1. What is Science?
Part II

2. After the assigned reading and reviewing the slides, you should be able to discuss:
What is applied vs. basic research and what is the controversy?
Compare experimental, non-experimental & theoretical research.
Is all research hypothesis-driven?
Why do you think different research venues have different goals/products?
How do the different scientific explanations differ?
What are components of an “If… then…” hypothesis statement?

3. REVIEW THE SLIDES: Applied vs. basic research
Come prepared to discuss in your group the questions at the end of the set of slides on Applied vs. Basic Research

4. Applied vs. Basic Research
What is applied and basic research?
At the extremes:
Applied: uses existing info to develop techniques or prdts
Basic: solely for gaining new info
Note: both are based on previous info

5. Applied vs. Basic Research
“It has been said that scientific research of a basic nature is concerned primarily with description and explanation, while applied research focuses on prediction and control.”
Valiela
“Basic research (sometimes called pure science) is driven by the curiosity of the scientist, who simply wants to learn more about a particular phenomenon. Applied research, on the other hand, is done to solve a specific problem and often leads to new or improved technology, which is the practical application of scientific knowledge.”
Lee

6. Applied vs. Basic Research
“Basic and applied research are intertwined… Whole scientific disciplines are organized around applied research [e.g. engineering, agronomy…]”
Lee

7. Applied vs. Basic Research
“There is still a remnant prejudice… that the basic aspects are more demanding, or somehow more meritorious… Such attitudes ignore the history of science…Distinctions between basic and applied science are therefore more blurred and more damaging than we might think. Creative applied science dovetails with, and stimulates basic science, since it both applies general principles and provides new questions and tests of basic principles. Moreover, if science is to maintain the public support essential for sustaining institutions that support science … it needs to make evident how it helps solve important applied problems.”
Valiela

8. Applied vs. Basic Research
“Politicians and others sometimes suggest that all of our scientific research should be directed at solving important problems rather than satisfying scientific curiosity. Most scientists disagree… The problem is that no one can predict which research areas will lead to useful applications…. Early in the nineteenth century, for example, few people could see any practical use for electricity”
Lee

9. Applied vs. Basic Research Questions
Compare and contrast applied and basic research?
Which is based on previous knowledge?
List benefits of each approach to research.
10’

10. Scientific research
Applied vs. Basic is one way to categorize different approaches to research. The next two slides give other ways to classify research. Look over them and we will discuss them in class.

11. Different Venues Academia Government Industry
Some differences include:
goals, products, justification, funding

12. Other categories of research…
Experimental: researcher manipulates a system often changing an independent variable and measuring the resulting variation in the dependent variable. Often hypothesis-driven.
Non-experimental: typically involves description and observation (e.g. surveys), may study naturally occurring variation w/o intervention by researcher, often important when a field is new
Theoretical: looks at mathematical relationships that may not relate to real world. Along with experimentation can be used to make mathematical models that predict changes in biological systems.
13’
Should all research have a hypothesis it is testing?

13. Your topics basic or applied, as long as gaining new info
experimental or hypothesis-driven main emphasis
not technique or product development
13’

14. Brainstorm before coming to class and then share in group
What are characteristics of “Good Science”? *
Unbiased, objective, clear communication of concepts, well-defined terms
Controlled, accuracy, repeatable, falsifiable, well-researched, specific vs. vague
Quantifiable, novel, advancing, justifiable
Ethical, helpful, gives appropriate credit, peer review
Measurements valid & reliable, instruments accurate & precise
Attitude is skeptical, Hypotheses are testable
Scientific method is systematic and uses controlled observation
Based on empirical data/experimentation
Approach is analytical, structured
Collaborative, Science involves a community of individuals that freely communicate
Information open to public for scrutiny (vs. cleric, etc)
Science progresses by:
--Showing the repeatability of old experiments and
--Performing new experiments based on previous work
16’

15. Discuss in groups What kind of science? Compare notes.
“Health effects…” Discuss the question: If science is such a reliable way of “knowing”, why does science fail to yield answers sometimes?
Make a list of characteristics of good science.
Spend ~ 3 minutes per topic
26’

16. Review in class Highlights of: What kind of science? Anfinson
Cell phones
“I won’t teach evolution”
35’ (~2’ each)

17. Science & Public Opinion
Does science influence public opinion?
What can change their mind?
37-38’

18. Scientists explain the world with…
Hypotheses
Models
Theories
Laws
Read the following descriptions of these explanations; compare and contrast them.

19. Hypothesis or theory?
Colloquial definition of a theory:
“Theory refers to an untested speculation or guess, analogous to a hypothesis in scientific usage…. A theory cannot be disproved by a single experiment, as can a hypothesis.”
Ambrose et al

20. Hypothesis
tentative explanation for observations based on previous knowledge
Theory
widely accepted explanation supported by experiments; applies to a variety of situations; relates facts once thought to be unrelated, used to predict new hypotheses
Law
universally accepted; all encompassing; withstands all tests to disprove it

21. Hypotheses must be testable
Concepts must be adequately defined
The explanation must relate to natural forces
When written as an “if… then” statement, the if is the explanation followed by the prediction which defines an experiment

22. What do you think of the mechanics hypothesis?
42’

23. Theories to be useful… Consistent & clearly defined Unifying
Able to make predictions
Are not static but are not thrown out by single experiment

24. BIOLOGICAL THEORIES Name Explanation Cell
All living things are composed of cells
Evolution
All living things have changed (and continue to change) as the environment around them has changed
Biogenesis
Life comes from life
Gene theory
Each form of life has info in the form of DNA that controls their form & function

25. Models/Paradigms
tentative ways to organize information to formulate hypotheses
Models can also be:
physical objects
animal/cell systems
mathematical/computer simulations

26. What is wrong with this statement?*
What is wrong with this statement?
“I believe in evolution”
45’

27. Scientific & Biological Research
Characterized by its contribution of new information to the field (e.g. biological research)
Investigates the natural world
Scientific knowledge changes as new information is collected
Proof is not possible in biology (too many possible explanations)
Review the list of characteristics of good science which are goals of the scientific community, but like all human endeavors, are not reached in every instance… (a good segue into the next topic)
48’

28. Questions?