Week 15: Methods, Results, and Discussion

Group project schedule

Lab outline

  • Methods overview

  • Results overview

  • Discussion overview

  • To-do for next week

Methods overview

  • How did you collect your data?

  • What methods did you use for your analysis?

  • Nice to use a graphic/schematic

Methods specifics (need-to-haves)

  • Description of your study system

  • Where you collected your data

  • What materials and methods were used to collect the data

  • Description of each of your treatments

  • Description of your analysis

Results overview

  • At least one figure

  • Describe statistical results

Explaining a figure

  1. Walk through the axes

  2. If it is confusing, show what you’d expect first

  3. Show data in parts

  4. Recap the main conclusion at the end & make the main conclusion the title of the slide (or featured on the slide in some way)

Resources for making graphics1

Discussion overview

  • What went well? What went wrong? What was unexpected and why?

  • Results in a broad context

  • Recommendations for future work

Discussion specifics

  • Must address your hypotheses- do the results support or not support them?

  • Use at least 1-2 peer-reviewed journal articles that address a similar question and discuss how your results compare to theirs

  • Make an informed recommendation for future work with reasoning behind it

Suggestions on improving slide design1

  • Avoid small fonts

  • Avoid excess animation

  • Not too much text, concise bullets

  • Keep slide design clear and readable: Minimal is better!

Assignment for next week

  • Upload slides of your methods and results to Blackboard

  • 2-3 slides for each section

  • Optionally upload discussion slides as well (not for a grade, but for feedback)

To-do

  • Upload Methods and Results slides to Blackboard by next lab (05/08)

  • Get going on your presentations!

  • Weekly lab survey is your ticket out

  • Speaker questions before the end of class on Monday

DSS Week 15: Dr. Karin Block