Internal Assessment Background Research
Estimated completion time: 2 hours. Do not rush this task. You will need to include thoughtful, detailed and accurate contextual information in your Internal Assessment. If you rush this task, you will be wasting your time and need to complete it again anyway. Do a thorough, good job in the first place.
You must do some background research from reliable, scientific resources. You are expected to include scholarly research resources; writing based on original research or experimentation. Scholarly research is usually published in research journals and is highly respected because the writing had to be peer-reviewed by experts in the same field before publication. Some possible free, open access resources are:
You will need to provide citations for your background research, inclusive of in text citations and a works cited list. This page provides a thorough overview of how to use MLA to cite your sources, including those from articles, webpages and social media. You can also use tools such as the EasyBib citation generator.
Regarding Use of Generative AI Tools:
Use AI to enhance, not supplant, your learning and your voice
Cite uses of AI to preserve academic integrity. Click here to see how to cite generative AI tools.
Take responsibility to ensure AI-assisted products are accurate, factual and aligned to the intended use
Use critical thinking to examine the appropriate uses of AI
To complete your background research, create a document in which you address the following eight tasks. The more thorough and detailed you are in your answers during this step, the easier the compilation of your final paper will be!
1. Write your approved problem question.
For example: "how does distance from a space heater affect the rate of oxygen production during photosynthesis as measured in Spinach (Spinacia oleracea) leaf discs?"
2. Personal Connection:
Why did you pick this topic? *** Avoid saying things like, "I've always loved to garden..." It comes across as inauthentic and artificial.
What makes it interesting or relevant to you?
How does the topic relate to "everyday life"
The key here is to communicate how you are involved in the investigation, meaning you are learning something or doing something that makes this investigation your own.
3. Biological Process(es) or Phenomena Being Investigated:
For example: photosynthesis
What is the process being investigated in the investigation?
Summarize the process being investigated. Consider including:
Where do the phenomena occur in nature?
When does it occur?
Why does it occur?
How does it occur?
How has the process been studied by biologists?
4. About the organism or biologically relevant molecule being studied:
(in order to "count" as a biology IA, there must be some biologically relevant structure or molecule!)
For example: Spinach (Spinacia oleracea)
What is the name of the biological organism or molecule you are investigating?
What is the scientific name (Genus species) of the organism you are studying or from which the molecule was isolated?
Why is this organism/molecule good for investigating the biological process described above?
5. Manipulated Variable (or correlation variable #1):
For example: heat
What variable is being manipulated in the investigation?
What role does the variable play in the biological process being investigated?
How can the variable be observed and recorded? (not looking for a procedure here, just general info about ways to measures this variable)
How has this variable been studied by biologists and in the past?
6. Responding Variable (or correlation variable #2):
For example: oxygen production
What is being measured in the investigation?
What role does the variable play in the biological process being investigated?
How can the variable be observed and recorded? (not looking for a procedure here, just general info about ways to measures this variable)
How has this variable been studied by biologists and in the past?
7. Expectations:
For example: heat denatures enzymes involved in photosynthesis, so I'd expect increased heat to reduce oxygen production.
What is already known about the relationship between the variables?
Why would these variables have a relationship?
What have other similar investigations found?
Given the research you have done, what is your hypothesis and/or prediction?
Works Cited List: create a MLA, APA or Chicago Style formatted works cited list with at least 5 reliable, scientific sources included.
What’s Next?
The next task, as we baby-step our way through the Internal Assessment, will be to propose your methods and techniques, acquiring materials and beginning data collection.