#3 Scientific Method and Climate Change

This set of flashcards covers key vocabulary from the lecture notes on the scientific method and climate change, aimed at aiding in the understanding of core concepts related to the subject.

Scientific Method

systematic process of making observations, asking questions, forming a testable hypothesis, conducting experiments to test it, analyzing the data, and drawing conclusions to build knowledge.

Null Hypothesis

A statement that suggests no significant relationship or effect between variables.

Alternative Hypothesis

A statement proposing a specific relationship or effect between variables, challenging the null hypothesis.

Climate Action

Policies and measures aimed at reducing the impacts of climate change on health and the environment.

Morbidity

The condition of being diseased or the incidence of disease within a population.

Mortality

The state of being subject to death; often used in statistics regarding deaths in a population.

Empirical Evidence

Information acquired by observation or experimentation used to validate a hypothesis.

Bias

A systematic deviation between the results of a study and the 'truth,' influencing objectivity.

Debiasing Tools

Methods used to reduce bias in cognition, such as framing, visualization, and inoculation.

Cognitive Biases

Systematic patterns of deviation from norm or rationality in judgment, affecting decision making.

Ethogram

A table or list that describes the behavioral patterns of an animal species, often used in observational studies.

Data Collection

The process of gathering and measuring information on variables of interest in a systematic fashion.

Statistically Significant Difference

A result that is unlikely to have occurred by chance, indicating a real effect in research findings.

Climate Literacy

Understanding the science of climate change and its impacts, including the ability to make informed decisions.

Peer Review

The evaluation of scientific, academic, or professional work by others working in the same field.

Hypothesis

tentative statement or explanation that proposes a possible relationship between variables and is subject to testing and verification.

Scientific bias

any systematic deviation between the results of a study and the “truth.”