Status Key:
- Activity ready for classroom use and testing
- Activity in revision stage, may be available for use
- Activity in Draft Stage
- Activity Topic Identified
Errors in Measurements and Their Effect on Data Sets
Authors:
Carl Salter
Juliette Lantz
General Topics:
Error Analysis
Specific Topics:
Random and Systematic error
Content Learning Objectives:
- Be able to classify different sources of experimental error and determine their effect on the mean and dispersion of the data
- Be able to judge whether an analytical balance has been used correctly
- Be able to define situations in which it is reasonable to reject data
Process Learning Objectives:
- Develop critical skills in assessing the quality of data (Critical thinking)
- Identify quality difference among data sets (Information processing)
- Develop generalizations from tabulated data (Information Processing)
Prerequisites:
* Familiarity with simple statistics terms such as mean, range, and standard deviation.
* Familiarity with an analytical balance that can be tared. In particular, students need to know that closing the draft shield improves the reproducibility of the balance, and that hot objects placed on the balance pan create convection currents that alter the weight. They should also know that analytical balances need to be leveled for correct operation.
Time Required: 25 minutes
Date Submitted: July 28, 2008
Statistical Tests of Data: The F Test
General Topics:
Statistical Analysis
Specific Topics:
F test
Content Learning Objectives:
- Explain how the F value changes with respect to the standard deviations of the data sets.
- Explain how the F test is used to make decisions regarding significance, and be able to use Excel’s F test output to make such decisions.
- Explain how the results of the F test will affect the t test.
Process Learning Objectives:
- Interpret tables of data. (information processing)
- Draw conclusions about data sets. (critical thinking)
- Express concepts in grammatically correct sentences. (communication)
Prerequisites:
Familiarity with common statistics terms such as mean, range, standard deviation, and variance, and the ttest activity.
Time Required: 60 minutes
Date Submitted: February 25, 2009
Other Notes:
Examines the F test and its implementation in Excel. 9 pages including application questions.
Statistical Tests of Data: The t Test
General Topics:
Statistical Analysis
Specific Topics:
T test
Content Learning Objectives:
- Explain how the t value changes due to changes in the means, the standard deviations, and the number of data.
- Explain how the t test is used to make decisions regarding significance, and be able to use Excel’s t test output to make such decisions.
- Develop an understanding of the t value’s relationship to the probability of a significant difference.
Process Learning Objectives:
- Interpret tables of data. (information processing)
- Draw conclusions about data sets. (critical thinking)
- Express concepts in grammatically correct sentences. (communication)
Prerequisites:
Familiarity with common statistics terms such as mean, range, and standard deviation. Familiarity with simple cases of error propagation, especially sums and differences.
Time Required: 150 minutes
Date Submitted: February 25, 2009
Other Notes:
Two-part activity on t test. Part 1 develops the concepts; Part 2 illustrates the implementation of the t test in Excel and develops the three types of t tests. 23 pages including two pages of applications