Revision - Module 7: Fact or Fallacy
Testing Claims
Inquiry question: How can a claim be tested?
1. Define the following in relation to scientific investigations,
a. Validity
Measure of how correct the results of the experiment are
b. Reliability
Measure of the internal consistency and stability of a measuring device
c. Accuracy
The closeness of a measured value to a standard or know value
2. During this module you designed and carried out investigations to test the claim “Eggs can’t be crushed on
the long axis”.
a. Outline the investigation you carried out.
Forces were applied to the egg on its long axis slowly via placing the egg in something to hold it
steady and upright while placing the force meter square on the top and loading weights onto the
force meter one by one to track the force being applied, as well as evenly distributing it on the long
axis of the egg.
b. Comment on the,
i. validity of the experimental design
Our variables were set correctly with only one independent (weights) and one dependent
(force). The other variable was reasonably fixed, that is
o Eggs were 700g.
o Same weights.
ii. reliability of the data obtained
the data obtained is very reliable, however, more test can be run to increase data and
therefore makes averages more accurate.
We took five readings. This was not enough to get a result that we are confident with.
iii. accuracy of the procedure, including random and systematic errors
The results of the experiment were higher than other estimated values and lower than
others as well. Due to the fact we couldn’t find specific reviewed data on the subject we
use compare other results/claims to ours, finding that they’re all pretty similar, showing the
accuracy of the procedure used.
Our value of 50N does match the published values found on the internet for raw eggs. In
terms of our experimental procedure of applying the force to the egg there is a large
opportunity to improve the accuracy of our reading.
3. Evaluate the impact that sample selection and sample sizes can have on the results of an investigation in
relation to the two examples below.
a. Tossing a coin
4. Conducting a survey to see if students should be allowed to use their phones whenever they like at school.
Most people interviewed said no, could be a bias because majority were teachers however, they younger
people interviews agreed for music purposely only.
5. Describe the following types of advertising.
a. Emotive
Advertisements attempting to evoke customers emotional responses to sell products
b. Evidence-based claims
Attempt to persuade consumers to buy products using scientific claims o the products efficacy
6. Compare the two types of advertising using the specific examples below.
, a. health claims on food packaging.
“vitamins + water=all you need” on vitamin water which is just a sugary drink falsely promoted to be
healthy
b. claims about the efficacy of a product.
Milo displaying a 4.5-star rating proudly, when this only applied when the milo is made in a very
specific way with specific amounts of certain products. The star rating was also only based on
milos own nutritional values and if eaten straight would only score 1.5-stars on their own scale.
Impacts of Investigations
Inquiry question: What factors can affect the way data can be interpreted, analysed and
understood?
1. Define the following with an example for each.
a. Placebo
Is a substance designed to not have any therapeutic value, for example a sugar pill.
b. Double-blind trial
Neither researcher or participant know who is getting a placebo and who is getting the real
treatment, for example in drug trial patients are given drugs to test pain relief but neither know if it
is real or not.
c. Control groups
A group that does not receive treatment and is used as a bench mark to measure how the other
tested subjects do, for example people not receiving pain relief verses those who do to see how
well it works.
2. Justify the use of the three processes above to draw valid conclusions from scientific investigations.
3. Society and economic needs/want influence how scientists collect and interpret data. Evaluate the impact
of these influences for the following examples.
a. predicting variations in climate
Research reported a cooling period between the 1940s and the 1960s despite increasing build-up
of CO2. Renowned climatologist Cesare Emiliani predicted that a new glaciation would begin.
Emiliani likely made the prediction because he was influenced by the years, he had spent
researching paleoclimates with a focus on ice ages.
b. suggesting remedies for health conditions
Stereotyping presents a problem, particularly in the medical profession where doctors and medical
scientists must make recommendations for health conditions affecting a wide range of people. The
results of such stereotype biases are clear, with studies indicating that racial minorities and women
are more likely to have delayed diagnosis and treatment, and higher mortality rates despite the
relatively equal prevalence of a disease in the population.
c. manipulating statistical data
Issues such as convenience sampling, voluntary selection sampling and survivor selection may
mean that a representative sample of the population has not been obtained.
Evidence based analysis
Inquiry question: What type of evidence is needed to draw valid conclusions?
1. Define,
a. Correlation
Measure indicating two or more varibles fluctuate together.
b. Causation
One event is the result of the occurrence of another.
2. For the following examples identify the correlation observed and the misinterpreted causation.
a. the Hawthorne effects
Testing Claims
Inquiry question: How can a claim be tested?
1. Define the following in relation to scientific investigations,
a. Validity
Measure of how correct the results of the experiment are
b. Reliability
Measure of the internal consistency and stability of a measuring device
c. Accuracy
The closeness of a measured value to a standard or know value
2. During this module you designed and carried out investigations to test the claim “Eggs can’t be crushed on
the long axis”.
a. Outline the investigation you carried out.
Forces were applied to the egg on its long axis slowly via placing the egg in something to hold it
steady and upright while placing the force meter square on the top and loading weights onto the
force meter one by one to track the force being applied, as well as evenly distributing it on the long
axis of the egg.
b. Comment on the,
i. validity of the experimental design
Our variables were set correctly with only one independent (weights) and one dependent
(force). The other variable was reasonably fixed, that is
o Eggs were 700g.
o Same weights.
ii. reliability of the data obtained
the data obtained is very reliable, however, more test can be run to increase data and
therefore makes averages more accurate.
We took five readings. This was not enough to get a result that we are confident with.
iii. accuracy of the procedure, including random and systematic errors
The results of the experiment were higher than other estimated values and lower than
others as well. Due to the fact we couldn’t find specific reviewed data on the subject we
use compare other results/claims to ours, finding that they’re all pretty similar, showing the
accuracy of the procedure used.
Our value of 50N does match the published values found on the internet for raw eggs. In
terms of our experimental procedure of applying the force to the egg there is a large
opportunity to improve the accuracy of our reading.
3. Evaluate the impact that sample selection and sample sizes can have on the results of an investigation in
relation to the two examples below.
a. Tossing a coin
4. Conducting a survey to see if students should be allowed to use their phones whenever they like at school.
Most people interviewed said no, could be a bias because majority were teachers however, they younger
people interviews agreed for music purposely only.
5. Describe the following types of advertising.
a. Emotive
Advertisements attempting to evoke customers emotional responses to sell products
b. Evidence-based claims
Attempt to persuade consumers to buy products using scientific claims o the products efficacy
6. Compare the two types of advertising using the specific examples below.
, a. health claims on food packaging.
“vitamins + water=all you need” on vitamin water which is just a sugary drink falsely promoted to be
healthy
b. claims about the efficacy of a product.
Milo displaying a 4.5-star rating proudly, when this only applied when the milo is made in a very
specific way with specific amounts of certain products. The star rating was also only based on
milos own nutritional values and if eaten straight would only score 1.5-stars on their own scale.
Impacts of Investigations
Inquiry question: What factors can affect the way data can be interpreted, analysed and
understood?
1. Define the following with an example for each.
a. Placebo
Is a substance designed to not have any therapeutic value, for example a sugar pill.
b. Double-blind trial
Neither researcher or participant know who is getting a placebo and who is getting the real
treatment, for example in drug trial patients are given drugs to test pain relief but neither know if it
is real or not.
c. Control groups
A group that does not receive treatment and is used as a bench mark to measure how the other
tested subjects do, for example people not receiving pain relief verses those who do to see how
well it works.
2. Justify the use of the three processes above to draw valid conclusions from scientific investigations.
3. Society and economic needs/want influence how scientists collect and interpret data. Evaluate the impact
of these influences for the following examples.
a. predicting variations in climate
Research reported a cooling period between the 1940s and the 1960s despite increasing build-up
of CO2. Renowned climatologist Cesare Emiliani predicted that a new glaciation would begin.
Emiliani likely made the prediction because he was influenced by the years, he had spent
researching paleoclimates with a focus on ice ages.
b. suggesting remedies for health conditions
Stereotyping presents a problem, particularly in the medical profession where doctors and medical
scientists must make recommendations for health conditions affecting a wide range of people. The
results of such stereotype biases are clear, with studies indicating that racial minorities and women
are more likely to have delayed diagnosis and treatment, and higher mortality rates despite the
relatively equal prevalence of a disease in the population.
c. manipulating statistical data
Issues such as convenience sampling, voluntary selection sampling and survivor selection may
mean that a representative sample of the population has not been obtained.
Evidence based analysis
Inquiry question: What type of evidence is needed to draw valid conclusions?
1. Define,
a. Correlation
Measure indicating two or more varibles fluctuate together.
b. Causation
One event is the result of the occurrence of another.
2. For the following examples identify the correlation observed and the misinterpreted causation.
a. the Hawthorne effects
