How do I write what I want to test for in a hypothesis

AFTER you've done your research and concluded your experiments, it is time to prepare for the science fair. Ask specific questions about preparing for a science fair, including how to set up your display board, how to prepare a presentation, etc. (Please post questions about selecting a project or conducting your experiment by posting in the appropriate "area of science" forum.)

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matthew1
Posts: 8
Joined: Wed Nov 04, 2009 2:29 pm
Occupation: student
Project Question: Is exposure relevant to the accumulation of bacteria and transfer to a surface?
Project Due Date: 11-18-2009
Project Status: I am just starting

How do I write what I want to test for in a hypothesis

Post by matthew1 »

I have my questions formulated for my this year's project. I though cannot decide how to narrow it down to one or two hypothesis. I know hypothesis is if and then statements... It just is not making sense to me this year. I know what I am going to do... I want to test for mold with an air study, test for mold by culturing, redo the swabs on the key boards from last year, compare the bacterial growth on keyboards at elementary, junior high and high school...
I want to do a lot. I just do not know how to tie it into a couple hypothesis. Here are my questions I hope to answer:
• Why was there mold on the nurses Petri dishes last year and not much bacteria? Did the mold inhibit the bacteria?
• What kind of mold was it?
• Are the nurses over killing the normal bacteria in their environment making the mold spores more proliferate?
• Is the nurse’s office environment more prone to mold than the classroom? Why?
• Does the amount of bacteria found on a student’s keyboard decrease with grade level? Supporting as one’s age increases so does their knowledge and ability to wash one’s hands?
• Which door handle in the school has the most bacteria?
• What location in the school contains the most bacteria?
How do I get this in hypothesis format?
barretttomlinson
Former Expert
Posts: 932
Joined: Wed Oct 03, 2007 12:24 am

Re: How do I write what I want to test for in a hypothesis

Post by barretttomlinson »

Hi,

You seem to me to be starting to formulate the start of your project question pretty well. You may want to be careful to distinguish between your project question(the question you are trying to answer) and your hypothesis (the if … then… statement, your guess at what the answer will be).

I suggest you carefully read the Science Buddies Project Guide, paying particular attention to the pages on the Scientific Method, Your Question, and Hypotheses.

https://www.sciencebuddies.org/science- ... ndex.shtml

ItBest wishes for a very successful project!

Barrett L Tomlinson
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