Scientific Method 1
A series of steps designed to help you solve problems and answer questions
scientific method
When a scientist shares her findings with other scientists, she is
communicating results
What is the 1st step to the scientific method?
What is Ask a Question
What is an educated statement that could be tested called?
Hypothesis
Which steps comes first in the scientific method? develop a hypothesis or make an observations
observations
Once a scientist completes an experiment should they repeat using the exact same materials?
Yes they should
What is the Scientific Method
It is a way to solve problems or answer questions
The process of obtaining information by using the senses is called a/an
observation
Are Scientists the only individuals who use the scientific method?
No everyone uses it.
This step answers the original question.
Form a conclusion
Searching through books, magazines, and the internet for information is known as what?
Research
What are the three types of variables?
Independent, Dependent, and Control
What is a variable?
Anything that changes or could change an experiment
Which question would be the best high level scientific question?
A) Who made the first microscope?
B) Does the amount of salt in water affect the temperature at which it boils?
C) How many giraffes live in Africa?
D) How long ago did dinosaurs live on the Earth?
B) Does the amount of salt in water affect the temperature at which it boils?
Before you can form a hypothesis, you need to
a. state the problem or question
b. perform an experiment
c. state a conclusion
a. state the problem or question
Describe the control group in Dr. Jenner's vaccination experiment.
The children who got smallpox and did NOT have the cowpox inoculation
This term translates to "false science"
Pseudoscience
How many variables do you want to change in a single experiment?
One
What observation did Dr. Jenner make that eventually led to the development of the smallpox vaccine?
Milkmaids who had cowpox seemed to be protected from smallpox
What word describes a preference for an experiment to lead to a specific result?
Bias
Experimental designs can be conducted in 2 kinds of environments. What are they?
Controlled or natural
When other scientists check your research methodology it is known as what?
Peer review
An estimate of how much a result differs from the actual value is known as what?
List the 3 types of correlation discussed in class.
Positive, negative, and non
Margin of error can be reduced by increasing what?
Sample size