OVERVIEW OF SCIENTIFIC METHOD AND STATISTICS : Methods

Method to Acquire Knowledge :

  • Methods of Knowing - ways in which a person can know things or ==discover answers to questions==.

A. Nonscientific Methods of Acquiring Knowledge

  1. Method of Tenacity - involves holding on to ideas simply because they have been accepted as facts for a long time or because of ==superstition==.

     ○ Method of tenacity is often referred to as __belief perseverance__.

  2. Method of Intuition - when information is accepted as true because ==it “feels right”==.

  3. Method of Authority - a person ==relies on information== or answer from an expert in the subject area. 

     ○  Method of authority is often called the __method of faith.__

  4. Method of Rationalism - involves seeking answer by ==logical reasoning== beginning with a set of known facts or assumptions and use logic to reach a conclusion or get an answer to question. 

    ○ __Rational methods__ - the practice of employing reason as a source of knowledge.

  5. Method of Empiricism-attempts to answer question by ==direct observation== or personal experience.

B. The Scientific Method (Method of Science)

-an approach to acquiring knowledge that involves ==formulating specific questions== and then ==systematically finding answers.==

  • STEPS OF THE SCIENTIFIC METHODS
  1. Observe behavior or other phenomenon - it ==begins with casual or informal observation==. At this stage, people commonly tend to generalize beyond the actual observations.

○ Process of generalization - is an almost ==automatic human response.==

○ Process of generalization is known as induction or inductive reasoning.

○ Induction or inductive reasoning-- specific to general observations.

  1. Form a tentative answer or explanation (hypothesis) - it ==begins with identifying factors== or variables. After which, select an explanations to be evaluated in a scientific research study, at this point hypothesis is formulated.

○ Variables - are ==characteristics or conditions that change== or have different values for different individual.

○ Hypothesis - is a statement that describes or ==explains a relationships between or among variables==.

  1. Use your hypothesis to generate a testable prediction -==single hypothesis lead to several predictions==, and that each prediction refers to a specific situation or an event that can be observed and measured.

○ Deduction or deductive reasoning - general to specific statements.

  1. Evaluate prediction by making systematic planned observations - this is the ==actual research or data collection phase== of the scientific method.
  2. Use the observations to support, refute or refine the original hypothesis - the final step is to ==compare the actual observation with the predictions== that were made from the hypothesis.
  • OTHER ELEMENTS OF SCIENTIFIC METHODS

  1. Science is Empirical - the ==scientific method involves structures or systematic observation== which is determined by the procedures and techniques that are used in the research study.

  2. Science is Public - making observation ==available for evaluation by others==, specifically scientists.

    ○ Replicate/repeat - allow ==verification of the findings==, the observation for themselves

  3. Science is Objective - observations are structured so that the ==researcher’s biases and beliefs do not influence the outcome of the study==.

Science has been called “ A dispassionate search for Knowledge” -meaning that the researcher does not let personal feelings contaminate the observations