Hi Folks!

Wow the data is pretty convincing that 2% salt is not great for your plants. Just some comments I have:

1. double check spelling in graphs

2. make sure you have units in your axes labels/make sure titles are clear

3. can you add error bars/standard deviation?-it would be even better if you could tell if they are statistically different from each other but that would require some stats analysis. In science we usually have a null and alternative hypothesis. The null is that there is no effect; so salt concentration does not affect plant height. The alternative is that there is an effect; so salt concentration (negatively or positively) impacts plant height. 

4. you mentioned some errors, but how do you think these errors actually changed your results? would you have gotten different ones?

5. what are the implications? what do these results mean in the grand scheme of things? Sure, your plants grew some in 2% salt concentration, but does that mean I should water my plants with 2% salt? They also grew some in the 1%, but how does that compare to the control? 

Good work and thanks for sharing with me! I enjoyed getting to work with you all!

Crystal

Hi Folks,

Sorry, I've been MIA. It is a busy time of the semester for me.

Are you inconsistently watering the plants? How do you think that is going to change your results? It does appear that the high concentration of salt is having an effect on your plants. It was good to move them to light-as light is an important part of photosynthesis and plant growth. 

Overall, good job. Looking at some of your journals-you might want to clarify some things in your tables. Perhaps provide a legend with some additional information in as to what 1 and 2 mean. Think about your independent and dependent variables. 

Hi All,

I checked out your journals. I would just encourage you to be as detailed as possible. One of you wrote that you added a little bit of water because the soil seemed dry-so exactly how much water did you add? I imagine you are taking measurements at the same time each day or week? Note when. Just make sure you are being consistent with all plants as you don't want to have additional variables that may change your outcomes.

The tables look good. I would argue that there is probably a better way to organize it though, they are a little cumbersome. Are you able to add these data points right into excel or some graphing software so that you can chart them as you get more data.  Titles of tables and graphs should include independent (salt concentration) and dependent variables (shoot length, leaf diameter/weight). Usually we put legends under tables or graphs as well, so we have some context to what we are looking at. You might also want to consider taking whole biomass (total weight) of entire plant at the very end of your experiment too.

You guys are doing a great job! I'm excited to see what happens. You've inspired me to get going. I have a relatively large garden at my home and I've just started some winter sowing so my seedlings will be ready to transfer at the end of May. I cut clear milk jugs in half, fill with soil and water and then drop my seedlings (peppers, leeks and some other things that take a big to grow) in and put in a sunny place. Crossing my fingers I start to see some germination in 7-10 days. 

Keep up the good work,

Crystal