Scientific Method

What is Biology?

The study of living things

What is an observation?

When something is noticed

What is a hypothesis?

An educated guess based on an observation

What is the purpose of a hypothesis?

To form the basis of a prediction

What is the purpose of experimentation?

Used to test the hypothesis

What is data?

The measurements and information gathered from experimentation

What is a theory?

A hypothesis supported by numerous experiments

What is a law or principle?

Theory that has been shown to be correct when tested over a long period of time

Where do you publish results?

Scientific journals

What is it important that results are published?

Peer review

What is a variable

A factor that can change in the experiment

What is a control?

Used to provide a comparison against the experiment

What is a replicate?

When an experiment is repeated

Why do we use a large sample size?

Ensures more accurate results

Why do we do random selection?

Avoid bias and greater reliability

Why do we do double blind testing?

Neither tester nor the subject should know who is receiving the real drug/placebo

What is a placebo?

Harmless drug given to patients in a control group in an investigation of a certain drug

What are limitations to the Scientific Method?

Extent of our basic knowledge

Our ability to interpret the results

Accidental discoveries

What are ethical issues?

If something is right or wrong