AH Biology - Unit 3 - KA1 - Whole KA

What is science?

Science is the gathering and organisation of testable and reproducible knowledge.

How do scientists do science?

Scientists do science by following the scientific cycle.

What are the steps of the scientific cycle?

The steps of the scientific cycle are:

1. A testable hypothesis is made

2. An experiment is designed to test this hypothesis.

3. The experiment is carried out to gather data

4. The data is recorded

5. The data is analysed and evaluated

6. Conclusions are drawn from this

7. New hypotheses are made to be tested

What is step 1 of the scientific cycle?

Step 1 of the scientific cycle is “A testable hypothesis is made”

What is step 2 of the scientific cycle?

Step 2 of the scientific cycle is “An experiment is designed to test this hypothesis”

What is step 3 of the scientific cycle?

Step 3 of the scientific cycle is “The experiment is carried out to gather data”

What is step 4 of the scientific cycle?

Step 4 of the scientific cycle is “The data is recorded”

What is step 5 of the scientific cycle?

Step 5 of the scientific cycle is “The data is analysed and evaluated”

What is step 6 of the scientific cycle?

Step 6 of the scientific cycle is “Conclusions are drawn from this”

What is step 7 of the scientific cycle?

Step 7 of the scientific cycle is “New hypotheses are made to be tested”

What should scientific knowledge be thought of as?

Scientific knowledge should be thought of as the best current explanation. It is always being updated, evaluated, and refined as new experimental data is produced.

What should all experiments be?

All experiments should be reproducible by other scientists, and if it is a “one-off result” (can’t be reproduced) then it should be treated with caution.

As a result of experiments needing to be reproducible, when are scientific ideas accepted as knowledge?

As a result of experiments needing to be reproducible, scientific ideas are only accepted as knowledge once they have been checked independently by other scientists.

What can negative results from an experiment be seen as?

When an experiment produces a negative result (no relationship is found between the independent variable and the dependent variable) this can be seen as important as a positive result as long as the experiment has been well designed.

What does an experiment sometimes generate and how can this be overcome?

Sometimes an experiment generates a false negative result where the data is conflicting due to a poor experimental design. This can often be overcome by better initial planning and design at the start.

What does the null hypothesis state?

The null hypothesis states that there will be no statistically significant effect as a result of the experimental treatment.

When sharing research what should you include?

When sharing research you should include:

• Method used

• Data collected

• Analysis of data

• Conclusions from results

What does including method used, data collected, analysis of data, and conclusions from results allow other scientists to do?

Including the method used, data collected, analysis of data, and conclusions from results allows other scientists to reproduce results and test them independently.

What are common methods used to share scientific findings?

Common methods used to share scientific findings are:

• Seminars

• Conference talks

• Conference posters

• Publishing them in academic journals.

What is done to academic journals before they are published and what does this make them?

Academic journals are peer reviewed before publishing and are therefore more trustworthy and reliable.

What is peer reviewing?

Peer reviewing is when specialists with expertise in the relevant field assess the scientific quality of the submitted paper and make recommendations regarding its suitability for publishing.

What does peer reviewing assess?

Peer reviewing assesses experimental design, quality of data, analysis, conclusion, and if there is enough information for others to repeat it.

What must the quality of the research and write up be and what does this make it?

The quality of research and the write up must be of suitable standard before it is accepted and published. As a result of this research is considered more reliable and trustworthy.

What is it important to do before beginning an experiment?

Before beginning an experiment, it is important to start by reading the review papers.

What are review papers?

Review papers are special papers in journals that summarise the current knowledge and recent findings in a particular field.

What is done to scientific findings by the media and what is it important to do because of this?

Many scientific findings are misrepresented by newspapers, magazines, and television, so it is important to critically evaluate science coverage in the media.

What is it important that you do when communicating your research?

When communicating your research it is important that:

• You are honest and have integrity

• The results are presented in an unbiased way

• References are supplied and cited

• You do not plagiarise (pass off someone else’s work as your own)

What does providing details to allow other scientists to replicate your experiments minimise?

By providing details to allow other scientists to replicate your experiment, you minimise the chance for dishonesty and misuse of science.

What must be justified before a scientific study can be carried out?

Often, to be allowed to carry out a scientific study, it must be justified in terms of the benefits of its outcomes in balance to the risks and safety of the subject species, the individuals, the investigators, and the environment.

What is a result of scientific studies having to be justified?

As a result of scientific studies having to be justified, many areas of scientific research are highly regulated and are licensed by the government.

What is legislation?

Legislation is laws put into place to limit the potential for misuse of scientific studies and data.

What can legislation, regulation, policy, and funding do?

Legislation, regulation, policy, and funding can all influence scientific research.

What makes up animal study ethics?

The three R’s make up animal study ethics.

In animal studies what are the concepts of replacing, reducing, and refining used to do?

In animal studies, the concepts of replacing, reducing, and refining are used to avoid, reduce, and minimise the harm to the animals.

What are the three R’s?

The three R’s are:

• Replacement (Avoiding harm)

• Reduction (Reducing harm)

• Refinement (Minimising harm)

What is replacement in the context of animal study ethics?

In animal study ethics, replacement is avoiding harm by using a model instead of an animal if possible.

What is reduction in the context of animal study ethics?

In animal study ethics, reduction is reducing the number of animals in a study through a well planned experiment. What is the minimum number of animals required to give a significant result?

What is refinement in the context of animal study ethics?

In animal study ethics, refinement is modifying the experimental design to minimise the harm it has on animals.

What are the three major ethical issues in human studies?

The three major ethical issues in human studies are:

• Informed consent

• The right to withdraw data

• Confidentiality

What does informed consent mean in the context of human study ethics?

In human study ethics, informed consent means participants must be given information about the study and must give their permission to take part in the study and agree to the treatment before it begins.

What does the right to withdraw data mean in the context of human study ethics?

In human study ethics, the right to withdraw data means participants have a right to withdraw their data at any time and without justification.

What does confidentiality mean in the context of human study ethics?

In human study ethics, confidentiality means all participants have the right to have their data treated with confidentiality. Their personal data must not be shared without their consent.