Final: A Helpful Guide to the Student Generated Labs 97-99

Criteria for Evaluating Student Generated Labs

There are many factors that contribute to making a high-quality student generated lab. Some factors are completely necessary, where others make the final report all the more better. A hard working group, strong experimental design and a good final paper are just the basics of what you need to succeed. An excellent lab and report comes with time and dedication.
Through the process of evaluating past projects, we found several themes to be reoccurring in many of the papers. One in particular that we noticed frequently was the use of flawed methods or analysis known as "Cheesy Science." Cheesy Science can result from one or a combination of these commonly occurring errors in the scientific process:
I. Problems of How the Question is posed
· Missing Alternative Hypotheses or No Hypothesis at All
· Missing Variables
· "Strawmen"
· Data Dredging
II. Problems with Experimental Design
· No or Not Enough Replication
· Psuedoreplication (replicates not independent)
· No Controls or Not Enough
· No Controls for Unwanted Effects of Experiment
III. Problems with Results and Conclusions
· Ad Hoc Explanations
· Overstepping Place, Time, Across Species
· Wrong Statistics
· Too Many Tests

Through evaluating all the final lab reports of the first semester of Natural Systems I from 1997 to the present, we formulated a simple rating system to judge the quality of individual reports. Our rating technique is a five star system, where "five stars" is the highest rating. A five-star report will meet the following criteria:
· Follows and expands upon outline
· Seeks answer to creative problem and formulates original hypothesis
· Employs no "cheesy science"
· Final paper is proofread, free of grammatical errors and well-organized
· Final paper is understandable in its purpose and methods
If the paper meets all these expectations, then the paper will receive five stars. If the paper is almost perfect and follow most of the criteria, then the paper will receive four stars. If the paper is average and follows some of the guidelines, then we gave the paper three stars. If the paper is below average and does not follow many of the stated criteria, then it will receive two stars. If the paper does not meet any of the criteria, then it will receive one star. Through the rating process, we found that some papers deserved half stars. They went above the criteria for that number, but did not do enough to bump it up to the next number of stars.
Common pitfalls were discovered throughout the papers. These are various items that future students should avoid when doing their final papers. By avoiding these items, it will help them to have a more successful paper. The top ten common pitfalls, followed by examples, we found in the student generated labs:
1. Procrastination: (our experiment that never was). This is the number one cause of a poorly written and designed experiment. It causes rushed and hurried evaluation of your data and, in some cases, no experiment at all.
2. Not being thorough enough: "Optimum Learning Environment." This pitfall involves not expanding on the material that the group presents. In the example, their discussion, conclusions and methods section all were seriously lacking.
3. Having a cheesy science idea: "Process and Evaluation of Leaf Fall." Make sure your data and methods are scientifically sound. If you start out with a cheesy idea, then the final product will be cheesy too. Remember, you get out of your experiment only what you put into it.
4. Using too many variables or too much data: "The Effect of Inorganic Components of Water on Taste." The group's lab report was very thorough, however it seemed as though they tested too many substances in the water. They tested the level of pH, iron, copper, hardness, sulfide, and maganese.
5. Having poor methods and procedure: "Color Change in Leaves." This lab had a fabulous idea, but having read their "methods" section several times, we were still unable to understand what they were trying to accomplish, let alone how they were planning on doing it.
6. Doing what is just expected: In order to succeed, and get something other than a grade out of this lab you really have to do what goes well beyond the call of duty. The final report section is full of labs that just do what is expected, but the ones that go beyond that are the things of legends.
7. Not proofreading paper: Leaving spelling and grammatical errors detract from your final product. No one will listen to the findings of a paper written in fourth grade English.
8. Not having any references: References help to provide a basis for experimentation, and help to give you an idea of what to expect, and it helps to reinforce your findings.
9. B.S.ing your way through the paper: These posts are meant to help the future N.S. 1 students. By B.S.ing an entire lab it doesn't help them (or you) one bit.
10. Procrastination: The perfect example of this would be our non-existent lab.

The top ten best papers took much time and dedication. The groups worked hard and accomplished something resourceful. The list of the top ten best lab reports are from all different years. They have gone above and beyond our criteria and the criteria established by the NS teachers:
1. "A Study in the Ecosystems of Aquatic Insects" is an excellent example of the way a lab should be done. Their methods are completely documented, along with most of their discoveries. The only flaw of this lab is that it is completely written in technical language that can be hard to translate in a way that makes sense to the reader. They meet every requirement of the provided outline explicitly, and finding specific information is easy and quick.

2. "Sedimentary Budget Analysis" is another example of a lab that went into great detail in there methods and materials section. Like the above study the procedures are extremely technical, but they are told in a very understandable way.

3. "Plant chat" is also a great example of how a lab report should look, and what it should contain. It has a definite purpose, the methods are clear, and it gives ideas for further research topics. It is easy to read, and can really be helpful for students in seeing what they can do right.

4. "Expl. of Kepler's 3rd Law as it Applies to the Galilean Satellites" is a good example of a lab that incorporates what we've learned in class into the lab experiment. Although the final section is cut off, the history and introduction is excellent, and the calculations sound.

5. "Forest Sunlight Intensity Under the Canopy and on the Edge" is a lab that is based on a fairly simple topic, but because of the clarity of their procedures and the organization of the lab; they succeed.

6. "Litter in Oxford" was a well thought out project; they avoided many errors by planning a well-developed procedure and researching their topic thoroughly. Although there has been past projects that have been similar to this one, they succeeded well by planning and developing a creative procedure.

7. "Limestone and Acid Decomposition" is a great example of going above and beyond the set criteria. The whole project took on a creative approach and the paper was written in much detail.

8. "The Bark Biters" had a fabulous lab packet. Their purpose, hypothesis and methods were all clearly stated. They followed the outline to a "t." What I was specifically impressed with was the way in which they went above and beyond what they were asked to do. A good idea was to restate their purpose and hypothesis before they began their final discussions and results. They had a great sense of awareness for grammar. Finally, they had a creative hypothesis without the "cheesy science."

9. "Depositional Environment of Route 1 Brookville, IN" is a fine example of a creative and different project. It has an interesting hypothesis about the nature of the Ohio Valley and the fossils found here. The experimental methods are detailed very well too.

10. "The Plant Stimulus" group did everything that was expected. They actually used the outline as a guide to their lab packetÖ and it shows. Although they could have expanded a bit on their methods I was impressed with their entire introduction. Overall, they did more than many other groups did, even if they really only followed the outline.

1997 Student Lab Reports Evaluations
Depositional Environment of Route 1 Brookville, IN
Outline: ****
Creativity: *****
Cheesy science: ***
Organization: ****
Understandable: ****
Total: 20 stars

A Study of the Patterns and Characteristics of Leaf Fall
Outline: ****
Creativity: **
Cheesy science: **
Organization: ***
Understandable: *****
Total: 16 stars

Expl. of Kepler's 3rd Law as it Applies to the Galilean Satellites
Outline: *****
Creativity: ****
Cheesy science: ****
Organization: ***
Understandable: *****
Total: 21 stars

A Controlled Observance of Arthropods Commonly Found on W. Campus
Outline: ****
Creativity: ***
Cheesy science: **
Organization: ****
Understandable: ****
Total: 17 stars

Draft Sediment in the Western Duck Pond
Outline: ****
Creativity: **
Cheesy science: **
Organization: ***
Understandable: ****
Total: 15 stars

Sedimentary Budget Analysis
Outline: ****
Creativity: **
Cheesy science: ***
Organization: *****
Understandable: ****
Total: 18 stars

Process and Evaluation of Leaf Fall
Outline: ***
Creativity: **
Cheesy science: **
Organization: ****
Understandable: ****
Total: 15 stars

Environmental effects on leaf decay
Outline: ****
Creativity: ***
Cheesy science: ****
Organization: ****
Understandable: ****
Total: 19 stars

Water evaporation at the Western Duck Pond
Outline: ***
Creativity: ***
Cheesy science: ***
Organization: ****
Understandable: *****
Total: 18 stars

Community Life-Spiders and Their Tendencies
Outline: ****
Creativity: ****
Cheesy science: ***
Organization: ***
Understandable: *****
Total: 19 stars

Fossil Indications of Liberty Formation
Outline *****
Creativity ****
Cheesy Science *****
Organization ****
Understandable ***
Total: 21

Ocean Bottom Currents and Their Effect on Brachiopods in Liberty Formation
Outline ***
Creativity ****
Cheesy Science*****
Organization ****
Understandable ***
Total: 19

Spider Relationships
Outline ***
Creativity ***
Cheesy Science***
Organization ****
Understandable ***
Total: 16

A Controlled Observance of Arthropods Found on Western Campus
Outline *****
Creativity ***
Cheesy Science *****
Organization *****
Understandable ****
Total: 22

Sedimentary Budget Analysis
Outline *****
Creativity *****
Cheesy Science *****
Organization *****
Understandable ****
Total 24

A Study of Leaf Fall
Outline ****
Creativity ***
Cheesy Science ****
Organization ****
Understandable *****
Total 20

Leaf Decay Lab
Outline *****
Creativity ****
Cheesy Science ****
Organization ****
Understandable ****
Total 21

The Process and Evaluation of Leaf Fall
Outline ****
Creativity ***
Cheesy Science ****
Organization ****
Understandable ****
Total19

Sediment in the Western Duck Pond
Outline ****
Creativity ****
Cheesy Science ****
Organization ***
Understandable ****
Total 19

Topographic Levels
Outline ****
Creativity *****
Cheesy Science *****
Organization ****
Understandable ****
Total 22

Forest Sunlight Intensity Under the Canopy and on the Edge
Outline *****
Creativity ****
Cheesy Science *****
Organization ****
Understandable *****
Total 23

Water Evaporation at the Western Duck Pond
Outline ***
Creativity ***
Cheesy Science **
Organization ****
Understandable ****
Total 16

Environmental Effects of Leaf Decay
Outline ***
Creativity ****
Cheesy Science ****
Organization ***
Understandable ***
Total 17

Gap Effects
Outline *****
Creativity ****
Cheesy Science ****
Organization ****
Understandable ****
Total 21

The Future of the Western Woods
Outline *****
Creativity *****
Cheesy Science ****
Organization ****
Understandable ***
Total 22

'99 final labs

Does the full moon have an impact on how much chocolate you eat?
Outline:***
Creativity: ****
Cheesy science: **
Organization: ***
Understandable: ****
Total: 16 stars

Plant chat
Outline: *****
Creativity: ****
Cheesy science: ****
Organization: *****
Understandable: *****
Total: 23 stars

Miami Leaf Drop
Outline: ***
Creativity: ***
Cheesy science: ***
Organization: ****
Understandable: **
Total: 15 stars

Effectiveness of alternative light in light therapy
Outline: ***
Creativity: ****
Cheesy science: *
Organization: ***
Understandable: **
Total stars: 13

Smart Colors
Outline: ***
Creativity: ***
Cheesy science: ****
Organization: ***
Understandable: **
Total: 18

Typology differences of Western and Architecture students
Outline: ****
Creativity: **
Cheesy science: ****
Organization: ****
Understandable: ***
Total: 15 stars (note, while this lab was well done, it was also incredibly biased in the favor of showing architecture students in the most favorable way possible)

Impact of humans on the domestication of squirrels
Outline: *
Creativity: ***
Cheesy science: **
Organization: **
Understandable: **
Total: 10 stars

Birth order and demographicsÖ are they related to birth order?
Outline: ***
Creativity: ****
Cheesy science: **
Organization: ****
Understandable: **
Total: 16 stars

High ActivationÖGREEN!?!?! The effects of color on the human psyche
Outline: ****
Creativity: ****
Cheesy science: *****
Organization: ***
Understandable: ***
Total: 19 stars

Effects of household chemicals on household plants
Outline: *
Creativity: **
Cheesy science: **
Organization: **
Understandable: ****
Total: 11 stars

A study in the ecosystems of aquatic insects
Outline: *****
Creativity: ****
Cheesy science: *****
Organization: *****
Understandable: ****
Total: 24 stars

Human behavior with relationship to the lunar cycle
Outline: ****
Creativity: ***
Cheesy science: *
Organization: ***
Understandable: ****
Total: 15 stars

What is beauty?
Outline: ***
Creativity: **
Cheesy science: ***
Organization: ****
Understandable: ****
Total: 16 stars

Analyzing sleep patterns between Western majors, and Architect majors
Outline: ***
Creativity: **
Cheesy science: ****
Organization: ****
Understandable: *****
Total: 18 stars

Evaporation at Western Pond
Outline: ****
Creativity: ***
Cheesy science: *****
Organization: ***
Understandable: ****
Total: 19 stars

The wonderful world of lichens
Outline: ***
Creativity: ***
Cheesy science: **
Organization: ***
Understandable: ****
Total: 15 stars

The facelift of a tree
Outline: ***
Creativity: ****
Cheesy science: ***
Organization: ****
Understandable: *****
Total: 18 stars

Oxford bird's eating habits
Outline: ***
Creativity: ***
Cheesy science: **
Organization: ****
Understandable: *****
Total: 17 stars

Water conservation
Outline: ***
Creativity: **
Cheesy science: *
Organization: ****
Understandable: ***
Total: 13 stars

Tent caterpillars
Outline: ****
Creativity: ****
Cheesy Science: ****
Organization****
Understandable: ****
Total: 20 stars

A study of life on western pond
Outline: **
Creativity: **
Cheesy science: *
Organization: ***
Understandable: ****
Total: 12 stars

Petal attraction
Outline: ***
Creativity: *****
Cheesy science: *
Organization: ***
Understandable: ****
Total: 16 stars

Freeing our Brachiopod brothers!
Outline: ***
Creativity: ***
Cheesy science: *
Organization: ***
Understandable: **
Total: 12 stars

How color affects Moods
Outline: ****
Creativity: **
Cheesy science: ***
Organization: ****
Understandable: ****
Total: 17 stars

1998 Student Generated Labs

The Smokey Situation
Outline: ***
Creativity: ****
Cheesy Science: ****
Organization: ***
Understandable: ****
Total: 18

Color Change in Leaves
Outline: ***
Creativity: **
Cheesy Science: **
Organization: ****
Understandable: **
Total: 13

The Bark Biters
Outline: *****
Creativity: ****
Cheesy Science: *****
Organization: *****
Understandable: *****
Total: 24

Effects of Colour on Fish
Outline: ***
Creativity: ****
Cheesy Science: ***
Organization: ***
Understandable: ****
Total: 17

Plant Stimulus Project
Outline: *****
Creativity: ****
Cheesy Science: *****
Organization: *****
Understandable: *****
Total: 24

Gender Juxtaposition Postulate
Outline: ****
Creativity: *****
Cheesy Science: ****
Organization: ****
Understandable: ****
Total: 21

Optimum Learning Environment
Outline: ****
Creativity: ****
Cheesy Science: ***
Organization: ***
Understandable: ***
Total: 17

The Wonderwheel: A study of gravity's effect on plants
Outline: ***
Creativity: ****
Cheesy Science: ***
Organization: ***
Understandable: ***
Total: 16

The Effects of Acid Rain on Limestone Tombstones
Outline: *****
Creativity: ****
Cheesy Science: *****
Organization: *****
Understandable: *****
Total: 24

Leaf Decomposition: Breakfast Club Style
Outline: ****
Creativity: ****
Cheesy Science: ****
Organization: ****
Understandable: ****
Total: 20

A Study in the Behavior of Swans
Outline: ****
Creativity: ***
Cheesy Science: ***
Organization: ****
Understandable: ***
Total: 17

Tastebud Testers
Outline: ****
Creativity: *****
Cheesy Science: ****
Organization: ****
Understandable: *****
Total: 22

The Berry Fiends
Outline: ****
Creativity: *****
Cheesy Science: ****
Organization: *****
Understandable: *****
Total: 23

The Bat Group
Outline: ****
Creativity: ****
Cheesy Science: ***
Organization: ****
Understandable: ****
Total: 22

Litter in Oxford
Outline: *****
Creativity: ***
Cheesy Science: ****
Organization: *****
Understandable: *****
Total: 22

Bean Growth
Outline: ***
Creativity: ****
Cheesy Science: ***
Organization: ***
Understandable: ****
Total: 17

Erosion of Da Creek
Outline: **
Creativity: **
Cheesy Science: **
Organization: ***
Understandable: ***
Total: 12

Limestone and Acid Decomposition
Outline: *****
Creativity: ****
Cheesy Science: ****
Organization: *****
Understandable: ****
Total: 22

Litter is Bitter
Outline: **
Creativity: **
Cheesy Science: **
Organization: **
Understandable: *
Total: 9

Oh Jesus Bugs
Outline: ****
Creativity: ****
Cheesy Science: ***
Organization: *****
Understandable: ****
Total: 20

Cutting Lab
Outline: *
Creativity: ***
Cheesy Science: ***
Organization: **
Understandable: **
Total: 11

From the Family Tree of Old School Astronomy
Outline: ****
Creativity: ****
Cheesy Science: ***
Organization: ***
Understandable: *****
Total: 19

Energy Distribution
Outline: ****
Creativity: ****
Cheesy Science: ***
Organization: ***
Understandable: ****
Total: 18

The Effect of Inorganic Compounds of Water on Taste
Outline: ****
Creativity: *****
Cheesy Science: ***
Organization: ****
Understandable: ****
Total: 20

Sediments and You
Outline: ***
Creativity: ****
Cheesy Science: **
Organization: ****
Understandable: ****
Total: 17

Where does the Honeysuckle go?
Outline: **
Creativity: ****
Cheesy Science: ***
Organization: ***
Understandable: ****
Total: 16

Measuring Trees
Outline: ***
Creativity: ****
Cheesy Science: **
Organization: ***
Understandable: ***
Total: 15

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