Applied Science Research

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Write an abstract discussing your project.

The abstract should be succinct, proofed, and between 200-300 words. Post your abstract here so other students may read it to prepare questions for your oral exam on January 22nd.Your exam grade will be based on:

1.) your written abstract
2.) your responses to student questions
3.) questions you ask other students

Use the following links and samples to assist in producing a high-quality abstract.

Writing an abstract. Click here

Practical Tips for Science Writing. Click here

Samples:

Heavy Metal Bioaccumulation in Long Island Sound’s Great Meadows Marsh

Bioaccumulation of heavy metals is amplified with increased trophic levels. A variety of species from Long Island Sound’s Great Meadows Marsh were sampled for heavy metals through a metallothionine quantification protocol. Metallothionine is a universally heavy metal binding enzyme that catalyzes with heavy metals found in the organism. A mathematical model was developed to predict expected levels of heavy metals in higher trophic levels.

The Effects of MTBE on Well Water in Stamford

This project involved testing Stamford-area artesian wells for Methyl Tertiary Butyl Ether, or MTBE. MTBE is a substance added to gasoline in order to reduce tailpipe emissions and to increase gasoline octane ratings. MTBE gets into well water supplies by way of gasoline spills, gas-line leaks in the ground and by means of the natural emission of MTBE into the environment through automobile tailpipes.Samples were collected directly from faucets in homes mostly located in the 06903 and 06902 zip codes. The water samples were assayed for water hardness, alkalinity, pH and conductivity. In addition, samples were tested for traces of MTBE using GC-MS. Next, the sites were mapped using G.I.S software, and attempts were made to find correlation between the location of the sites and the human impact on the area surrounding the sites.

Effects of Room Acoustics on the Generated Sounds of Percussion

This project is aimed towards the effects of various environments on percussion instruments’ sound and performance. Each environment exhibits reverb capabilities with various generated sounds of percussion. Each type of percussion instrument will display different decibel levels when played at various distances from a central location within the environment. Through the use of a Sound Level Meter and various analysis programs, both the decibel levels and effects of reverb of the marching snare drum, tenor drums, bass drums, and crash cymbals, will be tested and analyzed to determine which instrument creates the greatest levels for both reverb and decibel readings, as well as which environment is most conducive to high volumes and sound resonance.The results will be compared to existing data concerning the effects of decibel levels and reverb on the human ear. Hearing loss can result from extended exposure to high decibel levels, and through the comparison, determining the safest environment for playing percussion instruments will be possible.

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Write a title for your project and write a 1 sentence or 1 phrase description of it. The purpose of the title and description is to sell your project to a prospective funder — the person or organization that would give you money to conduct your research.

I will use these titles and descriptions in our Holiday Symposium program book.

Please feel free to leave comments and feedback to your colleagues as well as offer suggestions for breakfast on the day I will do my presentation (Mon 18th).

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Please list two (2) questions to ask a potential subject about problem finding for their research projects. DO NOT repeat any questions asked by other students. Please keep in mind the “current” research questions:

1. What are the differences in problem finding strategies for students who produce high quality open-inquiry science projects versus those of low quality, as determined by external evaluators?
2. How do parents, teachers, and mentors influence student problem finding?
3. What differences between superior and inferior science fair projects can be attributed to the ways students develop and find their research problems?

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Use these links to fill out paperwork for your research project by November 1. If you need addtional forms or the rulebook, visit: http://www.sciserv.org/isef

Form 1 – Checklist
Form 1a – Research plan
Form 1b – Approval form
Form 2 – Qualified scientist
Form 3 – Risk assessment

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Standard curves are critical for many analytical research procedures.

Read about standard curves here:
1. http://www.graphpad.com/curvefit/introduction5b.htm
2. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Standard_curve
3. http://a32.lehman.cuny.edu/molbio_course/std.htm

In 250-350 proofed, succinct words, describe a practical research application for a standard curve. Explain the value of the curve and how can it assist the scientist.

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Click here for the article review form. You should use this cover sheet on each article you read as you organize your ideas. Be sure to bring each article with coversheet as well as an APA formatted reference sheet to each meeting.

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In 100-150 proofed, succint words, please respond to the following:

What are some of the key features to a superior oral presentation. Be sure to address speaking skills as well as visual aides.

Click here for the PowerPoint template for your oral presentations

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Please answer in 100-200 proofed, succinct words. Please do not repeat ideas.

How has peer review impacted your journal paper?

Some guiding questions:

• What kinds of benefits have there been?
• What are some of the “useless” aspects?
• What was useful in the peer review document?
• How can the peer review document be improved?

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In this post . . . Perhaps a more traditional use for this blog . . . An actual entry by me instead of the usual input I seek from my students. Please feel free to comment.

I recently had the opportunity to attend the FETC Technology Conference in Orlando for the Education Blog Awards sponsored by Discovery Education and eSchool News. eSchool and Discovery did an amazing job treating us like royalty. My thanks and appreciation.

This was a unique experience for me: I had the opportunity to talk with educators who deal a bit more exclusively in technology than I do, and what amazing ideas they had! To my fellow award winners: Wes Fryer and Bill MacKenty, thank you for giving me such great ideas for the use of technology — the use/meaning of RSS, PodCasting and the likes. You make me feel more connected. This seems to be where technology can best serve education. To my new friends at Discovery, especially: Steve Dembo and Dawn Strunk, much appreciation for teaching me some new stuff, the amazing conversation, and great new ideas.

What do I take away now that I am back in my lab? Here I sit, a science teacher. There are many instructional strategies that help improve student learning: inquiry-based laboratories, authentic research, conceptual and analytical teaching/questioning, technology . . . the list goes on and on . . . I am obligated to prepare my students for the 21st century workforce, and regardless of whether or not my students become practicing scientists, they need the skills, knowledge, and dispositions to succeed in a technology-centered world. We, therefore, as educators, need to provide diverse opportunities for our diverse learners.

The advent and use of blogs in education provides the opportunity to expose students to cutting edge technology, and using good conceptual questioning connects good teaching with good teching. The essence of this and all of my blogs (see www.labanca.net) are the comments that my students provide to me and to each other. Their ideas develop from succinct, yet thought-provoking responses that build off of the question AND the responses of their classmates.

I was interested to hear that one of my fellow award winners choses not to use comments on www.eduwonk.com. This is interesting to me because the comments in my blog are its essence. Perhaps the way I use the blog technlogy is a bit “non traditional” compared to the pure bloggers, but the power of the blog as an instructional tool to promote student conceputal learning can’t be beat!

Thanks must also go to my friend, doctoral cohort, and colleague Nick K., (blogs at http://apenglishlitcomp.blogspot.com and http://english12ns.blogspot.com) who shares a similar philosophy for use of blogs with a totally different dicipline (English).

My final comment at the Blog Awards Panel discussion was “Just do it!” It really isn’t hard. Click here for my blog that I use for professional development to help teachers begin using blogs with their classes.

And now back to the way I usually blog . . .

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