A book and Web site experience from the National Academy of SciencesGet the Books
A curious look at Women's Adventures in Science
Science Lab
What you do
Pet Data Sheet, Download PDF
Print Science Lab
Back to Amy Vedder's Home Page
Science Lab
My Pet Journal

When a scientist has finished an experiment, she always writes up her notes and analyzes her data. Write your analysis here, starting with a few simple questions. If you took pictures, organize them in sequence and give each photo a title that relates to what you were testing and what you observed.
Analyze the Patterns
Did changing the independent variable have an effect on the animal's behavior? Compare your results from your two Pet Detective Data Sheets to find out.

What behaviors did the pet exhibit during Observation A and Observation B?
 
Were your pet's behaviors the same or different?
 
How much time did the pet spend doing each behavior?
 
Was it the same amount of time in Observations A and B?
 
Did the other variables stay the same? Check your variable sheet.
 
Did the constants stay the same from Observation A to Observation B? If not, how do you think they affected your results?
 
Look back at your hypothesis. Was it correct? Why or why not?
 
 
 
Cool Views
What's the most interesting thing you observed?
 
 
 
Science Surprises

Did anything you learn surprise you? Write it down here to keep a scientific record.
 
 
 
What Are You Wondering About?
What question would you like to explore next? Here are some you might consider:
  • How does the pet behave indoors compared to outdoors?
  • How does the pet behave when people are around compared to when they are not?

Based on what you have learned, make up a new question, form a hypothesis, create a new Pet Detective Data Sheet, and start again. A good scientist's work is never done, and one experiment always leads to more questions.