SELECTING A TOPIC FOR AN ESS IA

Pick a topic: for starters, let your mind WANDER AND WONDER: Always be looking for ideas. Browse science
websites. Then, pick a general topic or two. Below are some good websites to browse (yes the same ones you
can use for :

1. Science Daily - (click on Environment and you'll find many applicable subtopics)

2. Environmental Health News being reporting on)

3. GRIST (reads more like a newspaper)

4. Scientific American - Sustainability

5. Environmental News Network (also provides links to the original research articles
Living on Earth (podcasts)

The following is an excerpt from the American School of Doha library site containing guidance for
students working on an IA in Biology:

Once you decide on a general topic or two . . .

● Quickly brainstorm as many questions as you can related to those topics.

● From your long list of questions, choose a few that are the most interesting.

Do some reading.

● Read some general articles about the topics you are considering. (Wikipedia could be
a good source for this.)
● Use what you learn from the reading to add to, subtract from, or modify your list of
questions.

Then ask yourself . . .

● Which of these questions seem manageable?

● Which could you answer in the time allowed?
● Which fit into the constraints of what can be done at ASD in terms of equipment,
ethics, etc.

Of the topics that are still in the running, brainstorm ways you might find the answer to
your questions.

From the IB Biology Guide 2017:

Some of the possible tasks include: • a hands-on laboratory investigation • using a spreadsheet
for analysis and modelling • extracting data from a database and analysing it graphically •
producing a hybrid of spreadsheet/database work with a traditional hands-on investigation •
using a simulation provided it is interactive and open-ended.

Now choose your best question.

● Word it carefully. The better your question, the more focused your research will be.

Then get specific.

● What is your independent variable?

● What is your dependent variable?
● How will you measure each of these variables (both units and equipment)?
● What are some controlled variables that will need to be addressed?
Materials we have on hand for germination, rooting, and plant experiments (of course, you can gather
anything of interest to you…..)

● Soil collected from the ground around.

● Prepared soil from the Agrarian Universities.
● Compost
● Special soil for seeds and roots
● Rooting products (3 different kinds)

Lists of titles from sample/previous work:

1. Measuring air pollution

2. Examining the correlation between population sizes and CO2 emissions
3. The impact of agriculture on biodiversity
4. Investigating fish population density in school ponds
5. Particulate ‘black carbon’ air pollution and the contribution to the urban heat island effect
6. Gen Lichens as an indicator of pollution
7. Comparing productivity between two different ecosystems
8. Impact of compaction on soil infiltration
9. Impact of soil condiers on plant growth
10. Impact of soil pH on plant growth/ seed germination
11. Factors affecting rate of decomposition (material, level of pollution, soil type, temperature,
moisture…)
12. Impact of acid rain on seed germination
13. Impact of acid rain on different types of building materials
14. Effects of UV on pants and materials (plastic,rubber etc…)
15. Growth of duckweed in given conditions (ie different levels of oil pollution in water)
16. How has legislation on endangered species changed fishing practices.
17. How does acid rain affect plant productivity.
18. How does plant cover affect erosion rates.
19. Is there a correlation between population density and recycling practices.
20. Do worms affect the productivity of soil.
21. EVS correlated with food habits
22. der analysis on showering tendencies and their effect on global warming through energy use
23. Tropospheric ozone pollution investigation
24. Investigation to compare the biodiversity of disturbed and undisturbed areas
25. Examining the correlation between GDP per capita and deforestation in 2005 in 38 countries
26. Air pollution correlation with proximity to city centre
27. Impact of light intensity (or another variable) on rate of photosynthesis
28. Factors affecting the accuracy of estimates using the Lincoln Index
29. Protected vs unprotected reef and biodiversity.
30. Wealth and fertility rate in 2 local communities - is there a correlation?
31. Correlation between water access and IMR using secondary data
32. Are the wealthiest countries the least polluting with C emissions? Kuznets curve
33. Does a man made wetland have the same biodiversity as a neighbouring natural wetland?
34. What effect does the wealth level of a country have on the 5 freedoms experienced in their
zooes?