thinking like a scientist the scientific inquiry/process and the scientific method

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Thinking like a Scientist The Scientific Inquiry/Process And The Scientific Method

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Page 1: Thinking like a Scientist The Scientific Inquiry/Process And The Scientific Method

Thinking like a Scientist

The Scientific Inquiry/Process

And

The Scientific Method

Page 2: Thinking like a Scientist The Scientific Inquiry/Process And The Scientific Method

What is Science?

• Science includes knowledge of the physical universe and the ways our knowledge is acquired.

• Science is a method of finding things out.

Page 3: Thinking like a Scientist The Scientific Inquiry/Process And The Scientific Method

The Scientific Inquiry/Process

There are two parts to the Scientific Inquiry/Process:

1. Observations

2. Inferences

2a. Predictions

Page 4: Thinking like a Scientist The Scientific Inquiry/Process And The Scientific Method

Observations

Observing is using one or more of your senses, (sight, hearing, smell, taste, or touch), to gather information about the world.

Example: seeing the black chalkboard, smelling lunch cooking, tasting a sour lemon, hearing my voice, and feeling the smooth desk top.

Page 5: Thinking like a Scientist The Scientific Inquiry/Process And The Scientific Method

Observations• Observations can be either qualitative or

quantitative.– Qualitative observations are descriptions that

do not use numbers: colors, smells, texture, sounds. (quality)

• The classroom walls are yellow.

– Quantitative observations are descriptions that use numbers: counting objects, measurements, etc. (quantity)

• There are 21 students in the room.

Page 6: Thinking like a Scientist The Scientific Inquiry/Process And The Scientific Method

Inferring

Making an inference, or inferring, is explaining or interpreting an observation or statement.

Example:

Observation: The sky is cloudy and gray today.

Inference: It probably is going to rain today.

Page 7: Thinking like a Scientist The Scientific Inquiry/Process And The Scientific Method

Inference

Base your inference on accurate qualitative or quantitative observations.

Use prior knowledge and recent observations when making an inference.

Page 8: Thinking like a Scientist The Scientific Inquiry/Process And The Scientific Method

Predicting

Predicting is making an inference about a future event based on current evidence or past experience. One way to make a prediction is to look for a pattern. In science, predictions are usually tested.

When you make a prediction in science, try to make it as specific as you can, don’t just guess.

Page 9: Thinking like a Scientist The Scientific Inquiry/Process And The Scientific Method

The Scientific MethodThere are basically six major parts to the scientific method.

1. Problem or question• Optional (Background information)

2. Hypothesis

3. Design/Perform Experiment

4. Collect/Interpret Data

5. Conclusion

6. Communication• Optional (Additional comments or additional questions

to further test).

Page 10: Thinking like a Scientist The Scientific Inquiry/Process And The Scientific Method

Posing a Question

Scientists design experiments to answer questions or solve problems.

- Does adding sugar to the water in a vase of flowers keep the flowers fresh?

- How do people get colds?

Page 11: Thinking like a Scientist The Scientific Inquiry/Process And The Scientific Method

Hypothesis

• A hypothesis is a possible explanation for a set of observations or answer to a scientific question. Hypotheses are based on a person’s observations and previous knowledge or experience.

• A hypothesis, in science, must be testable.

Page 12: Thinking like a Scientist The Scientific Inquiry/Process And The Scientific Method

Designing and Performing an Experiment

• There are three parts to designing and performing an experiment:

1. Variables and Operational Definitions

2. Materials

3. Procedures

Page 13: Thinking like a Scientist The Scientific Inquiry/Process And The Scientific Method

Variables

Every experiment involves several variables, or factors that can change.

For example: Will houseplants grow faster if you make the room warmer? To answer this question, you decide to grow plants at different temperatures.

The variable that you purposely change, temperature, is the manipulated variable or independent variable.

The factor that may change as a result of the manipulated variable, how fast the plants grow, is the responding variable or dependent variable.

Page 14: Thinking like a Scientist The Scientific Inquiry/Process And The Scientific Method

Variables

You try:

You are planning an experiment to find out whether the rate at which water freezes depends on the shape of its container.

What is the independent variable?

What is the dependent variable?

Page 15: Thinking like a Scientist The Scientific Inquiry/Process And The Scientific Method

Variables

Controlling variables are very important. Controlling variables means keeping all conditions the same except for the manipulated variable. In the experiment on temperature and plant growth, you have to control other variables that might also affect growth rate: such as using identical plants – both being ferns, equal amount of soil, same amount of water, etc.

Page 16: Thinking like a Scientist The Scientific Inquiry/Process And The Scientific Method

Variables

Name some controlling variables for the following:

You are planning an experiment to find out whether the rate at which water freezes depends on the shape of its container.

Page 17: Thinking like a Scientist The Scientific Inquiry/Process And The Scientific Method

Operational Definitions

An operational definition is a statement that describes how a particular variable is to be measured, or how an object or condition is to be recognized.

Example: Lemon juice, vinegar, and certain other substances are acids. To find out whether a substance is an acid, place a drop of the substance on blue litmus paper.

Operational Definition: Substances that cause the litmus paper to turn pink are acids.

Page 18: Thinking like a Scientist The Scientific Inquiry/Process And The Scientific Method

Operational Definitions

• Write an operational definition for each underlined idea:

1. On a cold day, let the water in the pan freeze outdoors.

2. You will test these two fertilizers to determine which one helps plants grow faster.

Page 19: Thinking like a Scientist The Scientific Inquiry/Process And The Scientific Method

Operational Definitions

Give an operational definition for the following:

You are planning an experiment to find out whether the rate at which water freezes depends on the shape of its container.

Page 20: Thinking like a Scientist The Scientific Inquiry/Process And The Scientific Method

Review - Variables:

You are planning an experiment to find out whether the rate at which water freezes depends on the shape of its container.

Independent Variable:

Dependent Variable:

Controlling variables:

Operational Definition:

Page 21: Thinking like a Scientist The Scientific Inquiry/Process And The Scientific Method

Materials

Before you carrying out your procedures, you need to list your materials. Include measurements, such as 1 liter of water, or 2cm by 3cm of a sheet of paper. Materials should be listed to the exact quantity.

When writing and performing your procedures, go back and modify materials if needed.

Page 22: Thinking like a Scientist The Scientific Inquiry/Process And The Scientific Method

Procedures

The procedure describes what you plan to do and identifies the data you plan to collect.

The procedure is a step-by-step description of how you will change the manipulated variable and observe the effects upon the responding variable.

Page 23: Thinking like a Scientist The Scientific Inquiry/Process And The Scientific Method

Collecting/Interpreting Data

During an experiment, you collect data. Data may include measurements, color change observations, journaling observations, etc.

After you collect data, you need to interpret what the data means. You can interpret data by making tables, charts, graphs, calculations (averages), or reviewing journal comments.

When interpreting data, look for patterns or trends in data information!

Page 24: Thinking like a Scientist The Scientific Inquiry/Process And The Scientific Method

Conclusions

Drawing a conclusion means making a statement summing up what you have learned from an experiment.

When asked to make a conclusion after an experiment, do not state, “this experiment was fun”. This is not a scientific statement.

Your conclusion is usually related to your hypothesis. Determine whether your experiment supports your hypothesis or not. If your experiment did not support your hypothesis, try to determine why.

Page 25: Thinking like a Scientist The Scientific Inquiry/Process And The Scientific Method

CommunicationScientists communicate using written or printed word, such as

Published Journals (Educational Psychology Journal) or lab reports.Lab Reports contain the following sections:

1. Problem/Question * Optional: Background information/research

2. Hypothesis 3. Design/Perform Experiment

a. Variables and operational definitions b. Materials c. Procedures 4. Data Collection/Data interpretation 5. Conclusion * Optional: Additional research questions or comments.

Page 26: Thinking like a Scientist The Scientific Inquiry/Process And The Scientific Method

Scientific Theories

• Why is testing a scientific question over and over again important? A scientific theory is a well tested scientific concept that explains a wide range of observations. An accepted theory has gone through repeated testing and basically provided the same results.

Page 27: Thinking like a Scientist The Scientific Inquiry/Process And The Scientific Method

Scientific Laws

• Scientific Law: This is a statement of fact meant to explain, in concise terms, an action or set of actions. It is generally accepted to be true and universal, and can sometimes be expressed in terms of a single mathematical equation. Scientific laws are similar to mathematical postulates. They don’t really need any complex external proofs; they are accepted at face value based upon the fact that they have always been observed to be true.

• Some scientific laws, or laws of nature, include the law of gravity, the law of thermodynamics, and Hook’s law of elasticity.