science ext
aspects of epistemology:
- qualities
- limitations
- generation
empiricism: knowledge comes from experience via the senses
Induction is creating a theory out of observations
Deduction is making an inference out of a theory
Theory dependence of observation: previous experience/assumptions affect the inferences drawn for observation
- systematic errors
- all measurements are larger or smaller than the "true" value by the same amount/percentage
- random errors
- Random errors correspond to the "scatter" in experimental data, and will result in readings that are scattered around the "true" value, usually with a normal distribution
Methods of obtaining large data
Remote sensing: Remote sensing is obtaining information about an area or phenomenon through a device that does not touch the area or phenomenon under study e.g. motion activated camera
Streamed data: Devices used in research which can operate in an autonomous or semi autonomous mode in which data is recorded continuously and then "streamed" out of the sensor for further processing and analysis e.g. livestream camera
Content analysis is the study of documents and communication artefacts, which might be texts of various formats, pictures, audio or video. Social scientists use content analysis to examine patterns in communication in a replicable and systematic manner.
Thematic analysis is one of the most common forms of analysis within qualitative research. It emphasises identifying, analysing and interpreting patterns of meaning within qualitative data.
A descriptive statistic is a summary statistic that quantitatively describes or summarizes features from a collection of information, while descriptive statistics is the process of using and analysing those statistics.
Pearson's r can range from -1 to 1. An r of -1 indicates a perfect negative linear relationship between variables, an r of 0 indicates no linear relationship between variables, and an r of 1 indicates a perfect positive linear relationship between variables.
The use of a controlled study is the most effective way of establishing causality between variables. In a controlled study, the sample or population is split in two, with both groups being comparable in almost every way. The two groups then receive different treatments, and the outcomes of each group are assessed.
| individual decision making | collective decision making |
|---|---|
| held responsible | diversity of ideas |
| faster | less personal bias |
data modelling:
- Predictive modelling is a process that uses data and statistics to predict outcomes with data models. These models can be used to predict anything from sports outcomes and TV ratings to technological advances and corporate earnings.
- A statistical model is a mathematical model that embodies a set of statistical assumptions concerning the generation of sample data. A statistical model represents, often in considerably idealized form, the data-generating process.
- A descriptive model describes a system or other entity and its relationship to its environment. It is generally used to help specify and/or understand what the system is, what it does, and how it does it. A geometric model or spatial model is a descriptive model that represents geometric and/or spatial relationships.
- Using the graph data model, designers describe their system as a connected graph of nodes and relationships, much as they might do with ER or object data modelling. Graph data models can be used for text analysis, creating models that uncover relationships among data points within documents.
the use of errors
- error bars provide a measure of reliability
- percentage error
- better line of best fits
types of data:
- ordinal: ordered categories e.g. clothing sizes
- nominal: non-ordered categories e.g. colors
- continous: can have a decimal e.g. measurements
- discrete: only whole numbers e.g. number of dogs
Lavoiser explained combustion by oxidation, and discovered the law of conservation of mass. He disproved the phlogiston theory as he demonstrated the element called oxygen that played a major role in combustion. The concept of phlogiston was developed by German scientist, Stahl who discovered that combustible substances lost weight when they burned. So he reasoned that the change in mass was due to the loss of the component of phlogiston in the air. Lavoiser, however, found that experiments with phosphorus and sulphur both gained weight when burning. Paradigm shift: He disproved the phlogiston theory as he proposed a new theory that combustion meant the reaction with oxygen, not phlogiston.