files are attached below!
Experimental Design: Reaction Time Part 1: Finding and Citing Sources 1) Finding sources: Reaction time is defined as the time interval between the beginning of a stimulus and your response. Your reaction time can be influenced by a variety of factors. For example, fatigue can play a role in how quickly you respond to hitting the breaks if someone pulls out in front of you while driving (stimulus). In this project, you will be using a website to measure your reaction time. · Try it out! To get to this site, simply click on the URL below or copy and paste it into a specific browser: https://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/java/redgreen.html · At this site there are instructions which tell you to click on a stoplight and wait for it to turn green (stimulus). When it turns green you click the button as quickly as you can. It will record your response time in seconds. In this lab you will be choosing a factor that might affect reaction time and use it while recording your response times. Now that you have an understanding of how you will measure your reaction time, go to an online library, such as the IHCC library at https://www.inverhills.edu/library/index.html and do a search for sources using keywords (e.g., reaction time). Hang onto the articles you choose so you can use them for summaries and citations below. Learn how to choose reliable sources on page 2 (below). Choose, from your search, at least 4 variables that could affect reaction time. Any one of these could be your chosen independent variable. NOTE: It is important that you choose variables that would be easy to test using the red-light, green-light reaction time test (above link). Factors that may influence reaction time (potential independent variables) 1. __________________________________________________ 2. __________________________________________________ 3. __________________________________________________ 4. __________________________________________________ 2) Citing Sources For this project you will be using the published sources you find to support your experiment. It is important that you understand the kind of sources you should be seeking as well as how to cite them. You will be using these sources to build your background information to support the experiment. Here are some criteria: · Cite all sources of information that are not your own. Any background information that you have used to inform you and your audience about the purpose of the study is information that you must have taken from another source. IN OTHER WORDS, ALL SUMMARY INFORMATION MUST BE IN YOUR OWN WORDS! · DO NOT QUOTE INFORMATION FROM THE ARTICLES. · Please use “scholarly” sources of information. These are peer-reviewed, university or research institute published journal articles or other professional publications. Please go to https://www.library.illinois.edu/ugl/howdoi/scholarly/ to aid your understanding of scholarly sources. · Please use the MLA citation format (see below for format). · “Hearsay” is not at source of information. If you heard something about your subject that is not directed from a specific source or formal interview, it is considered hearsay and must be backed up with a valid source of information in order to be used. · IMPORTANT! All lab reports will be examined in the Turn-it-in program to check for validity and plagiarism. 3) Format for citations - the Modern Language Association (MLA) format: We will be using the MLA format to cite sources. Click here: https://dal.ca.libguides.com/CitationStyleGuide/MLA and it will take you to an overview of this method. · Scroll down to find the recommended way to do In-text Citations using the “name-period” system. This is how you will be citing your supporting background in the Introduction of your paper. · Scroll down further on the website to find the recommended way to setup your Works Cited at the end of your paper. They give you three examples. 4) Summarizing your sources with citations. Use this worksheet to summarize (in your own words – the summaries are checked for plagiarism using Turn-It-In) and cite the 4 sources you discovered in your library search. Please briefly summarize using your own words. Please do not use quotes from the sources you find. Submit this to the Reaction Time Project – Part 1 assignment dropbox for grading. PLEASE TYPE!!! No hand-written work should be submitted. Sources: 1. Title: Summary: Citation (MLA): 2. Title: Summary: Citation (MLA): 3. Title: Summary: Citation (MLA): 4. Title: Summary: Citation (MLA): Experimental Design: Reaction Time Part 2 – Designing an Experiment Use this worksheet to guide you as you design your group experiment. 1. As a group, discuss the different variables that you researched for you project in part 1 and decide which one you would like to explore. a. Identify the chosen independent variable: 2. Ask a question using your chosen independent variable. For example, How does factor X affect reaction time? a. Question: 3. Writing a hypothesis to answer the question. a. Formulate a hypothesis using your chosen independent variable. Use an “If______ then,_______” format. For example, “If factor X affects reaction time, then when this factor is present the reaction time will increase (get slower).” b. State the hypothesis: 4. Design of an Experiment Continue your design by identifying these other components of your experiment. a. Independent variable (from above): b. Dependent variable (response): c. Controlled variables or constants (These might be variables you did not choose from above AND other variables that must be controlled to ensure that all subjects are doing the experiment the SAME): d. Experimental group(s): e. Control group: f. Number of replications: 5. Decide how you will do the actual test (website). Remember, you are using the red-light/green-light test to measure your reaction times: https://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/java/redgreen.html a. It is important that you write out a procedure with details. If all members of the group are not doing the experiment the same way, it will skew your results and the data will be less reliable. Here are some things to consider: i. Are there distractions? ii. What kind of an environment are you testing in? iii. Will the computer that you use cause data to be collected differently? b. Write out a procedure so that everyone knows how to do the experiment the same way: 6. Write an introduction. It can be written in two paragraphs: This section is one of the longest sections of your report. It should include: 1. 1st paragraph - Background information: Summarize or review current knowledge about the topic. This requires you did the research (see Part 1) so that you may introduce the reader to the background information about your topic. Introduce key concepts, define terms and explain important researched hypotheses. Start broad and end specific. Cite key references in-text using the MLA format. 2. 2nd paragraph: a. State the purpose of the study. How does this fit into the broader framework? b. State your hypothesis. Define your independent and dependent variables, and control and experimental groups. Clarify any controlled variables. Submit your group rough draft of the Introduction to the assignment dropbox called Reaction Time Project – Part 2 Reaction Time Project Part 3 – Collecting and Organizing Data Collect data. After you have decided how you and your group will collect your data, go ahead and conduct the experiment. ALL DATA SHOULD BE SHARED WITH GROUP MEMBERS. You will be given class time to pull your data together. An example of a table format can be found below to record data, or you may make your own data table. Either way, make sure your table has a title, and labels for both the control and experimental groups as well as units for the measurement you are collecting. NOTE: The table below is just a simple example of what you can do. You will need to expand or add to it in order to make it complete. Title of Table: _________________________________________________ (Control Group) (Experimental Group) Measurement 1 Measurement 2 Measurement 3 Measurement 4 Measurement 5 Average NOTES: · Apply some simple statistics to your data. When you have lots of numbers to deal with, calculating averages for each group helps you make sense of the data. Remember, to combine ALL control group measurements (all members data) into ONE average. Do the same for experimental group averages. DO NOT SEPARATE GROUP MEMBERS. This would defeat the purpose of having large group sizes. An average should reflect many subjects, not just one. · Apply other statistics to your data set. How different are your averages? If you repeat this experiment would the averages be about the same? In other words, is the difference real? IMPORTANT: We will discuss statistics in a Zoom meeting so that you understand the value of a t-Test. · How to conduct a t-Test on your data set. · You can enter your group data using this Student T-test calculator: https://www.meta-calculator.com/t-test-calculator.php · Instructions: · Enter site. · Click START CALCULATOR · Select Two-sample Paired t-Test and Raw Data · Enter data as x and y columns corresponding to your control and experimental group data. · Click Analyze · Make sure you have 95% confidence level selected on the analysis page. · Find the number referred to as the p-value to determine if there is a significant difference in your data or if you must reject your hypothesis. · To learn more about p-values, go to https://www.simplypsychology.org/p-value.html · Report differences in your Analysis section. Graph your data: You will need to take the group averages and put them into an appropriate graph. This is so they can be visualized. It is important that you have already completed the Data Illustration assignment and are able to correctly choose the correct graph type for your data set. I have provided a blank graph for your use OR you can build your own using an Excel spreadsheet or other program as long as you are able to complete all components of the graph. See the instructions below/on next page for rules. Title of Graph: _________________________________________________ SOME RULES FOR MAKING A GRAPH: · Put your independent variable on the X-axis and the dependent variable on the Y-axis. · Clearly label both axes to identify what each represents (e.g. oxygen consumed versus time, length vs. temperature.). · Include your units (e.g., temperature in Celsius) for each label if necessary! · Adjust the scale of units on each axis so that your graph is large enough to read and easily interpreted. A graph with points placed too close together can be unintelligible; tiny bars on a large piece of graph paper are harder to read – use the space you have. · Provide a title at the top of the graph which briefly identifies the subject of