What is Science?

I. Science is not

I. Science is not

• A collection of never-changing facts or beliefs about the world.

II. Science is

II. Science is

• A way of knowing.• An organized way

of gathering and analyzing evidence about the natural world.

II. Science is• A process. In the other

words, a systematic series of actions directed at some end.

• Is subject to change and uncertainty– Scientists utilize current

technologies to acquire the best understanding of the natural world.

III. Scientific Methodology

III. Scientific Methodology

• Is a series of actions that are utilized to acquire knowledge of the natural world.

III. Scientific Methodology

• Involves– Observing and asking

questions• Scientists use their

senses to carefully notice and describe events.• Scientists ask

questions that no one has asked.

III. Scientific Methodology

• Involves • Making inferences and forming hypothesis• An inference is a logical interpretation

that is based on prior knowledge.• A hypothesis is a testable statement

that is tested by observations or experiments.

III. Scientific Methodology

• Involves – Designing controlled

experiments• In a controlled

experiment one variable is changed while others are kept constant or controlled.

III. Scientific Methodology

– In a controlled experiment one variable is changed while others are kept constant or controlled.• The independent variable is the one that is

deliberately changed and may effect the experimental outcome.• The dependent variable is the one that is kept

constant and changes in response to the independent variable.

III. Scientific Methodology

• Designing controlled experiments– Controlled experiments

have control and experimental groups.• The control group is used

for comparison.• The experimental group

is exposed to the variable that is being tested.

III. Scientific Methodology

• Involves – Collecting and analyzing

data• Data are detailed records

of experimental observations or gathered information.

The main types of data areQuantitative

• Includes numbers obtained from counting or measuring.

Qualitative

• Includes descriptions of what the senses have detected.

III. Scientific Methodology

• Involves– Drawing conclusions• Conclusions are

drawn from experimental data that supports, refutes, or revises the tested hypothesis.

Experiments

Experiments

• Are not always possible.– Animal behavior

experiments require field observations that disturb animals as little as possible.

– Certain types of experiments are not ethical. • Guatemalan subjects of US medical

experiments