Unit 3 - Investigative Biology (word definitions)

Question 1

causation

Answer 1

when changing the independent variable causes the effect noted in the dependent variable

Question 2

confidence intervals

Answer 2

a range within which the actual value should lie

Question 3

correlation

Answer 3

when two variables seem to be connected

Question 4

error bars

Answer 4

drawn on graphs to show the spread of data around the mean

Question 5

mean

Answer 5

this is the arithmetical average. add all the values and divide by the number there are

Question 6

median

Answer 6

this is the middle point from the range of values

Question 7

mode

Answer 7

this is the most common value in a set of data

Question 8

negative correlation

Answer 8

as one variable is increased, the other variable decreases

Question 9

parasite load

Answer 9

a measure of the number of parasite found within a host organism

Question 10

placebo

Answer 10

a substance which has no therapeutic effect

Question 11

plagiarism

Answer 11

copying another person’s work or views and passing these off as one’s own

Question 12

plankton

Answer 12

microscopic organisms found living in fresh or salt water

Question 13

positive correlation

Answer 13

as one variable increases, the connected variable increases too

Question 14

qualitative data

Answer 14

information that is observed and presented as a description

Question 15

quantitative data

Answer 15

information that can be measures and is usually presented as a number

Question 16

range

Answer 16

this is the set of values that the data falls into, thus smallest value to the biggest value and everything in between

Question 17

selection bias

Answer 17

where individuals, groups or data are not selected randomly, therefore failing to provide a representative sample

Question 18

standard deviation (SD)

Answer 18

shows how much variation or spread from the average/mean exists

Question 19

summary

Answer 19

at the start of the report, where the main aims and findings are described briefly