The inquiry cited above makes use of the functions of analysis, synthesis and evaluation. Analysis is the act of reviewing and comparing data. In the inquiry of the herbicides, the analysis occurs with the review of prior evaluations and inquires. This analysis of studies regarding the effect of atrazine allowed the inquiry to come up with its hypothesis and thus direct the actual experiment. Without an analysis of the original, existing data the concept of comparing use of atrazine, isoxaflutale and a mix of both would not have been thought of.

The concept of synthesis refers to the integration of two or more existing elements in order to create something new. In the inquiry, there are numerous levels of synthesis. First and foremost is the agricultural practice of combining atrazine with isoxaflutale as a method of creating a new, supposedly less toxic herbicide that would comply with the regulations issued by the Environmental Protection Agency. At another level is the synthesis of information. For example, the test results provided several, individual results. On one hand the mixed test showed that by mixing the two herbicides together did not make the product less harmful to humans. On the other hand the test with only the isoxaflutale demonstrated that, by itself, this particular herbicide had no negative consequences as to the human cell production and immune system. The conclusion drawn from this, that the level of atrazine used had no effect as to the harmful consequences to humans, was made by synthesizing the two individual results to come up with the new conclusion as to the effect of atrazine.

Finally, evaluation is the systematic determination of the merit, worth or significance of something, in the case of the inquiry,...

The evaluation in the inquiry project occurred at the end of the experiment, allowing the conclusion to be drawn. Thus, all the test results had to be evaluated for other possible, non-controlled results. Then, the final conclusion of the inquiry had to be evaluated as to whether any other reasoning exists to explain the results. After these careful evaluations, one is able to make a conclusive finding.
The results found in the inquiry are fairly straight forward and further or alternative explanations to the results are rather limited. However, as with any experiment, there is the chance that uncontrolled variables effected the end results. For example, the mixture used could have been effected by such variables as the weather, humidity, pressure or amount of light available. Any of these variables would alter the validity of the inquiry. For this reason, it is important to 1) control the testing as much as possible, and 2) run the experiment several times to ensure validity through consistency. There is also a possible influence of bias, as the people conducting the experiment could have an economic interest in the results.

Bibliography

Heston, Emily D., Kathleen Brundage. The Immunotoxic Effect of a Mixture of Atrazine and Isoxaflutole. Mountain State University: Department of Microbology, Immunology and Cell Biology.

Lee, Jennifer. "Popular Pesticide Faulted for Frogs Sexual Abnormalities," New York Times, 2003-06-19, p. 20.

Wackett LP, Sadowsky, MJ, Martinez B. Biodegradaton of Atrazine Degradation in Natural Environments. Biodegradation. 13: 11-19, 2002.

Walsh, Edward. "EPA Stops Short of Banning Herbicide," Washington Post, 2003-02-01, p. A14.