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45 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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What is science? |
the process of using observations and experiments to draw conclusions based on evidence |
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What is anecdotal evidence? |
an informal observation that has not been systematically tested, so it is unreliable |
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What is peer review? |
a process in which independent scientific experts read scientific studies before they are published to ensure that the authors have appropriately designed and interpreted the study |
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What is a hypothesis? |
a tentative explanation for a scientific observation or question |
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What must a scientific hypothesis be to be considered significant? |
testable and falsifiable |
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What does it mean to be testable? |
it can be established or rejected by experiment |
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What does it mean to be falsifiable? |
for a hypothesis to be able to be ruled out by data to show that the hypothesis does not explain the observation. It can be proved wrong. |
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What is an experiment? |
A carefully designed test, the results of which will either support or rule out a hypothesis |
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What is an experimental group? |
the group in an experiment that experiences the experimental intervention or manipulation |
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What is the control group? |
the group in an experiment that experiences no experimental intervention or manipulation |
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What is a placebo? |
a fake treatment given to control groups to mimic the experience of the experimental groups (decaf coffee) |
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What is a blind study? |
where participants don't know if they are given a placebo |
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What is the independent variable? |
the variable or factor being deliberately changed in the experimental group |
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What is the dependent variable? |
the measured result of an experiment, analyzed in both the experimental and control groups |
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What is sample size? |
the number of experimental subjects or the number of times an experiment is repeated |
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Why is a larger sample size ideal? |
it means results will be more likely to not be due to chance |
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What is statistical significance? |
a measure of confidence that the results obtained are "real" and not due to chance |
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Truth in science is never final |
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What is scientific theory? |
an explanation of the natural world that is supported by a large body of evidence and has never been disproved |
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What is epidemiology? |
the study of patterns of disease in populations, including risk factors |
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What is a correlation? |
a consistent relationship between two variables |
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What is a randomized clinical trial? |
a controlled medical experiment in which subjects are randomly chosen to receive either an experimental treatment or a standard treatment (or a placebo) |
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Why are randomized clinical trials more difficult? |
It is hard to get people to stick to the regimen for the length of the study |
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What should we look for in Scientific publications? |
Where the study was done, who did the study, what are their credentials, where is it published, is it peer reviewed |
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How is science different from other ways of knowing? |
It is based on evidence using logic, senses, and testing |
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Science is not democratic. It is based on evidence and we don't get to vote on whether we accept it or not. |
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If science does not make moral decisions, who does? |
society |
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What are the steps to the scientific method? |
1. Observation 2. Hypothesis 3. Experiment 4. Results 5. Conclusions |
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What is the observation portion of the scientific method? |
1. Scientists read up on publications already done on the topic 2. Scientists create their own observations on a topic |
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What is the hypothesis portion of the scientific method? |
A statement or question is created to identify what exactly you are looking for. It must be testable. |
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What is the experiment portion of the scientific method? |
There is a control (the standard of comparison), an experimental group (where the independent variable is changed and the dependent variable is observed). The bigger the sample size, the less likely results are up to chance. There must be constant conditions throughout the experiment. |
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What is the results portion of the scientific method? |
The data from the experiment is collected (best if mathematical). Results must be objective, evaluated using statistics, and peer reviewed |
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What is the conclusions portion of the scientific method? |
The scientist determines whether the data supported the original hypothesis. If not, they can form new hypotheses. |
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What are epidemiological experiments? |
Experiments that show correlation but do not identify the causation |
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What are field experiments? |
Going out into the field to study an aspect of it |
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What are laboratory observations? |
Where a scientist conducts experiments in a lab and therefore has control over most of the experiment |
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What is cell theory? |
Theory that all organisms are composed of cells. By Schleiden and Schwann in 1838. |
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What is the biogenesis theory? |
Theory that life only comes from life. By Pasteur in 1865. |
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What is the homeostasis theory? |
Theory that an organism's internal environment remains within a normal range. By Bernard in 1851. |
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What is the evolution theory? |
Theory that all living things have a common ancestor and the ability to change with time. By Darwin in 1859. |
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What is the gene theory? |
Theory that organisms contain coded information that dictates their form, function, and behavior. By Mendel in 1866. Then Watson and Crick developed DNA model structure in 1953. |
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What is a fact? |
An observation repeatedly confirmed and accepted as true. |
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What is a hypothesis? |
A tentative statement about natural world leading to testable deductions |
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What is a law? |
A descriptive generalization about how some aspect of the natural world behaves under stated circumstances, often in the form of an equation. |
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What is a theory? |
A set of many related hypotheses that form a broad-ranging explanation about some aspect of the natural world. |
