The Process of Collecting Data

You will be working with stocking density, dissolved oxygen, and protein content.  Each should be examined on its own, as an "independent variable."  Keep the other two variables at some set value while you manipulate the one.  Changing or manipulating two variables at once will give you results, but you will have no idea whether the results are unique because of one variable or the other.  There is no need to take them in the order they are introduced here.  In fact, one of your first steps as a problem solver might be to decide which variable to work with first, and what to do once you think you've identified an optimum value for that variable.  As you move from one variable to the next, it is a good idea (**problem solving strategy hint**) to use the optimum value you find for each variable from that point forward in your experiments.

The optimum range is going to be significantly narrower for each variable than the overall range, so you will make very little profit in many experiments looking for that optimum range.  This is part of the process Aunt Pearl expects you to go through.  In all of your experiments, remember that the data you collect is helping you to refine that process of problem solving.  Try not to get discouraged or frustrated if your profits are low, and don't blame your partner if you are working with a classmate!

Work toward developing a process that is more "trial and success" rather than "trial and error."

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