International Baccalaureate Physics 4/PSOW

Murphy’s Law
Aim: IB Criteria Assessed
Murphy’s Law states that if there are a number of possible outcomes to Planning (a), Planning (b), Data
a situation, the actual outcome will be the worst possible one! Collection, Data Processing,
Evaluation
One application of this law is breakfast. If you drop your toast, it will Criteria Aspect Level
always land jam side down. assessed 1 2 3 awarded
Pl (a)
Apparatus :
Anything you need to perform the experiment to your plan. Pl (b)
DC
Planning:
Design a procedure to test Murphy’s Law that includes appropriate use DPP
of apparatus for the control, collection and analysis of data. This CE
procedure should include the following sections.

Planning (a) Planning (b)

• Research question • Plan for collection of data
• Variable list • Plan for control of variable
• Hypothesis • Diagram and suitable apparatus

Data Collection:
• Show the results for the experiment in a suitable table. Include uncertainties.

Data Processing and Presentation:

• Analyse your results and present the analysis in a suitable form.

Conclusion and Evaluation:

• Evaluate the data that you have collected and analysed
• Evaluate your own plan, including any modifications you had to make to overcome problems.
Include an evaluation the apparatus used.
• Suggest ways in which the procedure could be modified in order to improve it for the future.

© 2006 - Mike Dickinson 8266767.doc

International Baccalaureate Physics 4/PSOW

Internal Assessment Marking Form

Crit. Aspects Level Grade
Research Question: Hypothesis: Variables: ccc 3
c. Identifies a focused c. Relates the hypothesis or c. Selects the ccp 2
problem or research prediction directly to the relevant ccn 2
question. research question and independent cpp 2
p. States the problem or explains it, quantitatively and controlled ppp 1
research question, but it where appropriate. variable(s). cpn 1
Pl(a)
is unclear or incomplete. p. States the hypothesis or p. Selects some cnn 1
n. Does not state the prediction but does not relevant ppn 1
problem or research explain it. variables. pnn 0
question or repeats the n. Does not state a n. Does not select nnn 0
general aim provided by hypothesis or prediction. any relevant
the teacher. variables.
Materials / Control of Variables: Collecting Data: ccc 3
Apparatus: c. Describes a method c. Describes a method that ccp 2
c. Selects appropriate that allows for the allows for the collection ccn 2
apparatus or control of the of sufficient relevant cpp 2
materials. variables. data. ppp 1
p. Selects some p. Describes a method p. Describes a method that cpn 1
Pl(b) appropriate that makes some allows for the collection cnn 1
apparatus or attempt to control the of insufficient relevant ppn 1
materials. variables. data. pnn 0
n. Does not select n. Describes a method n. Describes a method that nnn 0
any apparatus or that does not allow for does not allow any
materials. the control of the relevant data to be
variables. collected.
Collecting / Recording Raw Data: Organising / Presenting Raw cc 3
c. Records appropriate raw data (qualitative Data: cp 2
and/or quantitative), including units and c. Presents raw data clearly, cn 1
uncertainties where necessary. allowing for easy pp 1
DC p. Records some appropriate raw data. interpretation. pn 0
n. Does not record any appropriate raw data. p. Presents raw data but does not nn 0
Aspect 1 includes units, uncertainties, allow for easy interpretation.
significant digits n. Does not present raw data or
presents it incomprehensibly.
Processing Raw Data: Presenting Processed Data: cc 3
c. Processes the raw c. Presents processed data appropriately, helping cp 2
data correctly. interpretation and, where relevant, takes into cn 1
p. Some raw data is account errors and uncertainties. pp 1
processed correctly. p. Presents processed data appropriately but with some pn 0
DPP
n. No processing of raw errors and/or omissions. nn 0
data is carried out or n. Presents processed data inappropriately or
major errors are made incomprehensibly
in processing. Aspect 2 includes uncertainty bars, max / min slopes
(HL), axes with labels and units, best fit line drawn
Drawing Conclusions: Evaluating procedure(s) Improving the ccc 3
c. Gives a valid and results: investigation: ccp 2
conclusion, based on the c. Evaluates procedure(s) c. Identifies ccn 2
correct interpretation of and results including weaknesses and cpp 2
the results, with an limitations, states realistic ppp 1
explanation and, where weaknesses or errors. suggestions to cpn 1
CE appropriate, compares p. Evaluates procedure(s) improve the cnn 1
results with literature and results but misses investigation. ppn 1
values. some obvious p. Suggests only pnn 0
p. States a conclusion that limitations or errors. simplistic nnn 0
has some validity. n. The evaluation is improvements.
n. Draws a conclusion that superficial or n. Suggests unrealistic
misinterprets the results. irrelevant. improvements.