Scientific approach

1
Scientific approach

• Two forms
• Discovery science (descriptive)
• Hypothesis-driven science (specific)

2
Discovery science

• Finds general patterns (behavior, structure).
• Makes correlations (climate to adaptations).
• Describes Life (human genome project, mammals).
• INDUCTIVE REASONING From a large number of
  observations to a specific conclusion.
• Happens before a particular question is asked

3
Examples of Discovery Science

• DNA analysis
• Human genome project
• Climate Models
• Nuclear Reactions
• Impacts of a volcano

4
Hypothesis-driven science

• Is a formal process of inquiry that isolates
  variables (control, independent variable,
  response, dependent variable).
• The question is asked first.
• Hypothesis is based on previous knowledge.
• Hypothesis comes BEFORE the actual experiment and
  observation.
• DEDUCTIVE REASONING From general observations to
  a specific expected results.
• Follows a formal process.

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Hypothesis-driven Science

• SCIENTIFIC METHOD
• PRIOR KNOWLEDGE/OBSERVATIONS
• STATE A QUESTION/PROBLEM
• STATE HYPOTHESIS
• PREDICTION BASED ON
• POPULATION TESTED
• EXPERIMENTAL GROUP(S)
• CONTROL GROUP(S)

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• DESIGN YOUR EXPERIMENT
• POPULATION SIZE
• EXPERIMENTAL GROUP(S)
• CONTROL GROUP(S)
• DEPENDENT VARIABLE
• INDEPENDENT VARIABLE
• MATERIALS, PROCEDURE, DURATION
• DATA COLLECTION
• DATA ANALYSIS
• CONCLUSION
• INTERPRET RESULTS
• SUMMARY OF DATA ANALYSES
• RELATION TO HYPOTHESIS ( - o)
• CRITIQUE EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN