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Dealing With the Data
The information on this page provides you with some examples on how to
properly treat and display data. One should think of a science fair
report and display as an exercise in communication. One's goal is to
present the results of an experiment as clearly and consisely as
possible. Care must be taken when dealing with and interpreting
experimental results. If data are interpreted improperly the result can
be an invalid or unsupported conclusion.
- Calculating Averages
- Any experiment worth doing is worth doing several times. Repeating
measurements helps to check for simple
errors in your technique and to understand some of the factors which
affect your experimental results.
- Experiments are always affected by how accurately you can make the
measurements. Often the only way to
judge the accuracy of your measurements is to repeat them.
- Whenever you make a series of measurements of the same thing
you will normally get slightly
different answers.
- The correct way to deal with such measurements is to
average them. To do this you simply
add up all of your values and divide by the number of values you added
together.
- Making Data Tables
- Put a title at the top of every table which briefly describes what
is contained in the table. Include a table
number at the start of the table (such as Table 1.) so that you
can refer to it easily and clearly from the
text. This is very important if you have more than one table in
your report.
- Make sure the table contains all important information needed to
help interpret the data.
- Clearly label all the columns in the table. Make sure that units
are included in the labels.
- Make sure the table is done neatly, that all the columns are lined
up and all the values are easy to read.
- Try to keep your table format as consistent as possible.
- Graphing Data
- Put a title at the top of every graph. The title should briefly
describes what is contained in the graph.
Include a graph or figure number at the start of the title (such
as Figure 1.) so that you can refer to it
easily and clearly from the text. This is very important if you
have more than one figure in your report.
- Make sure the graph is large enough so that the plotted data can
be read easily.
- Clearly label all the the horizontal and vertical axes of the
graph. Make sure that units are included in
the labels.
- Include clear, usable scales on both axes. Include enough values
so that someone else can easily
estimate the horizontal and vertical values of the data in the graph.
- Make the plotted points big enough so that they are easy to see.
- The points should be placed as accurately as possible.
Comments: jtucker@trms.k12.fulton.ga.net
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