Sciencing

Sciencing!! The way scientists go about collecting knowledge Science represents the body of knowledge accumulated through the scientific method

The Scientist 1. Has an inquiring mind 2. Is a keen observer 3. Is willing to change their mind when presented with new evidence 4. Is unbiased, careful, accurate 5. Is capable of distinguishing fact from fiction

The Scientific Method A way to validate information collected

Defined: 1. An analytical way of searching facts that will give us a better understanding of our world 2. An approach to solving a problem 3. A way of thinking

Uses interrelated processes and tools of scientists a. Researching b. Hypothesizing/predicting c. Experimenting d. Observing

e. Measuring f. Organizing/classifying g. Analyzing/inferring h. Concluding I. Communicating

Steps in the Scientific Method 1. Purpose/Problem - identify a question to answer 2. Research/Hypothesis - gather information about the subject and develop a guess as to the solution 3. Experiment - test your hypothesis through experimentation

4. Data - collect information from your experimentation, organize it so it can be analyzed 5. Conclusion - accept your hypothesis or reject it based on the data collected

Steps in the Scientific Method - The Details 1. Purpose/Problem a. Identify a problem or ask a question b. State the problem and define it c. Limit the scope of the problem to a specific part

2. Research/Hypothesis a. Research info about the problem b. What is the newest info from scientific journals?

c. Sort through clues, hunches, and facts; choose info pertinent to your study d. Develop a hypothesis (educated guess) that answers the problem/question; If… Then…

3. Experimentation - a way to test your hypothesis through experiments A. Parts of an Experiment 1. Equipment and Materials - a. items needed b. Diagram of the setup

2. Procedure – the steps to follow when doing the experiment a. Must be repeatable b. Must control all the variables (controlled experiment)

c. Experimental setup must have 1. Control group – represents the normal or known; is used to compare the experimental group to document any change

2. Experimental group(s) – the group(s) that vary from the normal. (Significant differences from the control? Then you KNOW it is due to that part of the experiment that was changed)

The variable groups are either : a. Independent variable - value in a controlled experiment that is deliberately changed (I changed it!) b. Dependent variable - variable that is observed and that changes in response to the independent variable (depends on the independent)

3. Experimental design - 5 X 5 rule a. Control group b. Experimental - set up 5 variations of your experimental group ex. –if the variable is temperature, then test 5 different temp. c. Repeat experiment 5 times

4. Data - the collected results from an experiment; it will need to be organized into an easy-to-read form so it can be analyzed

There are 2 Methods to collect data: a. Qualitative - using 5 senses sight hearing touch taste smell *These are subjective measures and can depend on the observer; if you can put into numerical form it is more valid

b. Quantitative - numerical data that has been collected through measurement. Measurement units: length - m weight - g volume - l time - sec, min, hrs temperature - C, F, Kelvin

How good of an observer are you????

Data is organized for easy comparison and review before developing a conclusion

Ways to organize data: graphs – line, bar, picto charts/ tables photos/ drawings maps models diagrams

5. Conclusion a. Analysis of the data collected to support or reject hypothesis b. Based on good observations c. A general statement to answer the problem

Types of Conclusions: a. Inference - a conclusion drawn from observations to explain what you see; may not be true, but is the best conclusion based on observations

b. Theory - True for all the situations studied, but need to test other situations; almost always true

c. Law - true in all situations

Validity of a Scientific Study 1. Must use large number of subjects 2. Must be repeatable 3. Must have a control

Do scientists really use the scientific method???? What are checks for scientific information????

Six Phases of a Project Enthusiasm Disillusionment Panic Search for the guilty Punishment of the innocent Praise and honors for the nonparticipants

Sciencing Review

What is Sciencing? The way scientists go about collecting knowledge Science represents the body of knowledge accumulated through a scientific method

What are 5 characteristics of a good scientists? 1. Has an inquiring mind 2. Is a keen observer 3. Is willing to change their mind when presented with new evidence 4. Is unbiased, careful, accurate 5. Is capable of distinguishing fact from fiction

What is the Scientific Method? A way to validate information collected

What are 3 facts used to define the Scientific Method? 1. An analytical way of searching facts that will give us a better understanding of our world 2. An approach to solving a problem 3. A way of thinking

What are the inter-related processes of the Scientific Method (tools)? Uses interrelated processes and tools of scientists a. Researching b. Hypothesizing/predicting c. Experimenting d. Observing

e. Measuring f. Organizing/classifying g. Analyzing/inferring h. Concluding I. communicating

What are the steps in the Scientific Method? Develop a purpose or site a problem. Research the problem and develop a hypothesis. Complete an experiment Gather and organize data from the experiment Analyze the data and draw a conclusion

Which step of the scientific method does each of the following statements represents ? 1. Gathers information about the problem from literature research 2. Is organized for easy analysis data 3. A way to test a hypothesis experimentation

4. Is limited and defined purpose/problem 5. The precise steps to follow in a study experiment

6. Uses scientific journals research 7. Is an analysis of data conclusion

8. Contains a control group experimentation 9. Can use maps, models, and photos data

10. Used to develop a hypothesis research 11. Has an experimental group with one variable experiment

How do the control group and the experimental differ? What is the purpose of the control group? Why is the procedure of an experiment so important?

How does qualitative and quantitative observations differ? Which observation is more valid?

Contrast inference, theory and law. What are the three points that make a scientific study valid? Be able to use the scientific method.