module 1 Introduction to Science, the Scientific Method, and Research Studies

these flashcards cover lecture 1 - 5 in module 1

what are the characteristics of science??

1. Based on empirical knowledge

2. Provides rational/natural explanations

3. Testable

4. Repeatable & reproducible (and reliable)

5. Involves observation and experimentation

6. Generality of principle

what is empirical knowledge??

• empirical knowledge is based on evidence

• data collection (quantitative and qualitative)

• derived from observations or experimentation

what is natural explanations??

very few questions are off limits in science - answers science can provide are limited to the natural world  

what does it mean to be testable??

for something to be testable it means there’s a scientific explanation (hypothesis) to a problem which must be testable (through observations and experiments)

it must generate specific expectations (predictions)

what does it mean for something to be repeatable and reproducible??

• confirmation is very important

• they must be repeatable and reproduced

what does observational and experimentation mean??

experimentation is a controlled setting where there is intervention/manipulation is done to a natural process

what does generality of prinacables mean??

its the establishment that all researchers must follow the same rules and patterns

what is hypothesis vs predictions??

• if hypothesis then prediction

• example: If competition among trees lowers reproductive output, then

  fruit size should be smaller when tree density increase

what are the research processes??

inductive and deductive reasoning

what are the steps of scientific methods??

1. Define/Identify a Problem/Question

2. Formulate a hypothesis (‘potential explanation’)

3. Formulate predictions based on hypothesis

4. Test hypothesis by testing predictions

e.g. make observations or perform experiments and collect

data

5. Analyze data/results

6. Do data support hypothesis?

7. Draw conclusions

8. Communicate results

what is a RH?

• RH is a tentative explanation to a research question stated in evidence

  • stated in advance

  • based on previous observations

  • testable

  • can be falsified but not proven

• RH leads to predictions

• it implies a relationship between variable

  • independent variable = predictor

  • dependent variable = outcome, response 

what is the NH??

what is the HA?

• its contrary to the null hypothesis

• usually corresponds with research hypothesis 

what are they types of relationships?

• correlation: it implies an association between variables (x and y change together in a systematic way = trend)

• causation: indicates that one event (dependent/response

  variable) is the result of the occurrence of another event

  (independent/predictor variable)