The Femitist

For this lab activity, you will repeat the experiment that you conducted last week but using someone else.  First, ask a friend or family member to participate.  Do the following and write your answers to these questions in your science journal:

1)    How did you find your ‘human subject’?  Do not give their name but describe their relationship to you.

I asked one of my classmates from WMNST 382 to be my subject.

2)    Use the same body part that you used for your first assignment.  What body part is it?

Length of arm from elbow to tip of middle finger.

3)    Do you think that you will find them to be symmetrical on your subject? Why or why not?

I think I will have the same results as last time which were CLOSE but not100% symmetrical. Before I took 3 measurements to reduce error. This time I will also take 3 measurements to reduce error. Divergent results are improbable.

4)    Explain how you take the measurements and what you use to measure.

We used a tape measure.

5)    Measure those parts at least 3 times and record each measurement.

6)    What are potential sources of error in your measurements?

Potential sources of error are: measuring from different areas each time or from different places on the different arms, hesitation from awkwardness, etc.

7)    Were the results the same as when you measured your own body?  That is, did you find symmetry or asymmetry in both cases?

I found asymmetry both times. The variance between the two arms was greater this time then previously.

8)    Did you get the results that you expected?  If not, why do you think you did not get the results that you expected?

I did get the results I expected. The increased variance was surprising.

9)    How did you explain the assignment to your ‘human subject’?

My human subject is enrolled in the class so she read the assignment as well. I didn’t have to explain anything.

10)  Did they have any questions?  What were they?  How did you answer them?

They did not have any questions.

11)  Did you have to ask more than one person before getting someone to say yes to be in your experiment?

No.

1.     I chose the length of my arm from my elbow to the tip of my middle finger.

2.     I hypothesize that they will vary slightly in length. Comparing my arms to my feet, I have one foot that is noticeably larger than the other when I buy shoes. If my feet are different sizes, perhaps my arms are too? 

3.     I used a tape measure – like the kind from Home Depot not the kind to measure clothes.      

5.     The potential sources of error are:

a.     User error.

b.     The bracelet I wear on my right arm may have affected the measurement.

c.      Inconsistent starting point  - I might have measured from a different starting point each time.

d.     It is possible that the tape measure does not have correct measurement.

6.     My results indicate that there is an average variance of 0.67 mm between my left and right arms. However, it is my opinion that my data is inconclusive. I am unsure if my arms actually vary by 0.67 mm or if this result is due to error. Were this a real study I would recommend a retest without the bracelet on my right arm.