The Nature of Science

Mass extinction

Period of time during which great number of species go extinct. The fossil record shows that there have been 5 mass extinctions in the history of earth.

Science

A body of knowledge about the natural world and an evidence based process for acquiring that knowledge.

Scientific method

Also called process of science. The practices that produce scientific knowledge.

Process of science

The practices that produce scientific knowledge. See scientific method

Observation

A description, measurement or record of any object or phenomenon.

Hypothesis

An informed, logical and plausible explanation for observations of the natural world.

Falsifiable

Able to be refuted

Descriptive study

And observational study that reports information about what is found in nature. Compare in analytical study.

Analytical study

And observational study that looks for patterns in the information collected and addresses how or why there’s patterns came to exist. Compare descriptive study.

Experiment

A repeatable manipulation of one or more aspects of the natural world

Variable

A characteristic of any object or individual organism that can change

Independent variable

Variable that is manipulated by the researcher in a scientific experiment. Compare dependent variable.

Dependent variable

Any variable that responds, or could potentially respond, to changes in an independent variable.

Controlled experiment

An experiment that measures the value of a variable for two groups of subjects that are comparable in all respects that one group (the treatment group) is exposed to a change in the independent variable and the other group (control group) is not.

Control group

The group of subjects in an experiment that is maintained under a standard set of conditions with no change in the independent variable. Compare experimental group.

Experimental group

Also called treatment group. The group of subjects in an experiment that is maintained under the same standard set of conditions as the control group, but is subjected to manipulation of the independent variable. Compare control group

Treatment group

See experimental group

Fact

A direct and repeatable observation of any aspect of the natural world. Compared theory.

Theory

Hey, I thought this is or group of related hypothesis that have received substantial confirmation through divers lines of investigation by independent researchers. Compare fact.

Peer review

The evaluation of original research by experts in the field, who have no direct involvement in the research under review before it is approved for publication.

Biological hierarchy

A way to visualize the breadth and scope of life, from the smallest structures to the broadest interactions between living and nonliving systems that we can comprehend.