The Process of Science and Scientific Methodology

Science

A process of using observations and experiments to draw evidence-based conclusions about the natural world.

Anecdotal Evidence

Informal observations that have not been systematically tested and are often unreliable.

Discovery Science

An approach to science focused on describing nature through direct observation and measurement.

Inductive Reasoning

A form of logical thinking that uses specific observations to construct general scientific principles.

Deductive Reasoning

A form of logical thinking that flows from general premises to specific predictions using If... then... logic.

Hypothesis

A tentative, testable, and falsifiable explanation for a natural observation or phenomenon.

Null Hypothesis ($H_0$)

A statement proposing that there is no significant difference, effect, or relationship between experimental categories or treatments.

Alternative Hypothesis ($H_a$)

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

Independent Variable

The variable or factor that is deliberately manipulated by the researcher in an experiment.

Dependent Variable

The variable that responds to changes in the independent variable and is directly measured during an experiment.

Control Group

A group in an experiment that is treated identically to the experimental group, except it lacks the factor being tested.

Sampling Error

Error resulting from small sample sizes that fail to accurately represent the population as a whole.

DRY MIX

An acronym for graphing conventions: Dependent/Responding on the $Y$-axis, Manipulated/Independent on the $X$-axis.

Scientific Theory

A comprehensive, highly supported set of facts and hypotheses that explains major aspects of nature over extended periods of time.

Scientific Law

A rule or principle in science that has been repeatedly confirmed through extensive testing without exception.

Statistical Significance

A quantitative measure of confidence that experimental results are due to experimental manipulation rather than random chance.