[Cells]
The Public Health Epidemic of Diabetes
Lab 1: Scientific Method & Research

Lab 2: Pre-Lab

Please Note! During fall semesters this lab will be completed online only. Labs do not meet due to Labor Day. Everything you need for analysis is provided. In the spring, Lab 2 will be completed in the lab.

Your task in Lab 2 is to continue with your data analysis from the diabetes data. You will review feedback from your research proposal, continue your statistical analyses and begin working on your technical report.

• Introduction
• Do you know enough?
• What will we do in lab?
• LABridge

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Are you ready to move forward with your research?

For Lab 2 to go well, and for you and your group to get as much work done as possible, please ensure you have the most current version of the following documents:

• Your group contract from Lab 1
• Your Research Proposal (Lab Notebook entry for Lab 1)
• Your Excel sheet with all your data, results and analysis thus far

Managing your documents and file storage is important and a helpful way to stay organized.

Ensure that you have a laptop or other device for use in lab. You  MUST have access to Microsoft Office. ​The online version is not acceptable.  Download here.

Be sure all these documents are current, saved, and easily accessible. Work on keeping things organized with proper file storage. ​

Review each one to refresh your memory! ​Make sure you are ready to discuss each one with your group.  You might use the "review" tab in word to add comments or questions.

You might also want to bring head phones with you to watch the demos in class as needed. They are now all available in You Tube.

Do you understand enough about t-tests and correlations?

​Review the content in the comparison table below. If you have ANY questions, use the links in the sidebar to explore these statistics and concepts further. ​Remember! In Unit 1, we are focusing on the "What is the relationship" side of this table! BUT! You will need to answer questions about BOTH types of tests in the LABridge.

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Click to enlarge. ​

Types of variables

stats REFERENCE ch.

Types of data

hypothesis help

Degrees of freedom

significance

What will we do in lab and how will we do it?

Please Note! During fall semesters this lab will be completed online only. Labs do not meet due to Labor Day. Everything you need for analysis is provided. In the spring, Lab 2 will be completed in the lab.

Lab 2 will proceed in 3 parts:

1) You will review research proposal feedback with your group. Do you need to make any changes? Did you select the right variables and use the right tests? Do you need to make revisions? You will confer with each other and your instructor as needed.

2) You will complete your statistical analyses and your graphing requirements for each hypothesis. All the relevant links, calculators and demos will be provided. 

3) You will begin working on your technical report. You will be provided a scoring rubric and a template.

From Statistic. Click to visit page.

​​If you feel confident with this material, click the bridge icon in the sidebar and navigate to Blackboard to take the LABridge for Lab 2. Be ready to submit your Notebook Entry from last week (Word.doc ONLY) and to be tested on this Pre-Lab material.

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Click here to get to WKU's blackboard to take your LABridge for this week. Be sure your Notebook Entry from last lab is ready to submit!

Lab 1: Protocol

In today's lab you will go over your research proposal and continue working on your data analysis, creating tables and graphs. You will also begin drafting your technical report.

​Exercise I. Review Research Proposal Feedback
Exercise II. Continue with Data Analysis
​Exercise III. Begin Working on Your Technical Report  

Lab Objectives: Following today's lab, you should be able to...

• Exercise I
• Exercise II
• Exercise III

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Exercise I. Review & Start Analysis: Run your correlation analysis

The primary goal here is to stop for a minute and take stock. Make sure you are all on the same page. Does everyone have the right documents? Does everyone feel confident in your research direction. Does everyone feel confident in the concepts and methods you have used so far?

Procedure

1. Review your group contract. Is everyone still satisfied with this document? Do any changes need to be made? Has everyone been "carrying their weight?" Are there any issues to be discussed?
2. Review your Research Proposal in your Lab Notebook. What type of feedback was provided? Does it still look appropriate? Ask your instructor if you have any lingering questions about your hypotheses, rationale, or variables. Does everyone have the right documents? Does everyone feel confident in your research direction. Does everyone feel confident in the concepts and methods you have used so far?
3. Download and save your Lab 2 Notebook Guide.
4. Open the diabetes data sheet in Excel. Add a tab and name it "Correlations." If you need another copy, it is here. Name and save it for future use.
5. You'll need to transform your data from percentages into integers. Simply highlight the cells you'd like to change >> right click >> format cells >> click "number" and use 4 decimal places.  Review this image for help. 
6. Watch the Correlation Calculator Demo in the sidebar. Follow the directions and set your datasheet in Excel accordingly.
7. After watching, go to the calculator (also in the sidebar) and run your test.
8. You can follow the video along step-by-step if you need to!
9. Following the test, be sure to copy all the relevant information (as explained in the demo) from the correlation calculator into your "correlation" Excel sheet.
10. Ensure ALL group members have copies of the data and test results in Excel. 

FAQ: What results do we report from the correlation test? 

• Sample size (N)
• test statistic (r)
• degrees of freedom (df)
• p-vale

EX) Among the students of Hogwarts University (N = 345), the number of hours playing Fortnite per week and midterm exam results were negatively correlated (r  = -0.45, df = 78, p < 0.001).

The YouTube video above demonstrates exactly how to set up your data to run a correlation.

Pearson's Correlation Online Calculator.

Lab 2 Notebook Guide. Click to download.

Exercise II. Create a scatterplot in Excel using your data

Procedure

1. The correlation test you just performed told you if their was a significant relationship between your variables (p < 0.05), or not. If this is not clear, review the "Do you know enough" section from our Pre-Lab.
2. The best way to graphically represent these data is through a scatterplot.
3. If you've never made a scatterplot before in Excel, watch the General Scatterplot Tutorial in Excel in the sidebar (top video).
4. Everyone needs to watch the bottom video, Scatterplot Demo, which will will walk you through this process, step-by-step.
5. Use excel to construct a scatterplot representing your data. If you need some help with this task, confirm with each and with your TA.
6. Complete your notebook guide as directed.
   
7. Ensure all members have an electronic copy for reference and be ready to upload it in the LABridge before we meet again next week.

General scatterplot tutorial in Excel.
​Just watch to 2:08m.

Scatterplot demo specific to your type of data and question.

Exercise III. Start to Prepare Your Technical Report

Each team member MUST submit the report individually in blackboard before the due date/time. Reports will not be accepted late, even if others from your group already turned them in. We will learn more about diabetes in the next few weeks but please remember to work on your report as an on-going project. Important dates are listed below along information on the assignment.

Procedure: Complete your Technical Report
Formatting Guidelines:

• 12pt. font
• 1 in. margins
• Graphs: no title, use descriptive captions, include legend as necessary, all axes are labeled, easy to read
• All text left justified
• Include a title and list all co-authors
• Include headings in template
• You cannot submit your report in "outline" format.
• All other formatting choices are up to you. Just be clean and consistent.
• ​Please review THIS PAGE on quality scientific writing.
• Review THESE EXAMPLES of FAQs (for tables, figures, and citations).

Report Template

Report Scoring Guide

FAQ Formatting Guide

Review the "cations" section in our library if you have questions. Ask your TA if you 'll be using APA or KAS format for this project.

A draft submission of your reports are due before lab 5. Bring copies of your report to and we will go through a peer review process and discuss your results with the class one group at a time.

Your final report is due before lab 6. This will give you an opportunity to make changes based on feedback from the class.

Lab 1 BIOL 120 CONNECTIONS
Section 1.6: Doing Biology
Big Picture 1: How to Think Like a Scientist
BioSkillls 2: Reading & Making Graphs
BioSkillls 3: Interpreting Standard Error and Using Statistical Tests
BioSkillls 4: Working with Probabilities
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Faculty Spotlight: Dr. Doug McElroy

Email: [email protected]

Dr. McElroy is a solver of puzzles. He enjoys trying to make the pieces fit and finding new ways to understand old problems. Often, he applies the processes of scientific inquiry to new issues that have not befitted from the approach in the past. PLUS, he is a statistical expert. Much of his perspective has been translated into Unit 1. Dr. McElroy's current research focuses on applying evolutionary principles and multivariate statistical methods to examine processes of curricular change and assessment in higher education.  Past research interests have addressed questions related to wildlife molecular forensics, morphometrics and conservation of desert fishes, genetics and speciation in African cichlid fishes, and the statistical analysis of population genetic data. Reach out to him if you have interests in statistics or evolutionary biology.
Research Key Words: Evolutionary Biology and Genetics, Biostatistics.
​Recent Publication: ​An Evolutionary Perspective on Increasing Student Success, and the (Partial) Fallacy of First-Year Retention