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Understanding Science: A Guide to the Scientific Process

Discover the systematic process of scientific inquiry involving observation, hypothesis, experimentation, and analysis. Learn terms such as facts, inference, theory, and law, and master the scientific method steps of problem statement, data collection, hypothesis creation, experiment design, and conclusion drawing. Understand experimental design concepts like variables, controls, and repeated trials for accurate scientific conclusions.

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Understanding Science: A Guide to the Scientific Process

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  1. Science As a Process!!!!!

  2. Science • A process through which nature is studied, discovered, and understood. • All areas of science involve posing INQUIRIES (questions) about nature.

  3. Processes of Science • Observing • Hypothesizing • Experimenting • Measuring

  4. Processes of Science • Collecting/Organizing data • Analyzing data • Concluding • Communicating

  5. Terms and Definitions • Facts -- Data or EVIDENCE that can be OBSERVED repeatedly • Example:

  6. Terms and Definitions • Inference -- A CONCLUSION drawn on the basis of FACTS • Example:

  7. Terms and Definitions • Hypothesis -- An EDUCATED guess – a TESTABLE statement • Example:

  8. Terms and Definitions • Theory -- The most probable EXPLANATION based on the best available EVIDENCE. • Example:

  9. Terms and Definitions • Law -- A general statement that DESCRIBES or explains a wide variety of PHENOMENON, something that we KNOW to be true • Example:

  10. Terms and Definitions • Superstition -- A BELIEF that is NOT based on evidence • Example:

  11. Scientific Method • 1. Stating a problem • - problem: solution is not obvious. crucial information is missing. • Solving the problem involves finding this missing information.

  12. Scientific Method • 2. Collecting information on the problem – “BACKGROUND” • the more you know about the problem the more precisely it can be stated, which means less wasted time looking for solutions.

  13. Scientific Method • 3. Making a hypothesis- • a. Use what you know about the problem to predict a solution and try it. • b. Look for patterns that will help you make predictions about the problem.

  14. Scientific Method • 3. Making a hypothesis- • c. Make a model, or a representation, of what you’re working with. • d. Break the problem down into smaller, simpler problems.

  15. Scientific Method • 4. Design and Perform the experiment - the design should directly test the hypothesis • allows you to make a solid conclusion about the hypothesis • IS YOUR HYPOTHESIS TESTABLE??

  16. Scientific Method • 5. Make a conclusion - a solid conclusion is related to the hypothesis and based on the results of a well designed experiment.

  17. Experimental Design Concepts • A science experiment is designed so that only ONE variable is tested at a time. • Clear procedure that can be repeated giving similar results

  18. Experimental Design Concepts • A VARIABLE is something that is changed to study how this change effects the thing being studied.

  19. Experimental Design Concepts • By changing only one variable, when you make your conclusion you can be assured that it is only that one variable that is causing the EFFECT.

  20. Experimental Design Concepts • Independent variable (IV) - the variable that is purposely CHANGED by the experimenter.

  21. Experimental Design Concepts • Dependent variable (DV) - the variable that responds and is the variable MEASURED.

  22. Experimental Design Concepts • Constant (C) - all factors that are kept the SAME during the experiment.

  23. Experimental Design Concepts • CONTROL - the standard to compare the experimental effect against.

  24. Experimental Design Concepts • Repeated trials - the NUMBER of objects/organisms undergoing treatment for each value of the independent variable OR • the number of TIMES the experiment is repeated.

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