Chapter 1.2: The Process Of Science

[[What is the purpose of science?[[

• Discover cause & effect relationships between two events   * Observations   * Experimentation   * Data collection   * Analysis   * Conclusions

\

[[The Scientific Method[[

• ==Science== – knowledge about the natural world.   * Process used to solve problems or understand events     * Requires testable answers/scenarios
• ==Scientific method== – way of gaining information about the world   * Form possible answers to questions   * Requires rigorous testing to determine if the proposed answer is valid   * Has defined steps to achieve this

\

[[Scientific Reasoning[[

• Curiosity & inquiry - driving forces for the development of science   * Understand the world and the way it works
• Two methods of logical thinking used for this:

1. ==Inductive reasoning==

• Uses related observations
• Arrive at a general conclusion
• ==Deductive reasoning==
• Uses general principles/laws
• Predict specific results

\

[[Inductive vs. Deductive Reasoning[[

==Inductive==:

• Goes from specific premises to general conclusions
• Conclusions are probable, not necessarily true

==Deductive==:

• Goes from general premises to specific conclusions
• Conclusions are usually true if premises are

\

[[Steps of the Scientific Method:[[

1. ==Observation== – careful, thoughtful recognition of an event

==Quantitative observations== – use numbers or measurements

• Think quantity

==Qualitative observations== – use descriptive words

• Think qualities

1. ==Questioning and Exploration== – asking the right question is vital to how you find your answer

• Based off your earlier observation(s)

1. ==Constructing a hypothesis==

• ==Hypothesis== = possible answer to a question or explanation for an observation
• Must be testable!!
• If ____ then, ____ statement   * Example:     * If puppies are properly cared for, then they’ll grow up healthy and happy     * If students study for exams, then they will pass the course     * If students don’t study, then they won’t pass the course

1. ==Testing hypotheses== – this can be done in multiple ways

• Observational experiments
• Observation only experiments
• No manipulation
• Only use observational data for support
• Experimentation
• Re-creation of an event/occurrence
• Involves manipulation of (usually) a single variable

Example – If crows want food they can’t reach, then they’ll use the proper tools to get it.

5. ==Development of Theories & Laws== – these can be proposed after lots of research and testing

• ==Theory== – Widely accepted statement about why things happen   * Ex – Germ Theory of Disease
• ==Law== – Widely accepted statement about what happens in nature   * Ex – The Law of Gravity

5. ==Communication== – research must be communicated to the scientific community

• Published papers
• Journal articles
• Conferences

\

[[Important Vocab- Scientific Method[[ 

• ==Controlled experiment== – only one variable present and can be manipulated 
• ==Variable== – what is being changed in an experiment
• ==Independent variable (IV)== – the variable that is purposefully manipulated   * Done to determine how it will affect the outcome   * The “if” part of the hypothesis
• ==Dependent variable (DV)== – the variable that changes in direct response to the manipulation of the IV   * The “then” part of the hypothesis

\ \