The Biology Spot : The Biology Classroom:

Unit 1: The Nature of Science and Scientific Methods

 

Scientific Method(s)

Pneumonic: "I Have Einstein's Rules Clear"

Actual steps:

1) I = inquiry

2) H= hypothesis

3) E= experiment

4) R= results

5) C= conclusion

1) INQUIRY

A) MAKE OBSERVATIONS

Example:

B) ASK QUESTIONS

Example:

C) IDENTIFY VARIABLES/ FACTORS

3 TYPES OF VARIABLES

 

INDEPENDENT VARIABLE

-"CAUSE" OR "CHANGING" VARIABLE

- USUALLY ONLY ONE IN AN EXPERIMENT

Example:

DEPENDENT VARIABLE

-"EFFECT" OR "RESPONDING VARIABLE

- USUALLY ONLY ONE IN AN EXPERIMENT

Example:

CONSTANT VARIABLES

-"CONTROLLING" VARIABLES

-USUAL SEVERAL IN AN EXPERIMENT

Example:

 

2) HYPOTHESIS

-A TESTABLE PREDICTION WITH AN EXPLANATION

-IF … (state independent variable)

THEN… (state dependent variable0

BEACAUSE .. (explain why)

Example:

 

 

3) EXPERIMENT

-MUST HAVE 2 TESTING GROUPS

1) EXPERIMENTAL GROUP

-LARGE NUMBER OF TRIALS OR SAMPLES

-REPRODUCIBLES

-TEST THE EFFECT OF YOUR INDEPENDENT VARIABLE

Example:

2) CONTROL GROUP

-PRACTICE/TRIAL RUN BEFORE INDEPENDENT VARIABLE PUT IN PLACE

-USED AS A NEUTRAL REFERENCE POINT FOR

COMPARISON

Example:

 

 

4) RESULTS

-USE STATISTICS

-SHOW NUMBERS VISUALLY THROUGH TABLES AND GRAPHS

 

 

5) CONCLUSION

1) PURPOSE

2) MAJOR FINDINGS: HYPOTHESIS SUPPORTED/REJECTED

3) SOURCES OF ERROR

4) COMPARISONS

5) RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FUTURE STUDY

 

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