1. Introduction to Science as an Inquiry-Based Process
North Carolina State University
©2004 Labwrite Project

2. Exploring Science What is science? What are scientists?
What do scientists do?
What does it mean to think like scientists?
What is inquiry?
How is inquiry used in science?
On this slide, you have a series of discussion questions. Click on the slide to make the first discussion question appear. Begin by reminding students that this is a science lab.  When they are in this lab they are expected to think like scientists and act like scientists.  So it's a good idea from the start to talk about what that means--to think like scientists and act like scientists. Have students answer the question as a class group and agree on a class answer. Go through each question followed by discussion.
Here are some points for discussion:
The word “science” comes from the Latin verb “scire” which in English means “to know.” 
Scientists’ primary goal is to know, to uncover, to discover, to find out something.
Scientists wonder, explore, observe, predict, investigate, infer, reflect, and communicate what they learn.
Scientists gather observable evidence, and from that evidence they arrive at a general conclusion through logical reasoning
Inquiry is the act of asking questions and seeking answers to those questions.
Scientific inquiry is a special form of inquiry that asks very precise questions about the physical world and uses rigorous observations of physical phenomena to answer those questions.
Inquiry reflects the curiosity about the world that is the essence of science.
The specific questions that scientists ask and the means they use to find the answers to those questions are specific to the field of study.

3. The Scientific Method Identify a problem you would like to solve
Formulate a hypothesis
Test the hypothesis
Collect and analyze the data--Record the data you collect from your experiment.
Make conclusions
Before you through each of these steps, ask students to describe the scientific method. Click on the slide to reveal each of the steps and emphasize that the scientific method is not linear. Following are some notes for each step that you may use in your discussions:
• Formulate a hypothesis--A hypothesis is a scientist's best estimation, based on scientific knowledge and assumptions, of what the answer to the problem is. It must be specific and testable.
• Test the hypothesis--Design an experiment that proceeds to answer the specific problem.
• Collect and analyze the data--Record the data you collect from your experiment. If the data show evidence to support the hypothesis, then you accept the hypothesis. If the data show evidence that contradicts the hypothesis, then you reject the hypothesis. (note: Hypotheses can only be supported or rejected, never proven.)
• Make conclusions--At this point, you bring everything together. What does it all mean. You may identify a new problem or start all over again with the original problem. In either case, you will need to report your findings. This is where scientific writing becomes

4. Looking at the Hypothesis
What is the role of the hypothesis?
What is the difference between a hypothesis, a theory, and a law?
What are some theories and laws with which you are familiar?
Click on the slide to reveal each question on this slide. Review the scientific method and ask students to point out the various places in which the hypothesis appears. 
Here are some points you can use during the discussion:
Even though they may not refer to it as “the scientific method,” most scientists go through a series of steps similar to those described in the scientific method when conducting their investigations. 
As mentioned above, scientists usually start out with a problem or question that can be phrased as a hypothesis or series of hypotheses. 
Once a hypothesis is formulated, a scientist will usually design an experiment or study to test the hypothesis.
A hypothesis can only be supported or rejected, never proven. It may be distinguished from a scientific theory or a scientific law:
For Comparison:
Scientific theory—An explanation of why and how a specific natural phenomenon occurs.  A lot of hypotheses are based on theories.  In turn, theories may be redefined as new hypotheses are tested.  Examples of theories:  Newton’s Theory of Gravitation, Darwin’s Theory of Evolution, Mendel’s theory of Inheritance, Einstein’s Theory of Relativity.
Scientific law—A logical, mathematical statement describing a consistency that applies to all members of a broad class of phenomena when specific conditions are met.  Examples of scientific laws:  Faraday’s Law of electromagnetic induction, Coulomb’s Law of electrostatic attraction, Dalton’s Law of partial pressures, Boyle’s Gas Law.

5. How is the Scientific Method Reflected in Scientific Writing?
Parts of a Scientific Journal Article:
Title: What is the article is about
Abstract: Summarizes the whole article
Introduction: Establishes the area in which the research takes place, the research problem, the importance of the research, and the guiding question or hypothesis.
Materials & Methods: Describes the research procedure
Results: Reports the outcomes of the research procedure
Use this slide and the next to establish a connection between scientific inquiry and scientific writing. Use the scientific article as an example of scientific writing and go through each part asking students to find the links to the scientific method and scientific inquiry. Come to a class agreement, for example:
Introduction:  "Identify a problem" and "Formulate a hypothesis"
Materials and Methods:  "Test the hypothesis"
Results:  "Collect and analyze the data"
Discussion and Conclusion:  "Make conclusions from data"

6. How is Scientific Inquiry Reflected in Scientific Writing?
Parts of a Scientific Journal Article (continued):
Discussion: Interprets the results, explaining them and comparing them to the results of other experiments.
Conclusion: Focuses the reader on what is important about the research, its contribution to the larger area of study.
References: Lists the sources used in the article.
Use the scientific article as an example of scientific writing and go through each part asking students to find the links to the scientific method and scientific inquiry. Come to a class agreement, for example:
Introduction:  "Identify a problem" and "Formulate a hypothesis"
Materials and Methods:  "Test the hypothesis"
Results:  "Collect and analyze the data"
Discussion and Conclusion:  "Make conclusions from data"