1. Principles of SIMPLE Scientific Research or How Does ONE “Do” Science?
Dr. Carl J. Wenning
Illinois State University

2. Identify questions that can be answered with evidence
BIOLOGY: What affect does relative humidity have upon the growth of a plant?
CHEMISTRY: How does temperature affect the rate of a chemical reaction?
PHYSICS: What is the transmission of crossed polarizing films as a function of angle?
Ask questions that observations and/OR experiments can answer.

3. Plan and conduct investigations
There are three types of approaches we can use: (1) hypothesis drive, (2) experimental, and (3) Theoretical.
(1) why did that plant in the classroom turn yellow?
(2) what is the relationship between how much a compass turns and the amount of DC current carried in a nearby wire?
(3) How does the force of buoyancy originate?
Controlled experiments in science are essential
Independent, dependent, and controlled variables

4. Develop and use models MULTIPLE REPRESENTATIONS: verbal statements
Tables of data
flow charts
Motion, Force, & concept maps
GRAPHS
EQUATIONS

5. Analyze and interpret data…
Graphs and charts are the heart of modern science.

6. …Using mathematics DEPENDENT VARIABLE, Y INDEPENDENT VARIABLE, X
SLOPE, M
Y-INTERCEPT, B
RELATIONSHIP Y=MX+B

7. Construct explanations
HYPOTHESIS DEVELOPMENT AND TESTING
Don’t confuse prediction with hypothesis
A prediction is telling in advance what will happen.
A Hypothesis is a logically reasoned “early” explanation based on prior evidence; it is not a guess

8. argue from the evidence
Science is deductive
deductive reasoning, if something is true of a class of things in general, it is also true for all members of that class (reasoning is general to specific)
Science is inductive
Inductive reasoning is the opposite of deductive reasoning. Inductive reasoning makes broad generalizations based on specific observations (reasoning is Specific to general)
induction.html

9. communicate information
Verbal reports
Whiteboard reports
Written reports
Science fairs

10. The “So-called” scientific method
While the “scientific method” does work in some cases,
Identify a problem
Develop a hypothesis
Design an experiment
Collect data
Draw a conclusion
It cannot solve all problems of science.
Consider this online resource that summarizes experimental inquiry:
See Chapters 7 & 8 of teaching high school physics