Master the Art of Investigation

Introduction to the course

Understanding the SEC Investigation Brief

Course Participation Requirements and How to Progress

End-to-End + Inquiry Launch

How does Inquiry-Based Learning help?

Transforming Students into Thinkers and Investigators

The 5 Whys

History of the 5 Whys

Concrete science examples

The SMART Framework

The SCAMPER Technique

Formulating Aims and Objectives

Common mistakes in the formulation of research

Fostering Scientific Inquiry: A Teacher's Guide to Inquiry-Based Learning and Data Logging in the Science Classroom

Reliability in Research: Ensuring Consistency and Trustworthiness

What this week is about

Agenda & outcomes: what we will accomplish this week.

Why projects fail (and how to prevent it)

The investigation cycle (a loop, not a line)

From topic → research question

Research question quality check (A practical checklist you can apply in 90 seconds)

Lets look at Variables

Make the “thing you will measure” explicit

The independent variable (the one you change on purpose)

The dependent variable (the one you measure)

Controlled variables (the ones you keep the same)

Extraneous and confounding variables (the troublemakers)

Why you use a “series” of potted plants (replicates)

In summary (variables in one defensible statement)

Where to find information (building a credible evidence base)

Example tool screenshot: AI writing/support platforms (e.g., Writesonic)

Example tool screenshot: AI for research “built on evidence” (e.g., Wizdom.ai-style tools)

Google Scholar (finding the academic conversation efficiently

ResearchGate (access + research communities)

Evidence quality audit (good questions deserve good sources)

Ethics, safety & integrity (non-negotiables)

Orchestration tools: milestones → tasks → timeline (making the research runnable)

Context: “In Practice” investigations (why this matters now)

Claims vs data: uncertainty matters (same mean ≠ same confidence)

Putting it together: the 60-minute workflow

Quiz 2

Design, Instruments & Risk

Not All Information is Created Equal

The Research Pyramid

The Hierarchy of Evidence

Some exampled for the LC Project Work

Leaving Cert-ready investigation pack for Ohm’s Law: effect of wire length on resistance

Why Peer Review is your Best Friend

Books: Academic Rigour vs. Popular Appeal

The Internet: Opportunity & Pitfall

You Cannot Study Everyone!

Random Sampling

Other Sampling Methods

How accurate are my measurements?

A Worked Example

Lets start by looking at the variables for the Chemistry brief

Examining the data

Using Temperature as another example

Quiz 3

What is a Data Logger?

Data capture using sensors only

Setting up your GDX sensors

Momentum and Collisions (with data logging)

Intermolecular Forces with Evaporation of Alcohols Using Go Direct™ Temperature

Heat of Fusion for Ice

Quiz 4

Summarizing Key Information

Reliable literature researching

Trust Ladder for Science Project Work

Trust Ladder Diagramme

What “Reliable” Means in Science

Examples of Reliability in Chemistry, Biology and Physics

Repeatability in Science Experiments

Good Places to Find Sources for a Leaving Certificate Science Literature Review

Referencing Software for a Leaving Certificate Science Literature Review

How to reference

Example of references used in a passage

Quiz 5

Starting out to design your experiment

Collecting Primary Data

Primary Data Collection Physics - Example

Example Student Handout: Primary + Secondary Data Plan (Physics)

Formulating Clear Conclusions

Statistics for School Biology Investigations: A Practical Mind Map

Polishing Your Submission

Teacher Instructions for Referencing, Layout, Formatting, and Final Submission

Teacher - Student Checklsit

The Biology in Practice Investigation Brief 2027

Overview of the experiment

Relevance to real world of experiment

Biology Exemplar 1 - An Investigation into the Effect of Enzyme Concentration on the Rate of Catalase Activity

Biology Exemplar 2 - Investigating the Effect of Sugar Substrate Type on the Rate of Anaerobic Yeast Fermentation as Measured by CO₂ Production

Biology Exemplar 3 - Investigating the Effect of Light Intensity on the Rate of Photosynthesis in Elodea densa

Biology Exemplar 4 - Investigating the Effect of Environmental Conditions on the Transpiration Rate of Ligustrum ovalifolium

The Chemistry Brief

Analysing the Chemistry Brief

The 2027 Chemistry Requirement

Chemistry in Practice Investigation 2027: Experiment Ideas

Chemistry Exemplar 1 - Collision Theory and Reaction Rate

Chemistry Exemplar 2 - Catalyst Concentration and Reaction Rate (H₂O₂ Decomposition)

Chemistry Exemplar 3 - Investigating the Effect of Temperature on the Rate of Reaction between Sodium Thiosulfate Solution and Hydrochloric Acid

Physics in Practice Investigation Brief 2027

What the brief requires

Possible Project Ideas

Exemplar 2 - Investigation of Heat Loss Through Different Insulation Materials

Exemplar 3 - Investigating Window Heat Loss in a Domestic Setting

Exemplar 4 - Angle between Solar Panel and Light Sources

Exemplar 4 - Simulation

Exemplar 5 - Thermal mass affects cooling rate

Exemplar 6 - An Investigation into the Relationship Between Light Intensity and Distance from a Point Source