Technical Vocabulary Support (alphabetical order)
Analysis – means breaking down the results of a test and explaining them in more detail. This requires some explanation and opinion about the findings.
Annotate – means to add comments, to explain a photograph, chart, graphs or diagram
Bibliography – is a list of books or other sources such as websites you have used for research purposes. It will not be included in the word count. You should write it in the following way:
Books:
TULL, A. and LITTLEWOOD, G (2016) Food Preparation and Nutrition, Illuminate Publishing.
Websites:
British Nutrition Foundation: www.nutrition.org.uk
Controls – A standard of comparison for checking or verifying the results of an experiment.
Evaluation – is an overview of what went well and what went wrong and a justification of conclusions. Writing up what you have learnt.
Hypothesis – is an idea, prediction or explanation that you can then test through investigation and experimentation. It is a statement that can be proved or disproved.
Investigation – finding out information linked to a given task through research and experimentation.
Justification - the action of showing something to be right or reasonable and explanations to back up your findings.
Logical – straight thinking and organised. They way you work should be planned, to ensure it is thorough.
Mind Map – This is a method of documenting ideas. Sometimes this method allows the brain to be more creative with information than simply writing a list. In a mind map there is usually a central part (e.g the task) and then Ideas can be categorised using branches or bubbles. PG 390 of your FPN textbook shows an example.
Modify – alteration or changes to a part or process. You may need to do this to achieve better results.
Prediction – This is simply a statement about what you think will happen.
Research – Research can be both ‘primary’ and ‘secondary.’
Range – a number of possibilities. You may choose a range of testing methods and/or a range of ingredients, when completing your investigation.
Research - fact finding. You must write about this. What did you find our, how did it help you plan the experiments for your investigation.
Scientific – your approach must follow the scientific process, prediction, experiment, findings, analysis and conclusion.
Secondary Research – For NEA1 you will use secondary research. Gathering existing data which has been produced by someone else. This can be using the internet via websites with educational articles, videos and lectures such as TED talks. It is important that you don’t just cut and paste information as this is known as ‘plagiarism’ and illegal.
You must write the information you find in your own words, or use “quotation marks” if you want to write something directly. The British Nutrition Foundation & NHS has a wealth of useful information.
You can also use books, magazines, leaflets, labelling, packaging, newspapers.
Sensory analysis – is a way of measuring the sensory qualities of food, e.g sight, smell, taste, texture, touch, sound. If you are unsure look at PG 247 of your blue FPN textbook.
Star profile – One method of recording sensory analysis results but this could also be done on a bar chart or table.
Variables – Changeable features, such as ingredients, methods, processes or tools. You need to show a range of variables in your investigations, at least 3-4 variables would be needed for a good investigation.
‘ ’ refers to how the ingredient behaves, its performance or how it is used to its best advantage, when in a recipe or cooked on its own, or as an accompaniment. E.g. using a block of margarine for rubbing in rather than a low fat spread. How they work together, this will link to the function.
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refers to the purpose for which is it being used and can be linked to its structure, nutritional value, taste, texture, appearance, shelf life. E.g. whisking an egg or a fatless sponge. What they do, their properties, on their own and when combined.
‘ ‘ refers to action that are irreversible and can refer to the raising of products, setting, deterioration, degeneration, loss of nutritional content, loss of colour, loss of structure etc. E.g. the action of baking powder in baked products. This is the science behind the ingredient – the why?
The Brief
The start of the investigation
Tip
The problem you need to solve
Background Research
Use any resource e.g. books, the Internet, magazine articles, and talk to people.
Tip
Gather all the information you can about the question you are investigating. This information will help you write the hypothesis.
Hypothesis
A simple statement that expresses what you think will happen. An intelligent guess.
Tip
Using your research ‘guess’ and possible answer to your question
Experiments
The test you intend to carry out in your investigation
Tip
Make a detailed plan and carry out experiment, which tests your hypothesis. The experiment(s) should be a fair test that changes only one variable at a time while keeping everything else the same.
Data
The information collected from your experiment(s).
Tip
Document your results with detailed measurements, descriptions and observations in the form of notes, photos, charts and graphs.
Observations
What you actually saw happen during the experiment.
Tip
Describe what you can see during your experiments. Include information that could have affected your results such as mistakes, environmental factors e.g. temperature changes and any unexpected surprises
Conclusions
What you found out at the end of the experimenting.
Tip
Analyse the data you collected and summarize your results in written form. Use your analysis to answer your original question, do the results of your experiment support or oppose your hypothesis?
The Report
The report is the story behind your investigation.
Tip
Include information you found out in the research. Say why you decided on the experiments you did? Present your findings in a written document, use graphs, charts, and annotated photographs to show your findings. Explain your conclusions, what you found out.