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Scientific Method and MeasurementMrs. Lorenz
Foundations of ScienceBiology
What is science?
0Definition: 0 A branch of knowledge or study dealing with a body of
facts or truths systematically arranged and showing the operation of general laws.
0 Systematic knowledge of the physical or material world through observation and experimentation.
0 Systemized knowledge in general
According To You?
What Does “Doing” Science Entail?
0 Is there one specific method for doing science?0Do different types of science “do” science differently?0What is the common theme throughout all of science?
(Hint: It might be a method of some kind…)0What is essential for all scientists?
What Does “Doing” Science Entail?
0Is there one specific method for doing science?
0Do different types of science “do” science differently?0What is the common theme throughout all of science?
(Hint: It might be a method of some kind…)0What is essential for all scientists?
What Does “Doing” Science Entail?
0 Is there one specific method for doing science?0 NO!!0 What different methods can be used?
0Do different types of science “do” science differently?0What is the common theme throughout all of science?
(Hint: It might be a method of some kind…)0What is essential for all scientists?
What Does “Doing” Science Entail?
0 Is there one specific method for doing science?0 NO!!0 What different methods can be used?
0Observation, experimentation, theories
0Do different types of science “do” science differently?0What is the common theme throughout all of science?
(Hint: It might be a method of some kind…)0What is essential for all scientists?
What Does “Doing” Science Entail?
0 Is there one specific method for doing science?0Do different types of science “do” science
differently?0What is the common theme throughout all of science?
(Hint: It might be a method of some kind…)0What is essential for all scientists?
What Does “Doing” Science Entail?
0 Is there one specific method for doing science?0Do different types of science “do” science
differently?0 Yes, and No.0 What is the difference between observations between
chemists, physicists, biologists, and geologists?0What is the common theme throughout all of science?
(Hint: It might be a method of some kind…)0What is essential for all scientists?
What Does “Doing” Science Entail?
0 Is there one specific method for doing science?0Do different types of science “do” science
differently?0 Yes, and No.0 What is the difference between observations between
chemists, physicists, biologists, and geologists?0What they observe, how they measure observations…0Others?
0What is the common theme throughout all of science? (Hint: It might be a method of some kind…)
0What is essential for all scientists?
What Does “Doing” Science Entail?
0 Is there one specific method for doing science?0Do different types of science “do” science differently?0What is the common theme throughout all of
science? (Hint: It might be a method of some kind…)0What is essential for all scientists?
What Does “Doing” Science Entail?
0 Is there one specific method for doing science?0Do different types of science “do” science differently?0What is the common theme throughout all of
science? (Hint: It might be a method of some kind…)0 The Scientific Method!!!
0What is essential for all scientists?
What Does “Doing” Science Entail?
0 Is there one specific method for doing science?0Do different types of science “do” science differently?0What is the common theme throughout all of science?
(Hint: It might be a method of some kind…)0What is essential for all scientists?
What Does “Doing” Science Entail?
0 Is there one specific method for doing science?0Do different types of science “do” science differently?0What is the common theme throughout all of science?
(Hint: It might be a method of some kind…)0What is essential for all scientists?
0 Curiosity!!
The Scientific Method
Ask A Question
0Where does a scientific question come from?
Ask A Question
0Where does a scientific question come from?0 Observation:0 Reading of the current literature:0 Previous experiment:0 Your teacher:
You Have A Question. Now What?
Background Research
0What does this entail?0 Do you just read randomly?0 What kind of reading do you do (books, articles,
Wikipedia)?0 How much is enough?0 Do you have to continue reading once you’ve started
your experiment?
Constructing A Hypothesis
0How are a hypothesis and a question different?
Constructing A Hypothesis
0How are a hypothesis and a question different?0How do you construct a hypothesis?
Constructing A Hypothesis
0How are a hypothesis and a question different?0How do you construct a hypothesis?
0 Summarize the research
Constructing A Hypothesis
0How are a hypothesis and a question different?0How do you construct a hypothesis?
0 Summarize the research0 Choose a specific thing to test
Constructing A Hypothesis
0How are a hypothesis and a question different?0How do you construct a hypothesis?
0 Summarize the research0 Choose a specific thing to test0 Predict the outcome
Constructing A Hypothesis
0How are a hypothesis and a question different?0How do you construct a hypothesis?
0 Choose a specific thing to test0 Identify the variables0 Predict the outcome
0How long should a hypothesis be?
Constructing A Hypothesis
0How are a hypothesis and a question different?0How do you construct a hypothesis?
0 Choose a specific thing to test0 Identify the variables0 Predict the outcome
0How long should a hypothesis be?0 Paragraph0 Page0 Sentence
Constructing A Hypothesis
0How are a hypothesis and a question different?0How do you construct a hypothesis?
0 Choose a specific thing to test0 Identify the variables0 Predict the outcome
0How long should a hypothesis be?0 Paragraph0 Page
0Sentence
Good Or Bad?
0When a plant is watered more, it grows larger and produces more flowers.
0When a plant is watered three times a week it will grow larger and produce more flowers.
0Watering a plant makes it grow larger and produces more flowers.
Good Or Bad?
0When a plant is watered more, it grows larger and produces more flowers.0 OK
0When a plant is watered three times a week it will grow larger and produce more flowers.0 Best
0Watering a plant makes it grow larger and produces more flowers.0 Worst
Why is one hypothesis better than the other?
Good Or Bad?
0When a plant is watered more, it grows larger and produces more flowers.0 OKHalf is specific and testable
0When a plant is watered three times a week it will grow larger and produce more flowers.0 BestVery specific and testable
0Watering a plant makes it grow larger and produces more flowers.0 Worsttestable but not specific enoughvery broad
Can YOU Make It Better?
Creating An Experiment
0What are important factors to consider when designing an experiment?0 Hint: your hypothesis can lead the way…
Creating An Experiment
0What are important factors to consider when designing an experiment?0 Hint: your hypothesis can lead the way…
0What are you testing?0 Independent variable0 Dependent variable0 Control
Creating An Experiment
0What are important factors to consider when designing an experiment?0 Hint: your hypothesis can lead the way…
0What are you testing?0 Independent variable: The variable you are changing0 Dependent variable0 Control
Creating An Experiment
0What are important factors to consider when designing an experiment?0 Hint: your hypothesis can lead the way…
0What are you testing?0 Independent variable: The variable you are changing0 Dependent variable: The variable being affected0 Control
Creating An Experiment
0What are important factors to consider when designing an experiment?0 Hint: your hypothesis can lead the way…
0What are you testing?0 Independent variable: The variable you are changing0 Dependent variable: The variable being affected0 Control: Receives the same experience but without the
changes done with the independent variable0Can be positive or negative
You’re Ready To Run The Experiment.Now What?
What Should You Record?(AKA: What to write down)
What Should You Record?(AKA: What to write down)0Process/ Steps followed0Observations
0 These would include what?0Any Data/Numbers
0 What could this be?
You Have Data. Now What?
You Have Data. Now What?
0What do you do with observations?0How about numbers?
You Have Data. Now What?
0What do you do with observations?0 Make a table0 Illustration
0How about numbers?0 Make a table0 Make a graph
0What type of graphs are there?
How Do Graphs Help You?
How Do Graphs Help You?
0Trends0Predictions0Relationships0Control
How Do Graphs Help You?
0Trends0Predictions0Relationships0Control
0Help you to make a conclusion about your experiment.
Conclusions
0What should be included in your conclusion?
Conclusions
0What should be included in your conclusion?
The “Real” Scientific Method
0 Is a little bit more complex.
0Let us investigate….
