Nature Of Science

Front 1

SCIENTIFIC PROCESS

Back 1

* a way to solve a problem
* no set steps
* includes asking questions, making inferences, making observations, experimenting, data collection, analyzing data, communicating results

Front 2

SCIENTIFICALLY LITERATE

Back 2

* can describe/explain natural things
* can read and understand science articles in every day print * can identify science issues of importance at the local, state or national level and talk about them with positions that are scientifically accurate
* can find the bias in science information presented
* can find the science information necessary to do all of the above

Front 3

TESTABLE QUESTION

Back 3

* can do an experiment to answer based on observations
* uses "what if" or "how does a change in this affect that" format
* ends with a ?

Front 4

OBSERVATION

Back 4

* detected using 5 senses (sight, smell, taste, touch, sound)
* if repeated = facts
* if good = evidence
* 2 types: qualitative (words) and quantitative (counting or measuring = numbers)

Front 5

INFERENCE

Back 5

* attempt to explain observations * logical prediction of what will happen
* clue word = "because"
* can become a hypothesis

Front 6

TESTABLE HYPOTHESIS

Back 6

* based on testable question
* logical prediction about the results of a testable question
* can be challenged (experiment)
* written in form of "IF ... THEN ..." statement

Front 7

EXPERIMENT

Back 7

* test used to disprove a hypothesis
* detailed set of steps
* controlled

Front 8

MULTIPLE TRIALS

Back 8

* doing same test several times
* helps eliminate bias
* trial = single test of one value of I.V.

Front 9

DATA

Back 9

* information
* gathered using: observations, experiments, research
* can be qualitative or quantitative
* negative data = good data too!

Front 10

INDEPENDENT VARIABLE

Back 10

* AKA manipulated variable
* part of experiment that scientist changes on purpose
* the "IF" part of the hypothesis
* values set by scientist - usually @ regular intervals

Front 11

DEPENDENT VARIABLE

Back 11

*AKA responding variable
* part of experiment that changes because of I.V.
* the "THEN" part of the hypothesis
* depends on the I.V.

Front 12

CONSTANTS

Back 12

* AKA "controlled variables"
* stay the same throughout experiment
* DO NOT include the measurement tools!

Front 13

CONTROL

Back 13

* experiment performed w/o the I.V. or with the I.V. set at "normal" levels
* basis for comparison of the I.V. results in the experiment

Front 14

CONTROL GROUP

Back 14

* group exposed to the I.V. at "normal" levels or no I.V. at all

Front 15

EXPERIMENTAL GROUP

Back 15

* group exposed to the I.V.

Front 16

INTERPRETING RESULTS

Back 16

* analyzing results
* evaluating the outcome
* making sense of what happened

Front 17

CONCLUSIONS

Back 17

* @ end of experiment
* answers the ?'s: do observations support hypothesis?
* stress key points
* summarizes
* makes predictions for future tests
* recommends course of action
* compares results of others
* discusses possible bias and attempts to eliminate it

Front 18

COMMUNICATING RESULTS

Back 18

* making answers public
* others can try to duplicate it
* challenge it
* scrutinize it
* build on it

Front 19

BIAS

Back 19

* prejudiced presentation of material
* showing a preference for or against an idea, person or object
* being subjective
* telling only one side of the story (data)

Front 20

SUBJECTIVE

Back 20

* biased
* adding feelings, motivations to observations

Front 21

OBJECTIVE

Back 21

* describing only the facts

Front 22

SAMPLE

Back 22

* group of units selected from a larger group that are then tested or measured for an experiment

Front 23

SAMPLING BIAS

Back 23

* group selected does not represent population in study
* group is not appropriate for the experiment

Front 24

SAMPLE SIZE BIAS

Back 24

* group selected is not big enough to represent population

Front 25

SAMPLE SELECTION BIAS

Back 25

* group selected does not accurately represent the population needing to be tested

Front 26

MEASUREMENT BIAS

Back 26

* making mistakes in measurement techniques
* using the wrong environment(setting) for the experiment
* not properly controlling the experiment

Front 27

CONFIRMATION BIAS

Back 27

* searching for info. that only supports your views
* using data that confirms (supports) the outcome you want
* personal bias

Front 28

MEAN

Back 28

* the average
* most commonly used measure of central tendency
* add up all the values an divide by how many there were

Front 29

MEDIAN

Back 29

* the number in the middle
* splits data set in half
* set up data in order from lowest to highest then find the number in the middle

Front 30

MODE

Back 30

* value that occurs most often

Front 31

LAW

Back 31

* describes how something in nature works (under certain conditions)
* statement of fact
* expected to happen
* tested repeatedly
* supported by lots of evidence
* often a formula
* seldom changed
* ex = Newton's Laws of Motion

Front 32

THEORY

Back 32

* explains how the natural world works in specific circumstances
* uses a variety of support (facts, laws, predictions, tested hypotheses)
* tested repeatedly
* supported by lots of evidence
* considered fact
* seldom changed
* Ex = Germ Theory, Theory of Plate Tectonics, Theory of Evolution