Biology The Study of Life 1.1

Biology

The scientific study of life and living organisms.

Science

Derived from the latin word of knowledge, it covers general truths and examines the operations of laws in the world around us.

Scientific Method

A research method involving a series of defined steps, that utilizes experiments and careful observation.

Hypothesis

A prediction suggesting a reason for the occurrence of an event. ie: the room is hot because the AC is broken.

Theory

A confirmed, tested, explanation for recorded observations or phenomena.

Natural Sciences

Fields of science relating to the physical world and understanding it’s processes.

Life Sciences

A subcategory of natural sciences related to living things, and their study.

Physical Sciences

The study of non-living things and their functions or processes.

Inductive Reasoning

Logical thought process using observations, and both qualitative and quantitative to draw data and come to conclusions.

Deductive Reasoning

Form of logical thinking that uses observations to predict a result.

Descriptive Science

Inductive research that aims to discover and explore.

Hypothesis-Based Science

Deductive and aims to solve some sort of problem.

Scientific Method Steps

Observation, question, hypothesis, prediction, experiment, analyze, report results.

Falsifiable

Hypotheses need to be disprovable, and have the ability to be proven wrong. For instance, a hypothesis on an unobservable phenomena like ghosts. is not falsifiable.

Variable

Variations or changes during an experiment.

Control Group

A group that is unaffected by by the independent variable. It should serve as a way to explain the hypothesized manipulation.

Basic Science

Science focused on simply expanding the general knowledge.

Applied Science

Aimed to solve a specific problem with a solution.

Serendipity

Form of discovery in science that is accidental or surprising.

Peer-Reviewed Manuscripts

Scientific papers that are reviewed by peers like other scientists, or colleges.

Abstract

A section in the beginning of a paper, typically a summary of the paper.

Introduction

Beginning section of a paper, typically describes the background of the field it’s related to and the rationale behind the paper.

Plagiarism

Using work and/or ideas from someone else without citing them.

Material and Methods

Section in scientific papers that describes any materials or methodology used to gather data.

Results

Section in scientific papers that simply portray the data collected.

Discussion

Section where the researchers interpret and discuss the results reported.

Conclusion

Summary of experimental findings and the importance behind them.

Review Articles

Articles that don’t provide new knowledge, but instead expand or comment on published findings.

Bioethicists

People who attempt to make ethical decisions regarding research and medical findings.

Tuskegee Syphilis Study

Study where effects of syphilis were tested untreated, on one hundred African American men.

Dr. Arthur Wentworth

Tested the effects of spinal taps on children.

Dr. Joseph Stokes

Infected prisoners with hepatitis, in an attempt to understand it’s effects, also incidentally led to the spread of it.

Henrietta Lacks

Patient whose cells were able to divide consciously. Due to this, her cells were sampled without her knowledge by doctors, leading to the discovery of many important discoveries like the polio vaccine. However, because Henrietta was never informed, it raises many questions behind the ethics and validity of these discoveries.