First and foremost, to carry out and investigation you

must formulate an aim and one or more hyphothesis.

Aim identifies the purpose of your investigation.

Eg To investigate the effects of coal mining waste on soil PH

Hyphothesis a statement on the topic that you are

investigating.It s a prediction that can be tested .It describes
what you expect will happen in certain circumstances.
.
The dependent
 Variables
 The independent variable is the variable or “thing” that you are TESTING (THE CAUSE )

 A dependent variable is the variable being MEASURED in a scientific experiment.(

THE EFFECT)
 The dependent variable is 'dependent' on the independent variable. As the experimenter
changes the independent variable, the effect on the dependent variableis observed and
recorded.
 For example, a scientist wants to see if the brightness of light has any effect on a moth
being attracted to the light. The brightness of the light is controlled by the scientist. This
would be the independent variable. How the moth reacts to the different light levels
(distance to light source) would be the dependent variable.
 The independent and dependent variables may be viewed in terms of cause and effect. If
the independent variable is changed, then an effect is seen in the dependent variable.
Remember, the values of both variables may change in an experiment and are recorded.
The difference is that the value of the independent variable is controlled by the
experimenter, while the value of the dependent variable only changes in response to the
independent variable.
 When results are plotted in graphs, the convention is to use the independent variable as
the x-axis and the dependent variable as the y-axis.
 SAMPLING
 It s unneccesary and impossible to carry out your
investigation on the whole of the target population as
it would be too expensive .
 Eg. It would be impossible to count all the plants in a
field. A sample myst be taken.
 A sample should be representative of the targey
population.
 If it s a larger sample size yields more reliable results.
Types of sampling
 Point sampling
 Data collection is done at an exact point .
Types of sampling
 Line sampling
 Data collection is collected along a line or transect
 Eg. Changes in plant height
 Area or quadrat sampling: data is collected whithin
quadrats.
Sampling method
 Systematic sampling
Sample ponts are selected using a regular pattern or order
 EgSurveying vegetation cover every 5 metres.
 Random sampling
 Sample points are selected using random numbers to avoid
bias.
Stratified sampling
Is divided into groups ( diffrent ages/ gender)This ensures
thar each group is basically in the correct proportion.
Igcse question
 Eg
 Imagine you want to give a questionaire to 50 people
from a farming area. How many people should be
given a questionnaire from each village ?
 The vilage has 3 villages
 To find the number of people to be given a
questionnaire from each village :
IGCSE question
 Village 1 village 2 village 3
 365 233 426

 V1+ v2+v3 = 1050
 Sample size/total population 233 x 50/1050 425 x 50/1050
 365 x 50 /1050
 17.5 11.4 20.9


Stratified sampling is used for questionnaires.

 When collected data to avoid bias :
 TIME OF DAY (MORNING, AFTERNOON or EVENING)
 TIME AND LOCATION