ISC3523C: Research Methods
Schedule Spring 2011

Week
Dates
Lecture Topics
Lecture Assignments Due

Lab

Lab Assignments Due
T

W

R
1
1/4
1/5
1/6

Introduction; Curiosity and Scientific Inquiry;
Scientific Literature

Read Chapter 1

Balloons and Home Inquiry I Discussion
2
1/11
1/12
1/13

Experimental Design; Error Analysis; Reducing Systemic Error

Inquiry I write-up ; Read Chapter 2

Inquiry II
3
1/18
1/19
1/20

Graphical Analysis of Data; Evaluating Inquiries

Homework 1 Due
Graphical Analysis of Data; Inquiry II
Inquiry II Proposal
4
1/25
1/26
1/27

Statistics: Overview; Sampling and Averaging

Homework 2 Due
Inquiry II
5
2/1
2/2
2/3

Statistics: Standard Deviation; Standard Error

Read Chapter 3
Inquiry II; Applying Statistics to Data
6
2/8
2/9
2/10

Statistics: Distributions and Central Limit Theorem; Z Tests;t Test

Homework 3 Due
Inquiry III: Starting Off
Inquiry II Drafts
7
2/15
2/16
2/17

Inquiry II Partner Grading ; Inquiry II Presentations

Homework 4 Due
Inquiry III, c2 Test
8
2/22
2/23
2/24

Inquiry II Presentations

Homework 5 Due

Inquiry IV; Planning

9
3/1
3/2
3/3

Scientific Literature: Existence; Searching

Homework 6 Due by Friday 3/4/11 5PM ;

Inquiry II Rough Draft Due - Submit to Inquiry II link online

Inquiry IV; Proposal Review

Inquiry III Analysis;Inquiry IV Proposal 1-Shopping List

10
3/8
3/9
3/10
Spring Break
No Class
11
3/15
3/16
3/17

Modeling: Order of Magnitude; Examples; Dimensional Analysis

Homework 7 Due; Inquiry III Due by midnight - submit to link online

Inquiry IV

Inquiry IV Proposal 2
12
3/22
3/23
3/24

Modeling: Describing Physical Phenomena with Mathematics; Temperature Change - Big Idea of Calculus

Read Chapter 4
Inquiry IV
13
3/29
3/30
3/31

Modeling: Temperature Change with Excel; Nonlinear Equations in Excel

Homework 8 Due
Inquiry IV
Inquiry II Final
14
4/5
4/6
4/7

Modeling Continued

Homework 9 Due by 5PM
Inquiry IV
15
4/12
4/13
4/14

Debate Topic Preparation

Inquiry IV
Work on Inquiry IV Draft
16
4/19
4/20
4/21

Debates on Open Questions

HW 10 - Debate Evalutations - in class

Homework 11 - email electronic copy of Inquiry IV draft to grading partner no later than 5PM Tuesday 4/19

No lab Wednesday - Everyone attends Thursday for Presentations

Inquiry IV Presentations Part I

Inquiry IV Partner Grading = HW 11. Submit graded paper to partner and online no later than Thursday 4/21 5PM
17
4/26
4/27
4/28
Finals Week

Final window Tuesday 10-12

Inquiry IV Presentations Part II

No Labs
Inquiry IV Final Draft due online no later than 5PM Thursday 4/28