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How to tackle experimental data

Understanding experimental data is a key skill for a biologist, and vital to answering exam questions successfully. Biology teacher Marcus Allen offers this guide to analysing experiments, and to handling and reporting data

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Biology is an experimental science. It is best understood by producing data that can be presented in the form of tables and/or graphs. Interpreting data and identifying limitations of the experimental methods employed often come up in exam questions. It is common for the examiners to provide novel data and experimental methods. This gives you the opportunity to demonstrate that you understand the experiment described, how the data were collected and what can be concluded.

Let us consider experiments involving glucose – a primary energy source for cells. Scientists study glucose concentrations to understand health conditions such as diabetes, where abnormal glucose concentrations can indicate insulin resistance or impaired glucose regulation. Investigating glucose concentration helps researchers to study metabolic pathways, energy production and cellular function.

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Previous

Circadian rhythms in fruit flies

Next

Life as a vet