Mod 5 Investigations
What do we call a testable statement that can be supported or refuted by investigation?
A hypothesis
Name the Australian service that pioneered remote medical care and later supported telehealth.
The Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS)
What is the difference between correlation and causation?
Correlation means two variables change together; causation means one variable directly produces a change in the other
Name Australia's main national body that issues health and medical research ethics guidelines.
The NHMRC (National Health and Medical Research Council)
Name the three types of variables in a controlled experiment.
Independent, dependent, and controlled variables
In an experiment, what do we call the variable that the investigator deliberately changes?
The independent variable
How can a synchrotron enhance scientific research?
It produces intense beams (e.g. X-rays) that let scientists image materials and molecules at very high resolution
Name one characteristic that helps identify a pseudoscientific claim.
Examples: untestable claims, lack of peer review, ignoring contrary evidence, or relying only on anecdotes / appeals to authority
Give one Australian public-policy example that was shaped by scientific evidence.
Examples: tobacco plain packaging, seatbelt laws, or COVID-19 public-health measures
What should a practical risk assessment identify before you start?
Hazards, the level of risk, and control measures to reduce that risk
What term describes how close repeated measurements are to each other?
Precision
Give one Australian technology example that changed scientific practice or society.
Polymer banknotes (accept RFDS / telehealth or another syllabus-linked Australian example)
What cognitive bias makes people favour evidence that supports what they already believe?
Confirmation bias
Why should scientists disclose industry funding or other conflicts of interest?
Funding can influence design or reporting; disclosure lets others judge the credibility of the research
What is the difference between primary data and secondary data?
Primary data is collected by the investigator; secondary data comes from existing sources
Why is peer review important before scientific findings are widely accepted?
Independent experts check the methods and conclusions, which helps confirm reliability and reduce error or bias
How has scientific knowledge driven the development of vaccines or therapeutics?
Understanding pathogens and the immune response allowed vaccines and medicines to be designed and tested (including contributions by Australian researchers)
In medical research, why is a randomised controlled trial stronger evidence than anecdotal reports?
It reduces bias and confounding variables and sits higher in the hierarchy of evidence
How can Indigenous knowledge systems and Western science complement each other?
They offer different ways of knowing about Country and ecosystems; together they can improve research and conservation
Name two ways to improve the reliability of experimental results.
Use repeats or replicates, increase sample size, and keep the method consistent (any two)
Distinguish validity from reliability in a scientific investigation.
Validity means the investigation measures what it claims to measure; reliability means the results are consistent when the investigation is repeated
Explain one way limited scientific instrumentation has constrained inquiry in a field such as genetics or astronomy.
Example: early telescopes limited what could be observed in space; slow or costly gene sequencing limited genetics until newer technologies arrived
How is scientific consensus on climate change established, and how is it sometimes challenged?
Established through extensive peer-reviewed research and bodies such as the IPCC; challenged by cherry-picking data, misinformation, or vested interests
What is the role of the IPCC in linking science to policy?
It assesses climate science and provides policy-relevant advice; it does not make government policy itself
List the main sections typically found in a scientific investigative report.
Aim or hypothesis, method, results, discussion, conclusion, and references