A CONCISE GUIDE TO

DESIGN EXPERIMENT

J.S. MUTAMBARA
THE MOST FUNDAMENTAL QUESTION

DO WE TEACH DESIGN EXPERIMENT?

NO
THEN THE NEXT QUESTION IS WHY ARE WE NOT TEACHING IT?
 YES
THEN THE NEXT QUESTION IS WHAT METHODOLOGY ARE WE
USING?
APPROACH TO THE TEACHING OF
DESIGN EXPERIMENT
1. Defining Design Experiment

2. Discussion on Instrumentation

3. Steps to be followed in Designing an Experiment

4. Examples and Exercises

DESIGNING AN EXPERIMENT

‘This is a process of establishing how a

particular research activity or investigation
is going to be carried out and how relevant
conclusions are going to be arrived at’
J.S. Mutambara
 DESIGN EXPERIMENT AND THE
NEW CURRICULUM
 The New Curriculum emphasizes enquiry-based learning, as such, it is
important for the teacher to develop research skills in the students.
 Only those students with a developed logical and systematic approach to
research are able to carry out experiments and practical activities in a
scientifically effective manner.

N.B: It may be considered that the equivalent of the approach required to

design experiment at institutions of higher learning is RESEARCH
METHODOLOGIES.
 INSTRUMENTATION
 Invariably any design experiment will involve measurements.

 The actual piece of equipment or apparatus to be used to make a

particular measurement should be given.

 Where necessary, details of how the measurement is carried out should

be given.
 EXAMPLES OF INSTRUMENTS
 It is absolutely important for the teacher to take the students through
examples of instruments and how they may be used in the context of
DESIGN EXPERIMENTS.
 Even if the students have seen or used some of the equipment, revisiting
the equipment in a much more specific manner can be very helpful.
EXAMPLES
1. Vernier Callipers 2. Micrometer Screw Gauge 3. Travelling
Microscope 4. Position Sensor 5. C.R.O. 6. Light Gates 7. Light Sensor 8.
Thermometers 9. Spectrometer 10. Hall Probes
VERNIER CALLIPERS
USES OF VERNIER CALLIPERS

 EXTERNAL DIMENSIONS, DEPTH AND INTERNAL DIMENSIONS

MICROMETER SCREW GAUGE
USES OF MICROMETER SCREW
GAUGE
DIAMETER OF A WIRE AND THICKNESS OF A FOIL
TRAVELLING MICROSCOPE
 USES OF A TRAVELLING MICROSCOPE


It aims at reference marks with much higher accuracy than is possible with a
naked eye.
 Is useful where the object would be distorted if calipers or micrometer were
used.
 EXAMPLES
1. Diameter of droplet
2. Internal diameter of a capillary tube

N.B: This device has been superseded by electronic and optically based devices.
POSITION SENSOR
 USES OF A POSITION SENSOR

 The device is used to measure a target’s true position.

 It provides a continuously varying response (V or I) which is proportional to
target position.
 Most are laser-based.
 CATHODE RAY OSCILLOSCOPE

 It is one of the most versatile devices in the school laboratory.

COMMON USES
(a) Measurement of Voltages
(b) Measurement of Time Intervals/ Periods
TIME-BASED MEASUREMENTS
(c) Duration of a flash light?
(d) Duration of a clap?
(e) Time delay along a cable?
(f) Speed of radar pulses?
N.B: Students are encouraged to research and present findings on these!
ELECTRIC MILLISECOND TIMER
 USES OF A MILLISECOND TIMER
A millisecond timer makes use of any of the
following combinations:
 Break to start-break to stop
 Break to start-make to stop
 Make to start-make to stop
 Make to start-break to stop
 The main advantage of electronic timing circuits is
that they do away with human timing errors.
What combination is being used in the circuit
below?
STRAIN GAUGE
 PRINCIPLE OF A STRAIN GAUGE

 The strain gauge is attached to an object whose

strain is to be measured.
 When a stress is applied to the object, the
resistance of the gauge changes.
 The resistance is therefore a measure of the stress
or force applied on the object.
 OTHER INSTRUMENTS AND
DEVICES

There are various other instruments and

devices which may also be discussed in the
context of design experiment. A quick pictorial
overview is presented hereafter.
POWER SIGNAL GENERATOR
AUDIO SIGNAL GENERATOR
FORCE METER
HELMHOLTZ COILS
PRESSURE SENSOR
 STEPS TO BE FOLLOWED IN DESIGN
EXPERIMENT
1. State the AIM of the experiment
2. Identify the KEY VARIABLES.
3. Select APPROPRIATE EQUIPMENT.
4. Represent the DIAGRAM of the set-up.
5. DESCRIBE how you will SET UP the experiment
6. Outline PROCEDURE for the Experiment and Taking of
Measurements
7. Discuss ways of MINIMIZING ERRORS and the Safety Precautions
8. Explain how you will do the ANALYSIS of results and reach a
CONCLUSION.
 AIM OF EXPERIMENT
 Studentsare expected to clearly state what the whole purpose of the
experiment is all about.
 A student demonstrating clarity of the expectation of the activity
stands a better chance of being able to identify the ‘tools’ required to
deal with the problem.
 The following statements may be used in the formulation of the AIM:
(a) The aim of this experiment is to determine the breaking strength of a
strand of hair.
(b) The aim of this experiment is to investigate the relationship between
the velocity of a metal sphere and its diameter.
What is the difference between the two formulations?
 IDENTIFICATION OF KEY VARIABLES

In an experiment, there are generally three types of variables. These

are:
1. Independent Variable
2. Dependent Variable
3. Control Variables

Students are expected to state clearly the independent, the dependent

and the control variables.
N.B: An experiment may have more than one control variable.
SELECTION OF APPROPRIATE EQUIPMENT

Selection of appropriate equipment is based on the following:

1. Theory covered during the course of studies
2. Practical activities as may have been carried out during the course
3. Focused discussions on instrumentation as is suggested here
4. Wide research and general knowledge as may apply from student to
student.

N.B: It is expected that a student who has done something on

‘Instrumentation’ will be better grounded.
 DIAGRAMS
 A diagram is the BEST way of describing the experimental
set-up.
 Diagrams should be relevant and meaningful.
 They should be well-labelled.
 They reduce the need for often clumsy and confusing
descriptions.
For example with a good diagram the following would be
adequate:
‘Set up the experiment as shown in the diagram.’
 PROCEDURE
 A well thought-out description of the experiment can
usually be presented in an enumerated way.
 It is important to identify all the key steps which
should be followed in the process of making the
measurements.
 Any knowledgeable Physicist should be able to
successfully carry out the experiment by following
the procedure as outlined.
 MINIMIZING ERRORS OR
IMPROVEMENT OF ACCURACY
 All experiments are associated with some errors and some ways
of reducing them.
 It is important to discuss ways of reducing errors or improving the
accuracy of the experiment.
 The student should identify issues that may affect his/ her ability
to obtain accurate readings or measurements.
 The student should identify ways of moving from a standard way
of making some measurement to a more improved way of making
the measurement.
 ANALYSIS OF RESULTS
This aspect should tie up to the AIM of the experiment.
 If the experiment involved the determination of a physical quantity, then the
student should state how the quantity is obtained from the measurements
taken.
 If the experiment involved the investigation of the relationship between
physical quantities, then the student should state how the relationship is
confirmed.
 Most relationships are analyzed through a GRAPHICAL presentation.
(a) Student should state what quantities they would plot
(b) What kind of graph confirms the relationship
(c) How certain quantities may be obtained from the graph (e.g. from gradient or
intercept).
 RECOMMENDATION

In the same way that RESEARCH METHODOLOGY is taught at

institutions of Higher Learning, PRACTICALS, PROJECTS and
DESIGN EXPERIMENT should leverage on a module, short course
or topic which we might call “JUNIOR RESEARCH
METHODOLGY”.

J.S. MUTAMBARA
 THE END

THANK YOU. SIYABONGA. TATENDA. MUCHAS GRACIAS.