Methods of Applied Statistics

Jessie Klein (Biology)
kleinj@middlesex.mass.edu
Mary Mogan-Vallon (Mathematics)
moganvallonm@middlesex.mass.edu
Middlesex Community College


Onion Lab Report

Introduction:
Discuss three types of water pollution and what are the causes of the pollution.
Explain the purpose of the experiment and put it in the context of what you learned about water pollution.

Materials and Methods: These directions were previously given to you.

Materials:
List all the items you are using to perform this experiment:
For example:
50ml centrifuge tubes

Methods: Write down what you did:
a. How did you make the solutions:

b. How did you prepare the onions?
c. How much solution was placed in each centrifuge tube?

Example: Onions were placed on 50 ml centrifuge tubes containing the control and test solutions so that the base of the onion was suspended in the solution.  You could draw a picture. The tubes were than placed in a rack and put---------where? Light or no light??
Temperature??

Results:
1. State your results. Use a “BEFORE and AFTER” sheet to organize your reported results.


Conclusion:
a. Interpret the meaning of your results. Did any of the chemicals inhibit root growth, did any of them stimulate root growth?
b. Were the differences between the control and experimentals statistically significant? 
c. Where you surprised by any of your results? Explain
d. Do your road salt results make sense when compared to what is written in the literature about road salt.
e. What is eutrophication? Do any of your results support the ideas of eutrophication?
f. Based on your results what additional experiments could you do to gain more information?(state at least 2 experiments)

References:
Water pollution
http://mbgnet.mobot.org/fresh/pollute.htm

http://www.epa.gov/safewater/privatewells/booklet/humanactivities.html

Road salt
http://www.ec.gc.ca/science/sandejan02/article3_e.html

Wastewater
http://water.usgs.gov/pubs/fs/2004/3127/index.html

Eutrophication
http://toxics.usgs.gov/definitions/eutrophication.html