(a) Most of the time the aim of investigation is given in the question itself. For example:
-
An investigation was carried out to find the time taken for ice cubes of different masses to melt.
For the above question, the aim of investigation is already given in the question itself. Why was the investigation carried out? to investigate the time taken for ice cubes of different masses to melt (Aim of investigation) (b) Sometimes, the question would not state the aim of investigation. In such situation the formula below would help:
To investigate the relationship between (state the manipulated variable) and the (state the reaponding variable
Variable There are three type of variable;
(a) Manipulated variable : What is changed (b) Responding variable : What is observed, note that when the manipulated variable is changed, the responding variable changes by itself. It responds to the manipulated variable. (c) Constant/fixed variable : What is kept the same.
Hypothesis and conclusion As far as upsr is concerned, the hypothesis and conclusion is the same. Hypothesis is a theory that is tested with an experiment. If the theory is proven right, the conclusion would be the hypothesis (hypothesis is proven right).if the conclusion does not follow the hypothesis, then the hypothesis is wrong. Another hypothesis must be formed and tested with an experiment. So, hypothesis is actually a smart guess. It can be a right statement or a wrong statement. However as far as upsr is concerned, you are trained to write the right hypothesis .Therefore: HYPOTHESIS = CONCLUSION How to form hypothesis/conclusion?
You have to state the relationship between the manipulated variable and the responding variable. For example, use words like increase, decrease, higher, lower, bigger, smaller, etc. For example. If the experiment is to investigate the relationship between surface area and rate of evaporation. Manipulated variable : surface area Responding variable : rate of evaporation Therefore hypothesis/conclusion : Bigger the surface area, higher the rate of evaporation. Inference
