Science Buddies: "Ask an Expert"

Hii! I am doing a science project about human behaviour. I found my project on your website but i need help with my background research! I can't find the information i need. The purpose of my project is to determine: Who is more likely to get the better grade? Do students with highest IQ generally perform better in academic settings? Which factor or factors determine how we will do in school? I need to find info about how to create the IQ test specifically to measure attention/immediate memory and executive function. after i do my IQ test i need to compare IQ scores, GPA, and Hours Spent StudyingI would realllllly apreciate it if an expert would help guide me with my project research and procedure! Please help I really appreciate your help

Hi!

Do you need to creat you own IQ test or can you just use one fomr the internet? If you can use one from the Internet just type in "IQ test" at google and you should find many results. If you have to make your own follow these instructions:

1. (read this exmaple) http://web.tickle.com/tests/uiq/index-p ... iq_test&z=
2. in a IQ test you sohuld include tricks with numbes like the first problme in the example, quotes, analogies (both words and shapes), etc. Just look at the example and model your questions off of it. This part shouldn't be too difficult to accomplish when you have something to base your test off of.

I'll post more tomorrow!

Fifi,

Using an IQ test to predict academic performance is very difficult. For example: hundreds of IQ tests exist which measure different types of intelligence. An interview with a psycologist is often nessecary to determine which IQ test is most appropriate, depending on what kind of information you are looking for. In addition, many variables in IQ studies are very difficult to control, especially when administered over the internet. For example, one person might take the test while listening to music, and another individual might take the test while eating lunch. Also, you may find that a person who does really well in school performs poorly on an IQ test because the IQ test is testing for the wrong type of intelligence, and vis-versa. I would NOT reccomend you design your own IQ test.

If you are going to carry this project to fruition, you will need to have a very large sample size in order to show causation. Caustion means that you can show that the REASON for having good grades is having a high IQ, or vis-versa. Showing causation in your experiment will be very difficult.

However, if you are up to the challenge and wish to devote a large amount of time and effort to your project, by all means continue!

A last word of caution: All science projects that use humans are REQUIRED to be reviewed by a committe called an IRB to ensure that the study is not potentially dangerous to the subjects. Informed consent is required for each and every subject. You can ensure informed consent by writing a brief description of what exactly each of your subjects will be required to do, having the subject read the description, sign and date it. If the subject is under 18 years old, then the parent(s)/guardian(s) must also sign the informed consent BEFORE anyone can be involved in your experiment.

If you have any other questions, concerns, or issues, please let me know. I would be happy to guide you through the proccess of designing your experiment.

Terik Daly wrote:Fifi,

Using an IQ test to predict academic performance is very difficult. For example: hundreds of IQ tests exist which measure different types of intelligence. An interview with a psycologist is often nessecary to determine which IQ test is most appropriate, depending on what kind of information you are looking for. In addition, many variables in IQ studies are very difficult to control, especially when administered over the internet. For example, one person might take the test while listening to music, and another individual might take the test while eating lunch. Also, you may find that a person who does really well in school performs poorly on an IQ test because the IQ test is testing for the wrong type of intelligence, and vis-versa. I would NOT reccomend you design your own IQ test.

If you are going to carry this project to fruition, you will need to have a very large sample size in order to show causation. Caustion means that you can show that the REASON for having good grades is having a high IQ, or vis-versa. Showing causation in your experiment will be very difficult.

However, if you are up to the challenge and wish to devote a large amount of time and effort to your project, by all means continue!

A last word of caution: All science projects that use humans are REQUIRED to be reviewed by a committe called an IRB to ensure that the study is not potentially dangerous to the subjects. Informed consent is required for each and every subject. You can ensure informed consent by writing a brief description of what exactly each of your subjects will be required to do, having the subject read the description, sign and date it. If the subject is under 18 years old, then the parent(s)/guardian(s) must also sign the informed consent BEFORE anyone can be involved in your experiment.

If you have any other questions, concerns, or issues, please let me know. I would be happy to guide you through the proccess of designing your experiment.

Mr. Daly,

Thanks for your great advice it was greatly appreciated. I am taking with your advice and trying my best to find a psychologist to intreview. I have sent an email to our IRB and am waiting for a reply. In the meanwhile what do you reccomend I include in my background information? I understand that to designing an IQ test myself will be too hard where do you think I should get an IQ test ? on the internet? Also to find the GPA and study time hours do you think I should send out a survery and ask students to give me their GPA and study time hours for last year (since we haven't completed this school year). Another question please, since I was planning to give the IQ tests to my classmates how many subjects do you think I should use for my project? THANK YOU sooo much for your time and help. They are greatly appreciated.

Fifi

Fifi,

For background information, I recommend talking to a psycologist about what exactly you would like to do. The psychologist should be able to give ideas about places to look for data.

I have to go now, but I will post again with information about GPA and study time.

Thank you sooo much for your wonderful support!, Mr.Daly!!
I talked to an psychologist and he is recommending i focus my project on different aspect like the history of the abuse of IQ because he thinks people with lower scores were often excluded from positions of employment or ridiculed by others. He says the most reliable and valid tools for measuring intelligence are restricted for use only by trained professionals who must abide by a strict ethical code. ME doing the IQ test would give me possession of sensitive information that could prove embarrassing to them. Even if I kept the results confidential, I would then have privileged information that they may not really want you to have in the end

So he recommends I do my project on outlining some of the historical abuses of intelligence testing. Perhaps then I could focus on a question of practical use to students, like teaching them some sort of study skills method (e.g., a technique for remembering facts) and then see if it helps them remember.

I would really appreciate your advice about this topic. I'm sorry if I have caused any inconvience for you. I thank you so much for the time and help