RAFFLES GIRLS SCHOOL YEAR 3 BIOLOGY 2014 Introduction to Presentation of Data and Observations (PDO1)

Students should be able to: (I) Present all information in an appropriate form Information can be presented in table and graphical format or through annotated drawings/ diagrams. In the majority of cases, tables of results will be the best way to present data. TABLES Use a ruler and pencil to draw the table outline. All information must be presented in ONE SINGLE TABLE. 1 Table should have an underlined TITLE with UNITS describing the relationship between the dependent and independent variables. ! Do note that the unit used for some dependent variables (e.g. colour intensity) are expressed in arbitrary units (au). The independent variable should be listed in the leftmost column. Columns for raw data and manipulated data should be successively added on the right. Each column (and row if necessary) should be given an appropriate HEADING and UNIT. There should not be units in the body of the table. Data values for the independent variable should be listed in order of increasing magnitude.

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EXAMPLE OF A TABLE Table showing the effect of temperature/ C on the rate of starch hydrolysis/ s-1 Time taken to reach achromic point/ s Reading 2 Reading 3 Average Rate of starch hydrolysis/ s-1

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Temperature/ C 10 20 30 40 50 60

Reading 1

GRAPHS
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Use a ruler and pencil to draw the graph axes and plot points. The graph should have an appropriate linear SCALE that allows it to fill up at least 2/3 of the graph paper. ! The scale for the horizontal or x- / vertical or y- axis of the graph may or may not begin at zero, depending on the values of data points to be plotted. The intervals used in the scale should be regular. Graph should have an underlined TITLE with UNITS describing the relationship between the dependent and independent variables. ! Example 1: with concentration of hydrogen peroxide (mol dm-3) " Rejected title: Graph of rate of bubbles evolved against concentration of hydrogen peroxide concentration (mol dm-3) ! Example 2:
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! Acceptable title: Graph showing relationship between rate of bubbles evolved (min-1)

! Acceptable title: Graph showing effect of temperature ( C) on rate of starch digestion

by amylase (s )
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" Rejected title: Graph of temperature ( C) and rate of starch digestion by amylase (s-1)
3 The independent variable must be plotted on the x-axis and the dependent variable on the y-axis. X-axis (horizontal axis) Independent variable Type of variable Variable values are PREDETERMINED OR MANIPULATED (i.e. what you control) by the experimenter; Will not change in the course of the experiment but can be modified in other similar experiments. Y-axis (vertical axis) Dependent variable Values cannot be fixed/ manipulated by the experimenter; Values are only KNOWN AT THE END of the experiment and changes accordingly with the independent variable (i.e. what you measure), depending on the response of the sample.

EXERCISE: Determine the independent and dependent variables in the following examples: a) To study the rate of photosynthesis at different temperatures o independent variable: TEMPERATURE o dependent variable: RATE OF PHOTOSYNTHESIS b) To study the effect of temperature on the rate of amylase-catalyzed starch digestion o independent variable: TEMPERATURE o dependent variable: RATE OF AMYLASE-CATALYZED STARCH DIGESTION
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Axes must be clearly labelled with a proper axis HEADING and appropriate UNITS.

Data points must be correctly plotted. 6 A SMOOTH line/ curve depicting the line/ curve of best-fit must be drawn, which should not be extrapolated beyond the plotted points.

EXAMPLE OF A GRAPH Graph showing effect of concentration of H2O2/ moldm on average number of bubbles -1 on average number of bubbles evolved/ min evolved/ min-1
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Graph showing effect of concentration of -3 H2 O 2 / moldm

-3

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Average number of bubbles -1 evolved/ min

14 12 10 8 6 4 2 0 1 2 3 Concentration of H2O2/ mol dm-3 4 5

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