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| Stream Monitoring | Guided Research Research Methodology |
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Creating the Context Home Research Focus Background Info Research Methods Data Submission Results of Study Data Analysis Conclusion Further Research Guided Research Research Question Background Info Research Methods Data Submission Results of Study Data Analysis Conclusion Further Research Research Values Student Research Doing Research Publish View Tools Discussions Stream Teams Water Links |
Streams can be monitored for many traits and in many ways. In the Creating the Context work on this project
we examined closely the physical, chemical, and biological nature of our streams. The information necessary for this research is the Water Quality Index Protocol for a site at the headwater of your stream. You should find a good local
map of the watershed and find a site within 1.5 miles of where your stream begins. The second sampling site should be within 1 mile of the mouth of your stream.
Our Research question deal with changes in the Water Quality Index from the beginning and end of a stream. After you have gather background information and made preliminary observations ( you might want to do the Visual Survey at your two sampling sites), it is time to formulate a hypothesis. A hypothesis is merely a tentative explanation proposed to account for the observed phenomena. You are speculating on how natural events will turn out, based on what you know. "Science is systematic in method because it seeks a system of prediction." That prediction is the hypothesis. Any hypothesis selected or formulated must be testable. Experiments generally test hypotheses by testing the validity of the predictions or conclusions derived from them. The primary purpose of designing scientific experiments is to test the proposed hypotheses. It is important to know that hypotheses are never proven - they are either supported or not supported by the data from the experimental results. Borrowing from statistics, two types of hypotheses are used simultaneously: null (H0) and alternative (H1) . H0 states that events will not change, not differ and H1 states that events will change, differ, from some baseline standard or control conditions. This change (dependent variable) predicted by H1 will be due to the occurrence of an experimentally controlled variable (independent variable). Hypothesis for this Guided Research H0: There is no measurable change between the the WQI at the headwaters of a stream and the WQI at the mouth of a stream. H1: There is a measurable change between the the WQI at the headwaters of a stream and the WQI at the mouth of a stream. Use the Research Methodologies below to collect the information you need. In order to address the hypothesis of this research you will need to collect the data from the Water Quality Index tests. The other methodologies may give you data that will help you interpret your results. Research Methodology for: ERROR: Missing required data. |