Forensic Maths assignment tasks

There are 4 tasks in the Maths module. Each task is associated with a section of the content in the Maths and Statistics unit specification.

The four tasks together form the assignment for the Maths and Stats module. I will grde each task according to the criteria but these grades are indicative. The four tasks as a whole will then be formally graded at the end of the module. This is designed to allow you to develop your critical and evaluation skills in Maths (notoriously hard to pin down) as the year progresses.
Task 1: Lab Design
This task is based on material in Section 1 of the Unit content. Hand in date is end of term December. I would suggest you wordprocess the report for this task as there is enough material for a report of more than 500 words. You can then use the wordprocessed version as evidence for the second year ICT module.
Task 2: Shotgun pellets
This task is based around the work in content Section 3 – statistics. Hand in date is around end of January or beginning of February. You will gather data on the size of shotgun pellets, calculate appropriate statistics and come to a conclusion about which cartridge contained a given shotgun pellet. This work will be written up as a court report, but with more detailed papers available. I would suggest you use MS Excel to calculate statistics, perhaps with a tally chart and grouped frequency distribution as a check on the accuracy of the results.
Task 3: Gel Electrophoresis calibration
This task is based around work in content Section 2 on logarithms, straight-line graphs and line of best fit. The timing will depend on getting a successful gel out of Liz's Scientific Method module. I'll be teaching the techniques needed up to Easter. The report will be the one you hand in to Liz – I'll assess the Maths and Stats content along with Liz's grading. I would imagine the report will take the form of a lab write up.
Task 4: Genetics
This task is based on content section 4 – chi-squared test of association. The timing will depend on when you can coax the fruit flies into doing their stuff. I would suggest you pool data as a class group. The material t support the statistical techniques will be taught after Easter holiday – it isn't a huge area of work.
I hope to have all your tasks in by the end of May, and then we will do the formal grading of the assignment as a whole.
After end of May you will have some time either to improve your grading by adding material or re-writing parts of the tasks or to start work on aspects of the ICT in Forensic Science module. I imagine most people will be improving their grading on the Maths!
I'll have a calendar out before we break up. Generally, Thursday lessons will be in a computer bay at least every other week.
Keith Burnett