Science Education Review - Nature of Science

Vocabulary flashcards based on the Science Education Review article discussing the nature of science, its distinguishing features, and common myths.

Science

One way of knowing, describing, classifying, and understanding our universe. Students need to engage in discourses about science, developing an understanding of its nature, including strengths and limitations.

Nature of Science (NOS)

Values and assumptions inherent to science.

Empirical Evidence

Science is derived from, and guided by, observation or experiment.

Testability/Falsifiability

Scientific claims must be testable or falsifiable.

Tentative and Developmental

Scientific knowledge is subject to change and development.

Law (or rule or principle)

A generalized statement summarizing observed regularities or patterns in nature.

Hypothesis

A possible explanation for observed facts and laws.

Theory

An explanation that has stood the test of time, often a broad explanation derived from the convergence of many hypotheses.

Model

A mental picture of, or analogy for, a phenomenon, using a well-understood system behaving similarly to the system under consideration.