welcome to fcsc-101 "the important thing in science is not so much to obtain new facts as to...
TRANSCRIPT
Welcome to FCSC-101
"The important thing in science is not so much to obtain new facts as to discover new ways of thinking
about them." --- William Lawrence Bragg
NEW CORE CURRICULUM: FOUNDATIONS OF THE SCIENTIFIC PROCESS
1. Use theories and models as unifying principles that help us understand natural phenomena and make predictions.2. Use graphical and numerical methods to analyze, organize, and interpret natural phenomena.3. Formulate hypotheses, identify relevant variables, and design hypothetical experiments to test hypotheses.4. Recognize the difference between a cause-and-effect relationship and a correlation, and apply that knowledge to data analysis.
Course Learning Objectives
5. Formulate and ask relevant questions about course material. 6. Illustrate the interdependencies among science, including basic and applied research, technology, ethics, and society.7. Evaluate the credibility of sources and information.8. Communicate clearly in writing, speaking, and through the visual display of data.9. Collaborate effectively as a member of a team.
Course Learning Objectives (cont)
How You Will be Assessed
Weekly Pre Class Quiz (based on Readings)
Weekly Homework Assignments•Short answer questions•Multiple choice questions•Data analysis assignments, and/or•Posing questions
20%
Science in the News •(3 short writing assignments: 5% each)
15%
Class Participation 5%Group Research Project •(group effort due at the end of the semester)
20%
Midterm Exam 15%Final Exam 25%
When Is Stuff Due?All assignments will be posted on a weekly basis to the course Blackboard site, under the “Assignments” folder.
It is your responsibility to check this folder every week.
What If I Hand Stuff In Late?
All of the assignments should be turned in during the class session on the day they are due (not e-mailed).
E-mailed assignments are acceptable only and only if you cannot make it to class (for excusable reasons).
What If I Hand Stuff In Late?
No late work will be accepted during or after Week 14.
Days Late Maximum Points
0 10 points
1 – 7 5 points
> 7 3 points
Can I Cut This Class?Attendance at all class sessions is required.
This class is highly participatory and interactive.
If you are absent on a given day, you will receive a zero for any activities completed in class that day; large numbers of absences will undoubtedly hurt your grade.
introduce you to the scientific literature and to current areas of scientific research
identify different elements of the scientific process
convey your understanding of the scientific process in writing
personalize the course to your interests
Science in the News
http://www.sciencedaily.com/
Read research summaries that interest
you & choose one for this assignment
Type one page report
Turn in summary plus copy of the article
Total of 3 reports are due this semester
Science in the News
Science in the News
Acceptable Sources of Information for Science in the News
Report should contain:
1. Who did the research, and where are they located?
2. What were they investigating?3. Briefly summarize their findings in your
own words.4. Explain the significance of their results.
Paraphrase, do not quote.
Example:
Who did the research, and
where ?
Example:
What were they
investigating?
Example:
Summary
of findings
Example:
Significance
Example:
zoom-inzoom-in
Microscopic Microscopic WorldWorld
zoom-outzoom-out
Macroscopic Macroscopic WorldWorld
Motto: “Something for Everyone”
What Aspects of Science Fascinate Me?
What Aspects of Science Fascinate Me?
Structural proteins
Storageproteins
Contractile proteins
Transport proteins
signalingantibodiesenzymes
What Aspects of Science Fascinate Me?
http://www.cytochemistry.net/cell-biology/ribosome.htm
Getting to know You…Getting to know You…
1. First Name / Preferred Name
2. Hometown (country)
3. Most probable Major
4. Area of Science that interests you
5. One hobby / interest
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kO8x8eoU3L4
“Five Minute University”
Foundations of Scientific Process:
fundamental content-knowledge tactics in thinking & analyzing that should remain memorable
"The important thing in science is not so much to obtain new facts as to discover new "The important thing in science is not so much to obtain new facts as to discover new ways of thinking about them." ways of thinking about them." --- William Lawrence Bragg --- William Lawrence Bragg
"The important thing in science is not so much to obtain new facts as to discover new "The important thing in science is not so much to obtain new facts as to discover new ways of thinking about them." ways of thinking about them." --- William Lawrence Bragg --- William Lawrence Bragg
““The value of education …is not the learning of many facts, but the training of the mind to The value of education …is not the learning of many facts, but the training of the mind to think something that cannot be learned from textbooks." think something that cannot be learned from textbooks." --- Albert Einstein --- Albert Einstein
““The value of education …is not the learning of many facts, but the training of the mind to The value of education …is not the learning of many facts, but the training of the mind to think something that cannot be learned from textbooks." think something that cannot be learned from textbooks." --- Albert Einstein --- Albert Einstein
Next time…Next time…
What is Science?
NEW CORE CURRICULUM: FOUNDATIONS OF THE SCIENTIFIC PROCESS
ScienceScienceis concerned with
investigating and making sense out of the
environment and trying to predict future observations.
The Scientific MethodThe Scientific Method
Fundamental Assumption of Science
Scientists generally accept the notion that an objective reality exists and that
it can be “sampled” by making measurements that produce the data.
Quantification + meaningful units
The Scientific Method In Detail
The Scientific Method In Detail
active observation experimentation
Results in quantification with meaningful units
The Scientific Method In Detail
A Hypothesis is a tentative thought-derived or experiment-derived explanation & prediction.
Mental construct
Testable
InvalidOr
Not Invalid
After collecting the data, explanations/interpretations can come from combination After collecting the data, explanations/interpretations can come from combination of obtained data with imaginative thinking or educated guessingof obtained data with imaginative thinking or educated guessing
The Scientific Method In Detail
The Scientific Method In Detail
Science is falsifiable
So…Let’s say we wanted to know what
the climate of NYC was year round
Based on this observation you might say that the climate of NYC is temperate not
tropical
You can predict that a tropical tree wouldn’t survive well in NYC.
How would you test this?
Our Central Park excursion continues…
Maybe you want to measure the circumferences of different species of treesWhen you collect your data, you need the data you collect to be in well
defined units.
Units are a well defined and agreed upon
referent(given property in terms of another, more
familiar object)
There Are Two Systems of Units in Use Today
English system•Many units based upon parts of the human body
Metric (SI) system• Established in 1791• 7 base units:
• meter (m)• kilogram (kg)• second (s)• ampere (A) • kelvin (K)• mole (mol) • candela (cd)
• all other units derive from these
Units and Unit ConversionsThe metric/US customary units mix-up in 1999 $125 million Mars Climate Orbiter was lost !
Sometimes We Need to Convert Between These Two Systems
All measurements
include uncertainty or
“error”
There are two types of error…
Systematic Error: is a bias in your measurement method; systematic shift of the mean (average) in one direction or another
Random Error: is due to “random” perturbations in your measurement; intrinsic variability that comes from taking independent measurements
We deal with the two types of errors differently
Systematic ErrorsSought after & suppressed
Random Error: Cannot be suppressed, Can be accounted for… That’s why we take multiple independent measurements
How to deal with systematic errors: Change the method
Instrument Error
Method ErrorPersonal Error
Parallax error is introduced as we may read values at an angle.
How to deal with random errors: take multiple measurements
Take Home:Units
ConversionsThere’s always uncertainty
Choosing the right instruments
There’s a right tool for every job Even though we often think of our senses as reliable, often they are
anything but…
Color Contrast
Green and orange same on blue and yellow background
Science is in a search for an objective view / understandingScience is in a search for an objective view / understanding of the worldof the world
Color Contrast
Green and orange same on blue and yellow background
TEST
How can you convince yourself?
Experiments represent a re-creation of an event or Experiments represent a re-creation of an event or occurrence, & enables us to test a hypothesis. occurrence, & enables us to test a hypothesis.
Experiments are controlledExperiments are controlled
Role of ExperimentsStudies a phenomenon under known conditions
Allows you to predict what will happen if a hypothesis is not wrong
Can never prove a hypothesis 100% correct
Experimental Design Control group
A standard for comparisonIdentical to experimental group except for the variable being studied
Sampling errorNon-representative sample skews resultsMinimize by using large samples
Fig. 1.10, p. 12
CONTROL GROUPThe variable being
tested is absent
EXPERIMENTAL GROUPThe variable beingtested is present
Draw samples from some aspect of nature
Compile results Compile results
Compare and analyze the test results
Report on experimental design, test results, and conclusions drawn from
results
Experiment 1Hypothesis - Bacteriophages can protect mice against infectious bacteria
Prediction - Mice injected with bacteriophages will not die as a result of bacterial injection
Experiment 1 - Test•Experimental group Inject with bacteria and bacteriophage
•Control group
Inject with bacteria and saline
Experiment 1 - Results & Conclusion
Experimental group All mice lived
Control groupAll mice died
Conclusion - Bacteriophage injections protect mice against bacterial infections
Experiment 2Prediction - Bacteriophage injections will be more effective treatment than single dose of the
antibiotic streptomycin
Test - Mice injected with bacteria, then with saline, streptomycin, or bacteriophage
Experiment 2 - ResultsWhen 2nd injection was:
Bacteriophage - 11 of 12 mice lived60mg/gm streptomycin - 5 of 12 lived100mg/gm streptomycin - 3 of 12 livedSaline - all mice died
Conclusion - Bacteriophage treatment can be as good or better than antibiotics
Minimizing VariablesAll mice were same age and sex, reared under same conditionsEach mouse in each test group received exact same treatmentAll mice in control group received same amount of salineVariable tested was antibiotic treatment versus bacteriophage treatment
Science Science a given investigation typically “fuels” a new investigation a given investigation typically “fuels” a new investigation
ScienceScience is concerned with investigating and making sense out of the is concerned with investigating and making sense out of the environment and trying to predict future observations.environment and trying to predict future observations.
An example of the Scientific Process is Rutherford’s Test of the “Plum Pudding” model of the Atom.
So What’s the Difference Between a Theory & a Law?
LAWS are general statements, often mathematical, of a body of observations. Laws do not attempt to explain how or why; they only summarize.
THEORIES are explanations for the body of observations. A Theory gives us a reason why an experiment had a particular outcome. Scientists use theories to extend the body of observations in new directions.
Models are human constructs that attempt to incorporate the essential ingredients of a natural process or system
and to make predictions about future behavior
Models provide a conceptual framework for interpreting the data we collect. They help understand what is happening in the otherwise to us invisible world.
In Class Activity:
What’s Inside the Black Box?
Theories and Scientific LawsScience vs. Pseudoscience
NEW CORE CURRICULUM: FOUNDATIONS OF THE SCIENTIFIC PROCESS
Next week…Next week…