Nature of
Science
Science Vocabulary!
Write down the following terms in the GLOSSARY of
your lab notebook. Leave room to copy the
definitions of each term.
SCIENCE
L AW
EXPERIMENT
THEORY
HYPOTHESIS
VA R I A B L E
CONTROL GROUP
TRIALS
E X P E R I M E N TA L G R O U P
D E P D E N D E N T ( R E S P O N D I N G ) VA R I A B L E
I N D E P E N D E N T ( M A N I P U L AT E D ) VA R I A B L E
Q U A L I TAT I V E D ATA
Q U A N T I TAT I V E D ATA
What is Science?
I.
What is Science?
A . S c i e n c e describes any field where observations can
be used to explain things we see in our physical or
natural world.
B. The word “science” often causes people to picture
many of the same things:
C. In reality, true science can be defined by being…
1. … a B o d y o f K n o w l e d g e a n d a P r o c e s s
2. … e xc i t i n g
3. … u s e f u l
4. … o n g o i n g
5. … c o l l a b o ra t i v e
Scientific Methods
II. Scientific Methods
A. Scientists use a lot of different te c h n i q u e s to
study the world around us
B. There a few processes that all scientists use if their
observations are going to be accepted by other
scientists.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Making observations
Making predictions ( a.k.a: hypothesis
formation)
Running an experiment*
Analyzing data
Sharing Data
R e p l i c a t i n g e a c h o t h e r ’s r e s u l t s
Scientific Methods (in detail)
III. Scientific Methods (in detail)
A. Making Observations i s a s i m p l e ste p t h at
a l l p e o p l e d o . W h at a re s o m e o f yo u r
o b s e r vat i o n s to d ay ?
B. Making predictions c a n b e a c o nve rs at i o n
sta r te r b u t i n s c i e n c e we fo c u s o n
t r y i n g to p re d i c t c a u s e a n d ef fe c t
Scientific Methods (in detail)
C. Running an Experiment
1. Goal is to test one variable’s effect (i n d e p e n d e nt
va r i a b l e ) on another (d e p e n d e nt va r i a b l e )
2. Control Groups are set up to where no variable is
expected to affect another variable. Why is this
important?
I t a l l o w s u s to s ay t h at t h e d i f fe re n c e i n
d ata i s b e c a u s e o f w h at we c h a n ge d a b o u t
t h e i n d e p e n d e nt va r i a b l e a n d n o t j u st p u re
luck.
3 . E x p e r i m e nt c o nt ro l s make sure that the only
thing being tested is the independent variable’s
effect on the dependent variable
Scientific Methods (in detail)
D. Analyzing Data
1. Use charts and graphs to look at data as a p i c t u r e
a. Typically (but not always)
Bar Graphs: a r e u s e d t o c o m p a r e h o w m a n y
experimental subjects (dependent
variable) respond to the independent
variable
Line Graphs: a r e u s e d t o s h o w h o w t h i n g s
change (dependent variable) over time
Pie Charts: a r e b e s t u s e d t o c o m p a r e p a r t s
of a whole (percentages)
Scientific Methods (in detail)
E. Sharing Data a l l o w s o t h e r s c i e nt i st s ( a n d
t h e p u b l i c ) to s e e e v i d e n c e t h at
s u p p o r t s a p re d i c t i o n . I f t h e d ata i s
i nte re st i n g e n o u g h , o t h e r s c i e nt i st s m ay
t r y a n d re p e at t h e ex p e r i m e nt .
F. Replicating each other’s results i f a n
ex p e r i m e nt c a n b e re p l i c ate d a n d t h e
s a m e re s u l t s a re p ro d u c e d t h a n t h at
b e c o m e s f u r t h e r e v i d e n c e t h at t h e re i s
c a u s e a n d ef fe c t b et we e n t h e
i n d e p e n d e nt va r i a b l e a n d t h e d e p e n d e nt
va r i a b l e