD before you can move on to CbD.
Beferences. Oeep detailed record of references as you collect information* not later.
-ave you used a variety of sources Cnot 2ust WikipediaDG -o$ reliable are the sourcesG
2a3 What is needed for the bac/gro,nd theory for )y research to'ic.
'hen you come to $rite your Introduction you $ill need to demonstrate to the reader
your a$areness of ho$ you(re building on other scientists( $or. 5s this stage you
should be locating* identifying and collecting relevant data and information.
!ou $ill need to develop an understanding of the principles of your chosen topic. By use
of the library* internet* textboos or other source of information Cparent* expert* others
in your groupD you should clarify some or all of the follo$ing.
'hy your research topic has been chosen by you Cis it personally relevant* e.g. your
sport* hobby* career interest* personal needs* home life3 is it important to industry*
the environment or commerce3 is it important for increasing an understanding the
$orld about you* and so onD. Even if your EEI topic has been given to you by the
teacher Coften in !ear ""D you can still mae a case for relevance.
'hat do $e no$ already about this issue Cup%to%date facts about the biology
principles behind my research questionD.
'ere there earlier ideas that have been overturned Cperhaps a little bit about the
history of the ideaD.
-o$ is it measured C$hat measurement techniques might I use* and $hat others
$ould be good but I have no access to themD.
The information must continually refer to your research question. Irrelevant content $ill
be easily noticed and it $ill detract from your $or.
2b3 What is needed for A,sti1cation of )y hy'othesis.
0age P
The second theoretical part of an EEI is about A,stifying yo,r hy'othesis* again by
referring to biology principles. !ou $ill be given hints about $riting your report later but
you must be a$are of $hat you are looing for other$ise you $ill $aste time 2ust
scrolling through pages of irrelevant biology information. The ey phrase is A,stifying
yo,r hy'othesis. !ou have to sho$ the reader that your hypothesis maes sense and
is baced up by biology theory. So at this stage of the research process 2ust gather
information speci)cally related to your hypothesis.
"( Facts& Gather facts and information. they must be relevant to the hypothesis.
@on&t 2ust copy chuns of information unless it is relevant or helps you understand the
concepts. This probably $ill include facts and )gures. !ou can select the useful
information later.
:( Cin/ing& Gather information to lin the information together so that it tentatively
supports your hypothesis. Eg. the nature of salinity and ho$ it a1ects marine
organismsG The ey $ord is lin/ing. don&t try to pretend you have lined the ideas. It
$ill be so obvious to the teacher if you haven&t.
;( $eas,re)ent& Gather information about ho$ the variables are to be measured.
5s. $hat instrument is used* ho$ does it $or* ho$ is it connected up* and $hat are
the techniques for using it and reading it accuratelyG
0ow do - design )y investigation.
In your 2ournal.
@e)ne your variables. 'hat is your.
independent CmanipulatedD variable6s C$hat you $ill changeD
dependent variable6s Cthe resultD
controlled variables C$hat you $ill eep constantD.
0lan your approach.
@ra$ a diagram of your setup3
/ae some rough estimates of the quantities you $ill be measuring Cvolume*
time* temperature* mass* length* concentration* numberJD3
@ecide on the range of treatments for your independent variable. Three
treatments Ci.e. three di1erent values for the independent variableD may give enough
data to display trends in the results* but be $arned* errors in measurement could
cause an illusion of a trend $here none really exists. :our or )ve treatments are far
better and should be considered a minimum. :or each treatment you $ould be $ise
to have at least three trials. This is also useful for calculating your residual errors and
helping $ith 2usti)cation.
State the method brie,y3 propose a data table $ith columns labelled. 5llo$ space
for triplicate trials and an average if that&s $hat you are doing.
@ecide $hat equipment $ill be necessary.
Ensure the design of the experiment is both e1ective C$ill test the hypothesisD and
eHcient Cnot a lot of $asted timeD. :or example* you don&t $ant to have to
reassemble the equipment for each trial.
Ensure that the design of the experiment is also valid Conly one independent
variableD and reliable Chas a number of trialsD.
Ensure that you assess the ris and mae a selection or adaptation of equipment
$ith safety in mind.
Ensure you use appropriate technology to gather* record and process the data.
What ha''ens if there are concerns abo,t the viability of )y EE- 'ro'osal.
0age Q
By this stage you $ill probably have reached the )rst <hecpoint Cor /onitoringD and $ill
have to complete some forms for your teacher. If you can state your Besearch Question*
-ypothesis and overvie$ of the plan you should get a quic go%ahead. Aften various
forms are to be submitted to your teacher for revie$ and approval. They may include.
Research +ro'osal Sheet
Includes an overvie$ of your experimental design containing explicit information
about your independent variable treatments* your dependent variables Cexactly $hat
you are going to measureD and your controlled variables Cgive details of theseD
Ris/ 6ssess)ent Sheet
$aterials ReD,isition Sheet Cbe as speci)c as you can to speed things upD.
0ow will - /now what si7e to )a/e the variables.
EIT-EB % Rse information collected from your research based on other scientists
research* or no$ledge collected from other experts in the )eld such as nurserymen* if
gro$ing plants* or experts in butter,y development if using these invertebrates or the
expert at the vet or petshop if studying other organisms such as vertebratesCstrict rules
for vertebrates L remember ethical approval requirementsD.
Rse formulae and calculations to establish a range of $orable values3
AB % @o some preliminary trials Csometimes called a 0ilot StudyD L and you should record
all observations* measurements* problems* changes in approach and modi)cations to
your initial plans and procedure in your 2ournal. If it doesn&t $or and loos lie it $ill
never $or then tal to your teacher and perhaps abandon it quicly.
0ow long sho,ld - s'end on the laboratory wor/ itself.
!ou $ould be $ise to restrict the time spent on the experimental $or to bet$een one%
quarter and one%half of the total time. !ou should record all observations*
measurements* problems in your 2ournal. Ance you start analysing your data you&ll
probably )nd some anomalies that you&ll $ant to go bac and chec. Be prepared for
this. !ou may thin you have plenty of time but students al$ays )nd they have to rush
the report $riting to meet the deadline.
What is eE'ected in a good EE- Re'ort.
5 EEI Beport is all about communicating ideas clearly and concisely. Bemember you
are not graded on the amount of forest cleared to mae the paper used in your report.
The syllabus maes it quite clear. for an 758 there should be discriminating selection,
use and presentation of scienti&c data and ideas to make meaning accessible to
intended audiences. !our intended audience may be speci)ed in the criteria sheet but
if it isn&t assume that it is one of your peers CSenior Biology studentsD. !our goal
should be for the information that you present to ,o$ e1ortlessly from the page into
the reader(s mind $ithout the reader(s head ever snapping bac in shoc or drooping
for$ards as they do4e. It taes a lot of practice to become a good $riter* and you
aren(t going to master the art overnight. But here are a fe$ tips for you to focus on
that $ill help you )nd your voice and eep your audience.
:irstly* al$ays* al$ays* al$ays $rite in clear* declarative sentences. 'eclarative
means that the sentence simply states an idea or piece of information3 it is not a
command* request or question. This article you are reading has short and clear
sentences. The topic sentence grabs your attention* 2ust as any good topic sentence
should. Each idea thereafter ,o$s naturally into the next. This is ho$ you should
strive to $rite every paragraph of your EEI Beport.
'hatever you do* don(t over$or your sentencesK Each sentence should contain 2ust
one complete idea. Too many run%on sentences read lie the $riter let him6herself be
0age S
s$ept a$ay in their o$n stream of consciousness. 'as the $riter too la4y to thin
about $hat he or she $as trying to sayG
Sho,ld - ,se 'assive voice.
Iirtually every science paper is $ritten in passive voice. -o$ever* pri4e%$inning
$riters $ho no$ ho$ to $rite hate passive voice* they struggle against passive voice
at every opportunity. 'hyG Because passive voice seems boring as it maes the
ob2ect of an action Cthe salinity* the temperatureD the sub2ect of the sentence* rather
than relating that a person CI* $eD carried out the action.
5ctive voice using personal pronouns is not recommended.
Examples are. (We ad)usted the salinity to...*. or (We took the data...*.
But the 0assive voice is recommended for scienti)c reports.
Examples are. (+his salinity was ad)usted to ...* or (+he data was/were taken...*
It is customary to use passive voice in scienti)c $or but you should chec the tas
criteria sheet because your teacher might $ant you to try something di1erent by
presenting your EEI in a di1erent format. /any prestigious scienti)c 2ournals no$
accept active voice. Bemember* the ey point is to make meaning accessible.
0ow technical sho,ld - get.
Scientists often use technical terms $hen communicating $ith each other in the same
)eld but you must 2udge $hich technical terms need explaining. !ou should reserve
technical 2argon that is not familiar to fello$ students only for those instances $hen
2argon is actually appropriate. Students sometimes believe they can hide their
ignorance or poor technique behind a smoe%screen of obtuse language. Being
diHcult to understand doesn(t mae your $riting sound more no$ledgeable. It does
more harm than good. 0retend you are explaining it to a classmate $ho has been
a$ay. ,mphibian and hatchling are oay* but anastomosis and hypostracum need
explaining.
In summary.
short* clear* declarative sentences3 consistent tense
familiar language
no unnecessary $ords
limit technical 2argon and explain unfamiliar terms
grammar and spelling are free of errorT
technical terms have been used appropriately.
T+ote L you must proof%read your report. Too many students simply trust the spell and
grammar chec on /S'ord to do the editing $or for them and miss some critical
literacy issues.
What are the )ain 'arts of the re'ort.
!ou $ill need to $rite an individual report but you can $or on the design and data
collection in collaboration $ith others in your group although it must be noted that
design of investigation and management of the investigation are individually assessed
criteria. Beport $riting involves collating all you&ve done into a report of your
investigation. It should be lie a story that unfolds as you go* maing the reader $onder
ho$ $ell the hypothesis $as con)rmed. But it should also be persuasive* in the sense
that you are persuading the reader that you $ere honest and accurate* and manipulated
the variables carefully and it is undeniable that your conclusion follo$s logically. Ather
people&s ideas* statements* diagrams* photos and so on should be correctly referenced.
!our $or must not contain plagiarised material L this also includes copying large
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sections of the report from other members in your group. <onsult one of the ?$hat is
plagiarism& $ebsites if you don&t have it on your school&s intranet.
0ow ),ch feedbac/ sho,ld - eE'ect fro) )y draft re'ort.
The amount and format of feedbac provided to students is usually determined at the
school level but in general* you are more liely to get more feedbac in !ear "" than in
!ear "#. Bemember that ongoing discussion $ith your teacher as the EEI progresses is a
form of feedbac and probably more valuable* in many respects* that feedbac on your
draft report. !ou may be required to submit a draft of your report to your teacher for
comment Cusually once onlyD but remember that the amount and type of feedbac given
$ill be in general rather than speci)c terms to ensure that the )nal report re,ects your
understanding rather than your teacher&s understanding.
What abo,t word lengthB can - go over the reco))ended li)it.
The syllabus 7recommends8 a range of SNN%"NNN $ords for !ear "" and "NNN%"=NN
$ords for !ear "#. It is only a recommendation and refers to the 7@iscussion and
<onclusion8 only3 the abstract* introduction* 2usti)cation* method* results and analysis
and not included in this limit. In a later section you $ill see that you can go over this
limit if you have to L $ith certain provisions.
$6-< +6R#S F 6 RE+R#
The $ords of the great scientist SchrVdinger are $orth quoting here. 7if you cannot L
in the long run L tell everyone $hat you have been doing* your doing has been
$orthless8. This is 2ust as true for EEIs. 'hen $riting an EEI report your evidence and
arguments should be provided in a very logical order that maes it easy and
interesting to follo$ your train of thought. The headings given belo$ are typical of an
EEI report and $ill help you achieve this logical ,o$.
9( #itle +age& sub2ect* assessment tas type* title* your name* date* teacher&s name.
!ou may have to mae a statement that this is your o$n $or* and it may have to be
countersigned by your parents. The tas sheet $ill tell you this.
:( #able of %ontents& include the page numbers for the beginning of each section.
;( 6bstract 2or EEec,tive S,))ary3 F not all schools reD,ire this(
<ote& write this after yo, have written the rest of yo,r re'ort( 5n abstract is a
paragraph* that if read by itself* summarises the pro2ect in the least possible $ords
Cusually "NN L #NND. It should include the aim* principles6techniques employed and a
very brief statement of your results and conclusions. The criteria used $ill be. +he
abstract is a clear, concise, accurate representation of the pro)ect, linking the main
ideas together well without added interpretation or criticism, misunderstandings or
unnecessary details.
". Begin $ith a topic sentence that is the ma2or thesis Cthe 5imD.
#. 0urpose. state the research question and hypotheses
#. /ethod. the design
9. Besults. concisely
;. <onclusions. implications of results. <an be recommendations* evaluations*
applications* suggestions* ne$ relationships* and hypotheses accepted or re2ected.
=. Ather information incidental )ndings to the main purpose of the document but must
not distract attention from main theme.
'rite one paragraph.
'rite in complete sentences.
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Rse transition $ords to mae the sentences ,o$ Cbesides* furthermore* in
addition* for example* for instance* in particular* )nally* consequently* hence*
although* ho$ever* in comparison* subsequentlyD.
+o equations or images and no references.
What 6re #he %riteria For J,dging 6 Good 6bstract.
The usual criteria by $hich the quality of an abstract is 2udged include. exhaustivity*
accuracy* readability and coherence.
Exhaustivity deals $ith ho$ extensively the abstract represents the original
document in terms of the ideas* conclusions and so on in the original and yet
maintains its brevity. 5s yourself the questions. Is there enough important
information included in the abstract3 and are unnecessary details includedG 5re the
ma2or 7points8 of the document brought out in the abstractG
Accuracy refers to the extent to $hich the abstract correctly represents the original
text. 5s the question. could there be any misunderstandings in reading the abstractG
Readability is ho$ clearly* concisely* and precisely you have $ritten the abstract.
5s the questions. -o$ $ell is it $ordedG 5re the points described accurately*
succinctly* and unambiguously.G
Cohesion/coherence is focused on ho$ $ell the ideas presented in the abstract are
lined together. 5s the question. does it read $ellG
=( #he -ntrod,ction 2Section 93
Research 4,estion and 6i)& begin $ith your BQ and 5im* and $hy you thin the
$or is interesting or relevant to the real $orld C$ith examplesD and $hy the
investigation is important to you* personally. 5lso include $hat you hoped to achieve
$hen you started the pro2ect.
#heory Review& This $ill be used to tell a story that generates interest in the reader
for the )eld of your research and lin to the practical investigation to follo$. It $ill
dra$ on your library or internet research and $ill be referenced. !ou should be
aiming to reproduce* interpret* explain and compare biology concepts* theories and
principles that directly relate to your pro2ect and contain no irrelevant or
unnecessary details. In other $ords L don&t $aWe on3 every irrelevant sentence is a
step bac$ards. !our aim is to sho$ understanding of the biology involved and
ho$ it directly relates to and supports your pro2ect&s research question and aim. In
the earlier notes it $as suggested you consider.
'hy your research topic has been chosen by you
'hat do $e no$ already about this issue Cbiology theory in detailD
'ere there earlier ideas that have been overturned
-o$ is it measured
0y'othesis& state your clearly formulated and testable hypothesis* as $ell as
explanation of your idea. 7It $as hypothesised that theJ.8.
J,sti1cation& you $ill need to 2ustify your hypothesis by referring to relevant biology
principles from your research so far. This is $here students )rst get into real trouble.
'hile much of your report needs to seem impartial* you really need to $rite this
more in a persuasive or argumentative style. !ou should be trying to persuade Cor
present an argument toD the reader that your hypothesis is logically supported by
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biology theory $ith lins made bet$een underlying concepts and you should aim at
convincing the reader of your point of vie$.
It is also appropriate to comment on the validity of the theory* formulas and ideas
you have relied on. 'ere the sources reliable3 is it $ell%settled biology or is it leading%
edge theory that is still open to some dispute3 is it really relevant to your $or Csho$
that it is directly applicable and not 2ust related to something similarD.3 are you using
the correct formulas Csho$ that you areD. Students often thin if the terms or
symbols used in the theory are the same as those from their o$n $or it must be
relevant. Be careful.
+lanning H +reli)inary trials& 2rarely ,sed in "iology EE-s d,e to ti)e
co))it)ents3
Introduction. 'hat values you chose to try for your manipulated variable6s Ceg
temperature from #NX< to SNX<D
/ethod. 'hat you did3 and diagrams or photos as necessary.
Besults. 0resented in appropriate form Ctables* graph etcD.
@iscussion. <ould measurable results be obtainedG <ould you collect suHcient
dataG !ou are not expected to mae a conclusion about the relationships bet$een
variables as outlined in the 5im* Besearch Question and -ypothesis. This is a
discussion about the experimental design.
<onclusion. -o$ the original plan is to be modi)ed in light of the pilot study.
+ote. the next Section CSection #D is the /ethod. 5t a university level there may be
another Section in bet$een called 7Bevie$ of the >iterature8. !ou $ould not need
this.
>( $ethod 2Section :3
@escribe in detail the method you used to collect your data and organi4e your
observations. !our report should be detailed enough for anyone to be able to repeat
your experiment by 2ust reading the paper* so eep this fact in mind $hen you $rite it.
In other $ords* it has to be ?Beplicable&* meaning that someone else could repeat the
experiment by follo$ing your method. It(s al$ays a good idea to include detailed
photographs or clearly%labelled dra$ings of any device you made to carry out your
research. !ou can also include ho$ ra$ data is to be treated* that is* $hat formulae are
applied.
?( Res,lts and 6nalysis 2Section ;3
Res,lts& The collected results should be displayed in forms that are appropriate to your
data3 eg tables* graphs* photos. +o doubt you have learnt ho$ to present graphs and
tables so they $on&t be dealt $ith again here. The ey is that the results presented
should be chosen $ith discrimination3 that is* don&t include mistaes or data unrelated
to your hypothesis Ceg day of the $ee* colour of the container* brand of meterJD.
@eciding bet$een tables and graphs. The strength of a table lies in its ability to sho$
large amounts of exact data* $hereas the strength of a graph is its clear illustration of
important trends bet$een the variables. If you feel that the full impact of the results
aren&t sho$n in a table then use a graph and put the table in an appendix Cbut it is
essential to refer to each appendix $ithin the main body of the report3 for example* ?:or
the full data set* see 5ppendix B&D. 5ll tables* graphs* pictures and diagrams should be
numbered and given a comprehensive title. Beference any you have copied from other
sources.
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Graphs. It is becoming more common to see graphs generated by /icrosoft Excel Cor
some similar spreadsheet programD. <hec $hether this is oay $ith your teacher. If it
is* mae sure it conforms to the normal requirements of graphs Caxes labelled $ith
variable name and units* correct spacing of lines* suitable range of values* and so onD.
The big problem students have $ith using Excel is that they 2ust select data from the
$orsheet Cdata tableD and 7insert8 a graph that they hope $ill be good enough. This is
not the $ay to go. !ou need to organise your data in the spreadsheet so that it can be
plotted correctly. In general* it is best if you mae your independent variable in a
7column8 and put the dependent variable in the next column. This may seem to be
stating the bleeding obvious but JJ.
6nalysis& Start by taling about $hat you did to the data Caverage* graph* correlations*
JD* $hy you did it and $hat you obtained by doing it. It must be in a logical order. This is
an opportunity to identify any trends or patterns in your data* or examine any
mathematical relationships in your data. <alculations such as averages* substitution into
equations* and so on* may be sho$n as necessary. If a large number of repetitive
calculations Ce.g. solution concentrations* density etcD need to be performed* put one
sample calculation in your report and then the rest can be performed and then placed in
a table. 'here numerous graphs or tables are used to extract main results these graphs
or tables should go in an appendix.
@( Disc,ssion 2Section =3(
In simple terms* the @iscussion is $here you explain $hat you mae of the Besults you
obtained. If you have done the Besults Y 5nalysis part $ell* your readers should
already recogni4e the trends in the data and have a fairly clear idea of $hether your
hypothesis $as supported. So L they no$ $hat to expect and you have to deliver it.
The Queensland syllabus maes it clear that for !ear ""* the analysis 6 discussion 6
evaluation 6 recommendations of the EEI report should be bet$een SNN and "NNN
$ords* and for !ear "#* bet$een "NNN and "=NN $ords. -o$ever* you need to eep in
mind that these are suggested $ord limits Cthey are merely 7guidelines8D and the
most important statement is in the tas criteria $hich should stipulate 7discriminating
selection* use and presentation J to mae meaning accessibleJ8. If you need more
that "=NN $ords to mae the meaning of your results 7accessible8 CunderstoodD then
so be it* provided you are 7discriminating8 as $ell and don&t $aWe on. The @iscussion
is one of the ey sections of the EEI. It is $here you need to sho$ evidence of critical
thining in interpreting your data in relation to your hypothesis and theory presented
in your introduction. This is an opportunity to evaluate any trends or patterns in your
data* evaluate any mathematical relationships in your data* to critically discuss
various aspects of the experiment* such as. $hat generalisations can be made to
support or refute your hypothesis* ho$ the results relate to the biology theory* the
limitations of the result* the method used and possible improvements.
5 caution. the genre for an EEI 7@iscussion8 is not $hat you normally thin of as
7@iscussion genre8. It is really a 7persuasive exposition8 L a form of argumentation
$hen you argue your case $ith an anonymous reader $hom you picture as trying to
pic holes in everything you do and say Ca 7naysayer8 or a highly critical imp sitting
on your shoulderD. The $ay you handle such an argument is described belo$.
+evertheless* a good $ay to handle the $riting of the @iscussion is to tell readers.
$hat you are about to say* say it* and then tell them $hat you&ve said. It should ,o$
logically so that the reader can easily follo$ your train of thought. The follo$ing
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paragraph topics should give you a nice ,o$. There is no need for any subheadings.

-ntrod,ction F state yo,r Research 4,estion(
/ae a clear statement about $hat it $as you $ere trying to )nd out by restating the
Besearch Question. :or example* 7This investigation $as aimed at ans$ering the J8
EE'lain whether the data s,''ort yo,r hy'othesis
This statement is usually a good $ay to begin the main part of the @iscussion. !ou
might begin by explicitly stating the relationships your data indicate bet$een the
independent and dependent variables. Then you can sho$ more clearly $hy you
believe your hypothesis $as or $as not supported. :or example* 7The hypothesis that
an increase in temperature $ould J.$as C$as notD supported by the data.8
Include three or more pieces of experimental evidence that support your statement
about the hypothesis. 5ll of the evidence and examples must be speci)c* relevant and
explanations given that sho$ ho$ each piece of evidence supports and convinces the
reader of your hypothesis.

6c/nowledge any ano)alo,s data or deviations fro) what yo, eE'ected
Becogni4e that saying $hether the data supported your hypothesis or not involves
maing a claim to be 2usti)ed. 5s such* you need to sho$ the readers that this claim is
$arranted by the evidence but that you may need to qualify your conclusions
suHciently. :or obvious reasons* your readers $ill doubt your authority if you
Cdeliberately or inadvertentlyD overloo a ey piece of data that doesn(t agree $ith your
claim that the hypothesis $as or $as not supported. So you have to pre%empt their
refutation of your data $ith your o$n rebuttal. :or example* you may need to point out
7-o$ever* at higher temperatures the relationship no longer seems to hold J.8 Then
identify data that is anomalous or that you are discounting Cand $hyD. If you don&t point
it out and the reader notices it then ?critical evaluation& is lacing. The idea is to get in
early and acno$ledge $here your data could be lacing and say $hy it really is oay.
This is good 7argumentation8.
Ci)itations ca,sed by errors and ,ncertainties(
!ou $ill need to revie$ your error analysis. Begin by summarising the error analysis
done in the previous ?5nalysis& section of your report and then discuss $hich measured
quantities limited the accuracy of the result* and $hy* and $hat could be done about it
in the future. <aution. mistaes are not ?errors& in the scienti)c sense. If you made a
mistae* you should repeat the trials. If there is no time then mae time. @on&t blame
mistaes for not getting useful results. /istaes are 2ust stu1%ups and sloppy $or3 they
are nothing else and shouldn&t be $ritten up.
Derive concl,sions, based on yo,r 1ndings, abo,t the 'rocess yo,Ire
st,dying
@iscussions must relate the experimental issues to biology theory. That is* is the lin
bet$een your data* the theory and your claims a logical oneG !ou need to silence a critic
$ho could say 7it&s not logical to dra$ that conclusion becauseJ8 by sho$ing that it is
logical process you have undertaen. In other $ords* mae it clear that you have made
a logical and reasonable argument from valid and accurate data supported by
trust$orthy and relevant theory to generate logical conclusions. Bingo* argument over*
you $onK
Relate yo,r 1ndings to other wor/ in the sa)e area 2if yo, can3
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Is there something about your pro2ect that adds to further understanding in BiologyG
!ou may lie to suggest that your experiment dealt only $ith a narro$ sub%set of
possibilities and your generalisation comes $ith that caution. But you could say that it
may apply more broadly. :or example* if your hypothesis dealt $ith the changes in
resistance $ith temperature* then try to mae some generali4ations about it applying
to other materials. 0erhaps you could point to a similar experiment or study and
contrast your results and conclusions. 0erhaps you have purposely chosen to
investigate an issue Cmaybe even a controversial oneD that is some$hat less
?resolved& and you can use your o$n $or to add to the debate.
Evaluate your experimental design L in term of the three variables. :or example*
consider your independent variable L did the changes you made result in a signi)cant
di1erences in the data* if not* can you explain $hy and suggest ho$ you might
improve this variable if you $ere to do the experiment again. 'hat about your
controlled variablesG 'ere you able to eep these all appropriately controlledG If not*
explain the impact of this and ho$ you might improve these controlled variables next
time. @o the same for the dependent variable.
EE'lore the theoretical and*or 'ractical i)'lications of yo,r 1ndings
!ou could end by re,ecting on if your $or tells the reader something ne$ about the
biology concepts under consideration. 5lternatively* you could speculate on the
medical* industrial* entertainment* scienti)c or commercial implications of your
)ndings % in other $ords* $hat could your discoveries help people to doG In either
case* the aim is to mae your audience thin it $as $orth$hile reading your $or.
F,t,re 'ossibilities and reco))endations
The syllabus tals of ?exploration of scenarios and possible outcomes $ith 2usti)cation of
Jrecommendations&. :or this you should note further related investigations that this
experiment could lead to. @on&t 2ust say $ishy%$ashy things lie ?try other variables&* ?be
more accurate&* ?use a digital thermometer& and so on. These recommendations $ould
only be valid if you can 2ustify them. This is a good chance to sho$ some more critical
thining. 5 reference to some other research $ould be a strong )nish.
J( %oncl,sion(
In persuasive or argumentative $riting L $hich is $hat this report is L you $ant to use
your closing $ords to convey the main point of your $riting. The conclusion has to be
very strong and leave the reader solidly understanding your position. 5 good $ay to
start is by summari4ing your results. /ae sure not to introduce anything that $asn(t
already mentioned in the previous parts of your paper. !ou should state very brie,y the
essential conclusion or conclusions you have dra$n from the experiment. It should
satisfy the statement set out in the 5im at the beginning and must clearly address the
stated hypothesis. Be sure to include any conditions that apply to your result Ceg ?at
constant temperature&D. It is important not to overstate $hat you can rightly claim as a
result of the experiment. Statements lie ?the results supportedJ& are more 2usti)able
than ?the results provedJ&. /ae it clear that you have considered arguments against
your claims Cif you really haveD and ho$ you have rebutted them Cif you haveD. This is
the essence of argumentation.
K( 6''endices
This is $here you place information that is not essential to explain your )ndings* but
that supports your analysis Cespecially repetitive or lengthy informationD* validates your
conclusions or pursues a related point. Sometimes excerpts from this supporting
information Ci.e. part of the data setD $ill be placed in the body of the report but the
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complete set of information C i.e. all of the data setD $ill be included in the appendix.
Examples of information that could be included in an appendix include
)gures6tables6charts6graphs of results* statistics* pictures* data sheets* or computer
program information.
There is no limit to $hat can be placed in the appendix providing it is relevant and
reference is made to it in the report. The appendix is not a place for all the semi%
interesting or related information you have gathered through your research for your
report. That can go in your 2ournal or logboo. The information included in the appendix
must be directly relate to the research problem or the report(s purpose. It must be a
useful tool for the reader. Each separate appendix should be lettered C5ppendix 5*
5ppendix B* etcD.
9L( "ibliogra'hy or References
This list should include any documentation that is not your o$n* such as boos or
articles that you used. Guidelines for a bibliography and referencing can be found on
the internet but 2ust chec $hich style C505* -arvardJD your teacher expects. It should
be on the tas sheet or there may be a $hole%school approach available on your
intranet. /aterial is placed in the body of your report should be acno$ledged and
referenced appropriately.
99( 6c/nowledg)ents
In this section you should give credit to everyone $ho assisted you. This may include
individuals* businesses and educational or research institutions. Identify any )nancial
support or material donations you may have received.
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