School Improvement in Maryland

Public Release Item: Public Release items have appeared on HSA forms and then are released for public viewing and use. Releasing items is one step to ensuring that schools, districts, and other stakeholders understand how the core learning goals are assessed on the HSA.

Goal 1 Skills And Processes

Expectation 1.1 The student will explain why curiosity, honesty, openness, and skepticism are highly regarded in science.

Indicator 1.1.5 The student will explain factors that produce biased data (incomplete data, using data inappropriately, conflicts of interest, etc.).

Selected Response Item - Released in 2003

A student wants to perform an investigation to determine the heart rate of a rabbit. The teacher tells her the heart rate should be about 100 beats per minute. How could this information affect the investigation?

  1. It could introduce bias.
  2. It could remove experimental error.
  3. It could increase the accuracy of the data.
  4. It could reduce the number of measurements needed.
/share/clg/xml/public_release/science/2003_115_bio03.xml

Correct Answer:
A

Selected Response Item - Released in 2005

A scientist is performing an investigation funded by a company. Which of these would be least likely to produce biased data?

  1. making the results please the company paying for the research
  2. being open minded and honest throughout the research project
  3. using only the data that supports the hypothesis
  4. using personal opinions to decide the results of the research
/share/clg/xml/public_release/science/2005_115_bio08.xml

Correct Answer:
B

Brief Constructed Response (BCR) Item - Released in 2007

Medical researchers are studying a new drug to treat anemia. Eligible patients are asked if they would like to participate in the study. If a patient does participate, there is a 50% chance that the patient will receive the actual anemia medication and a 50% chance that the patient will receive a placebo, or sugar pill. The placebo is not meant to have any effect on the patient’s anemia. The study is double-blinded, meaning that neither the researchers nor the patients know which kind of pill is being taken—the actual medication or the placebo.

  • Explain why a placebo is being used in the study.
  • Explain why it is important to conduct a double-blinded study.
  • Describe both the possible benefits and risks of drug trials, such as the one in the example, to both the patient and society.

Write your answer in your Answer Book.

/share/clg/xml/public_release/science/2007_115_bio11.xml

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