Epidemiology: Scientific Method

Front 1

Steps in formal research

Back 1

1. Background
2. Stimulating observation, question, or problem
3. Working hypothesis
4. Conditional prediction
5. Gather and analyze data
6. Draw conclusions

Front 2

What was already known or taken as fact?

Back 2

Background

Front 3

You notice something and begin to wonder "why?" or "how?"

Back 3

Stimulating observation, question, or problem

Front 4

You make a guess

Back 4

Working hypothesis

Front 5

You formulate a prediction, if...then statement

Back 5

Conditional prediction

Front 6

You make observations or do experiments to see if the predicted consequence does occur

Back 6

Gather & analyze data

Front 7

Conclusions drawn:
Rule 1: if predicted consequence doesn't occur, you conclude the working hypothesis is not true
Rule 2: if the predicted consequence does occur, you conclude that the working hypothesis might be true.

Back 7

Draw Conclusions

Front 8

Is science a collection of answers or facts about the natural/biological world?

Back 8

No, it is a process for asking questions that matter in such a way that nature can reveal the answers.

Front 9

Working hypothesis

Back 9

Unambiguous, declarative assertion about how nature works

Front 10

Confounding variable

Back 10

A third variable that wasn't studied that could also lead to the same result

Front 11

Does association prove causation?

Back 11

No!