REDUCING BIAS WITH NUMERICAL MEASUREMENTS

Bias is when information is slanted to favor one idea over another.  Scientists may be biased because they want or expect the results of an experiment to turn out as they predicted.  Good experiments are designed to avoid bias.  One way to avoid bias and to be objective is to take quantitative measurements of all of the results.   Quantitative means expressed as a number.

A good science project question can be answered by doing an experiment that takes numerical measurements of all of the results.  Can you think of something you would measure numerically in your experiment to answer your project's question?

A good experiment should utilize a device or tool to take accurate measurements.   Can you think of a device or tool that you would use?

A good experiment should use units.  Can you think of what units you would use?