After you have completed your recycling experiment and collected all of the data, you will need to figure out what that data tells you about the effectiveness of your recycling solution. The conclusions you draw from your data will be put into your presentation to the School Board as you communicate your findings.
Step 5:
Analyze Data and
Draw Conclusions
Visual representation will be depicted in your final project utilizing spreadsheet data with graphic visuals that convey the information in line graphs depicting growth, bar graphs depicting change in behaviors before and after recycling program implementation, probability and statistics utilizing Venn Diagrams.
Possible Examples include (but are not limited to):
Statistics and Probability: Summarize, represent, and interpret data on a single count or measurement variable
Interpret the “rate of change” (slope) and the ‘constant term of recycling’ (intercept) of a linear model in the context of the visual data (using a line graph).
Usage of technology to represent the linear fit (and graphically display it) with posters generated from desktop publishing platforms and to create line graph
Making Inferences and Justifying Conclusions: Understand and evaluate random processes underlying statistical information
Decide if a specified model of a statistical process is consistent with the results of the data-generating process (of measuring the amount of poundage, quantity amount of recycle bins/receptacles in cafeteria, gymnasium, hallways has an affect on results). For example, is the growth or decline in recycling related to the implementation of the program? Use data based reasoning to draw upon your conclusion. Utilize visual graphing of data of your choice for growth in poundage, amount, etc. guided discussion on best ways to represent this type of data.
- Make inferences and justify conclusion from sample surveys and observational studies:
Recognize the purpose of sample surveys and observational studies, explain how they are tied into the results. That is, the student/staff usage survey about recycling can include the “convenience” of the recycle bin as a factor in your participation or lack of participating in the recycling program? Are you participating or not participating in the program now? Has your awareness of recycling been raised due to the program? Use scale 1 to 5.
Use data from surveys to compare the amount of recycling before and after program initiated. Use survey to assess if the propaganda raised the awareness of the students/staff. Use survey results to assess if propaganda raised their participation in the program. Use survey results to determine their own motivation was encouraged or discouraged to participate in the program via the propaganda. Use survey to determine if propaganda raised their awareness of recycling benefits. Use a bar graph to depict amount in each category before/after program. Users rate themselves. Use linear charts to show amount of awareness prior to program, participation, and motivation growth--on one chart.
Conditional Probability and the Rules of Probability: Understand Independence and conditional probability and use them to Interpret Data
Again, use survey results to assess if propaganda raised their participation in the program. Use survey results to determine their own motivation was encouraged or discouraged to participate in the program via the propaganda. Use survey to determine if propaganda raised their awareness of recycling benefits.
This time, instead of linear and bar graphs, utilize the raters information in using the outcomes (participation, not participation) as Venn diagrams--intersection is the way propaganda affected their decision. Use count for each Venn--for example.
Participation in Recycling Program (Venn Diagram for each Motivator--Propaganda used as example for visual purposes in Math Standards):
Participated in Recycling regardless of Propaganda (left Venn circle)
Propaganda Raised Their Awareness TO Recycle (Motivator) (right Venn circle)
Participate in Recycling and Propaganda Raised Awareness
(intersection is Recycling AND Raised Awareness)
hypothesis prior would be more in intersection based upon motivation then just ‘raised awareness’ for example.
Do NOT participate in Recycling Program (again, Venn Diagram for each Motivation Theory--Propaganda used as example for visual purposes in Math Standards):
Do not participate in Recycling (left Venn circle)
Do not participate in Recycling and Propaganda Had a Negative Effect (Motivator) to Not Recylce
Do not participate in Recycling but Propaganda Raised Awareness
(right Venn circle) and/or had a Negative Effect
(intersection is no recycling AND propaganda turned them off to it)
hypothesis prior would be more in intersection based upon propaganda would be a very ‘low’ number
Conditional Probability and the Rules of Probability: Understand Independence and conditional probability and use them to Interpret Data
Describe events as subsets of a sample space (the set of outcomes) and commonalities of the outcomes (intersection), separate, and unions--intersections or complements of the events (‘or’ ‘and’ ‘not’)
Recognize and explain the concepts of conditional probability and independence in everyday language and everyday situations (written summary of “do not recycle and no history of it, while the motivator ‘turned them off to it’ or ‘raised their awareness of it’ therefore having an effect upon their decision.
Find the conditional probabilty of A (Venn left), given B’s influence (intersection) separate from C’s outcomes (Venn right).
Use Probability to Make Decisions: Calculate expected values and use probability to evaluate outcomes of decisions
Weigh the outcomes of a decision by assigning the probability to values and determine that value
(for example:
4 of 23 Recylced and Propaganda Motivated them to do so
57 of 200 of those who Recycled had Raised Awareness/having an Effect due to Propaganda
100 of 200 Recycle regardless of propaganda (habit in past history)
while
40 of 60 never recycled and continue to not do so
12 of 60 do not recycle and propaganda turned them off to recycling
9 do not recycle and propaganda either raised awareness (other factors such as convenience of receptacles is factor) or negative motivator
THEREFORE, total for Venn 2 is 60; 40 in left circle, 12 right circle, 9 in intersection
DETAIL: Venn 2--35 in left Venn + 5 intersection=40; 8 in right circle + 4 in intersection=12; 4 + 5 = 9
Probabilty 35 of pool of 260 not recycle regardless while 100 of 260 recycle regardless and so on…….
260 is a result of 200 recyclers, 60 non-recyclers, and so on….
