IB Biology Practical Investigations/Statistics

TEACHING IDEAS Practical investigations or activities included in this section are intended as a teaching resource rather than an assessment tool. Although all practical hours recorded may be counted on the form 4/PSOW, these activities are probably not suitable for assessment of the IA criteria. BASIC STATISTICS Types of Data Discrete and Continuous Data Mean, Median and Mode Standard Deviation Graphs and Charts Axes and labelling Choosing the right graph Interpreting Graphs Distribution Error Bars Correlation and Causality Statistical Tests The T-test /Mythbusting: 'Girls can't catch'/ /Generating Data: 'Rotator Cuff Stamina'/ Correlations EXTRA STATS FOR ECOLOGISTS It's not all just chucking quadrats about and wearing wellies... Simpson's Diversity Index Correlation BAD SCIENCE AND THEORY OF KNOWLEDGE Statistics in Science are abused on a daily basis to knowingly or otherwise misrepresent scientific data. How can students use their new-found statistical skills to see past the smoke and mirrors? Bad Science Common Errors in Statistics RECOMMENDED TEXTS: STATISTICS How to Lie With Statistics. Huff, D. W.W. Norton and Co, 1954. 0 3933 1072 8 RECOMMENDED WEBSITES WikiBook Statistics BadScience - a collection of articles from Ben Goldacre at the Guardian newspaper. OTHER RECOMMENDED RESOURCES