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Thinking like a Scientist

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Title: Thinking like a Scientist


1
Thinking like a Scientist
  • The Scientific Inquiry/Process
  • And
  • The Scientific Method

2
What is Science?
  • Science includes knowledge of the physical
    universe and the ways our knowledge is acquired.
  • Science is a method of finding things out.

3
The Scientific Inquiry/Process
  • There are two parts to the Scientific
    Inquiry/Process
  • 1. Observations
  • 2. Inferences
  • 2a. Predictions

4
Observations
  • Observing is using one or more of your senses,
    (sight, hearing, smell, taste, or touch), to
    gather information about the world.
  • Example seeing the black chalkboard, smelling
    lunch cooking, tasting a sour lemon, hearing my
    voice, and feeling the smooth desk top.

5
Observations
  • Observations can be either qualitative or
    quantitative.
  • Qualitative observations are descriptions that do
    not use numbers colors, smells, texture,
    sounds. (quality)
  • The classroom walls are yellow.
  • Quantitative observations are descriptions that
    use numbers counting objects, measurements,
    etc. (quantity)
  • There are 21 students in the room.

6
Inferring
  • Making an inference, or inferring, is explaining
    or interpreting an observation or statement.
  • Example
  • Observation The sky is cloudy and gray today.
  • Inference It probably is going to rain today.

7
Inference
  • Base your inference on accurate qualitative or
    quantitative observations.
  • Use prior knowledge and recent observations when
    making an inference.

8
Predicting
  • Predicting is making an inference about a future
    event based on current evidence or past
    experience. One way to make a prediction is to
    look for a pattern. In science, predictions are
    usually tested.
  • When you make a prediction in science, try to
    make it as specific as you can, dont just guess.

9
The Scientific Method
  • There are basically six major parts to the
    scientific method.
  • Problem or question
  • Optional (Background information)
  • 2. Hypothesis
  • Design/Perform Experiment
  • Collect/Interpret Data
  • Conclusion
  • Communication
  • Optional (Additional comments or additional
    questions to further test).

10
Posing a Question
  • Scientists design experiments to answer questions
    or solve problems.
  • Does adding sugar to the water in a vase of
    flowers keep the flowers fresh?
  • How do people get colds?

11
Hypothesis
  • A hypothesis is a possible explanation for a set
    of observations or answer to a scientific
    question. Hypotheses are based on a persons
    observations and previous knowledge or
    experience.
  • A hypothesis, in science, must be testable.

12
Designing and Performing an Experiment
  • There are three parts to designing and performing
    an experiment
  • Variables and Operational Definitions
  • Materials
  • Procedures

13
Variables
  • Every experiment involves several variables, or
    factors that can change.
  • For example Will houseplants grow faster if you
    make the room warmer? To answer this question,
    you decide to grow plants at different
    temperatures.
  • The variable that you purposely change,
    temperature, is the manipulated variable or
    independent variable.
  • The factor that may change as a result of the
    manipulated variable, how fast the plants grow,
    is the responding variable or dependent variable.

14
Variables
  • You try
  • You are planning an experiment to find out
    whether the rate at which water freezes depends
    on the shape of its container.
  • What is the independent variable?
  • What is the dependent variable?

15
Variables
  • Controlling variables are very important.
    Controlling variables means keeping all
    conditions the same except for the manipulated
    variable. In the experiment on temperature and
    plant growth, you have to control other variables
    that might also affect growth rate such as
    using identical plants both being ferns, equal
    amount of soil, same amount of water, etc.

16
Variables
  • Name some controlling variables for the
    following
  • You are planning an experiment to find out
    whether the rate at which water freezes depends
    on the shape of its container.

17
Operational Definitions
  • An operational definition is a statement that
    describes how a particular variable is to be
    measured, or how an object or condition is to be
    recognized.
  • Example Lemon juice, vinegar, and certain other
    substances are acids. To find out whether a
    substance is an acid, place a drop of the
    substance on blue litmus paper.
  • Operational Definition Substances that cause
    the litmus paper to turn pink are acids.

18
Operational Definitions
  • Write an operational definition for each
    underlined idea
  • On a cold day, let the water in the pan freeze
    outdoors.
  • You will test these two fertilizers to determine
    which one helps plants grow faster.

19
Operational Definitions
  • Give an operational definition for the following
  • You are planning an experiment to find out
    whether the rate at which water freezes depends
    on the shape of its container.

20
Review - Variables
  • You are planning an experiment to find out
    whether the rate at which water freezes depends
    on the shape of its container.
  • Independent Variable
  • Dependent Variable
  • Controlling variables
  • Operational Definition

21
Materials
  • Before you carrying out your procedures, you need
    to list your materials. Include measurements,
    such as 1 liter of water, or 2cm by 3cm of a
    sheet of paper. Materials should be listed to
    the exact quantity.
  • When writing and performing your procedures, go
    back and modify materials if needed.

22
Procedures
  • The procedure describes what you plan to do and
    identifies the data you plan to collect.
  • The procedure is a step-by-step description of
    how you will change the manipulated variable and
    observe the effects upon the responding variable.

23
Collecting/Interpreting Data
  • During an experiment, you collect data. Data may
    include measurements, color change observations,
    journaling observations, etc.
  • After you collect data, you need to interpret
    what the data means. You can interpret data by
    making tables, charts, graphs, calculations
    (averages), or reviewing journal comments.
  • When interpreting data, look for patterns or
    trends in data information!

24
Conclusions
  • Drawing a conclusion means making a statement
    summing up what you have learned from an
    experiment.
  • When asked to make a conclusion after an
    experiment, do not state, this experiment was
    fun. This is not a scientific statement.
  • Your conclusion is usually related to your
    hypothesis. Determine whether your experiment
    supports your hypothesis or not. If your
    experiment did not support your hypothesis, try
    to determine why.

25
Communication
  • Scientists communicate using written or printed
    word, such as Published Journals (Educational
    Psychology Journal) or lab reports.
  • Lab Reports contain the following sections
  • 1. Problem/Question
  • Optional Background information/research
  • 2. Hypothesis
  • 3. Design/Perform Experiment
  • a. Variables and operational definitions
  • b. Materials
  • c. Procedures
  • 4. Data Collection/Data interpretation
  • 5. Conclusion
  • Optional Additional research questions
    or comments.

26
Scientific Theories
  • Why is testing a scientific question over and
    over again important? A scientific theory is a
    well tested scientific concept that explains a
    wide range of observations. An accepted theory
    has gone through repeated testing and basically
    provided the same results.

27
Scientific Laws
  • Scientific Law This is a statement of fact meant
    to explain, in concise terms, an action or set of
    actions. It is generally accepted to be true and
    universal, and can sometimes be expressed in
    terms of a single mathematical equation.
    Scientific laws are similar to mathematical
    postulates. They dont really need any complex
    external proofs they are accepted at face value
    based upon the fact that they have always been
    observed to be true.
  • Some scientific laws, or laws of nature, include
    the law of gravity, the law of thermodynamics,
    and Hooks law of elasticity.
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