Asking Scientific Questions BIOL 260 Fall 2016

If the process of science begins with a question, what characterizes a good scientific question?

What are the goals of a scientific question? Describe Predict Increase understanding

Characteristics of a good scientific question Are testable. An experiment can be designed to find the answer Have a hypothesis that is falsifiable. Are not biased. Has a real answer.

Weak Questions Too broad Narrowly focused on collecting a fact Vague comparisons Why?

Thought Processes (to form strong questions) Analogy: Induction: Deduction: Intuition: Serendipity: Analogy: compare similar situations Induction infer general from particular Deduction: infer particular from general Intuition: helpful for forming questions (but not for analysis) Serendipity: unexpected observation

What kind of question are you asking? 1) Define or measure a specific fact or gather facts about a specific phenomenon. 2) Match facts and theory. 3) Evaluate and compare two theories, models, or hypotheses. 4) Prove that a certain method is more effective than other methods.

Designing an Experiment Choose an answerable question Choose type and amount of data Choose data analysis

Experimental Design Include Controls Understand variation between experimental conditions Be aware of bias Anticipate types of error Bias: sampling or psychological Error: systematic, unsystematic, personal errors, mistakes

Hypothesis or clear goal Controls Careful unbiased observations Accurate documentation Systematic analysis Analyze variability and certainty

Honey Bees What do we know? Where do they live? Bees collect pollen and nectar from plants Store food in the form of honey Temperate climates Not active during winter Live in hives Sometimes hives are maintained by bee keepers Urban bee keeping rapidly growing

Does urbanization of bee keeping affect the diet of honey bees? Methods: Measured the sugar isotope signature (increase in n δ13C = human sugar) in different bee populations in Raleigh-Durham area. Results:

Why did the chicken cross the road?

How does this actually happen in research?