SCIENTIFIC THINKING

SCIENTIFIC THINKING

1. OBSERVATIONS DATA AND HYPOTHESIS

   • Systematic observation
   • Observing, describing, categorizing
   • Scientific questions
   • 2 types of data
     • Qualitative
       • Description of phenomenon
     • Quantitative
       • Characteristics that can be measured
   • Hypothesis
     • Proposed answer for a scientificquestion
       • Specific and testable

2. TESTING HYPOTHESIS

   • Testable predictions
   • Reapiting tests to check hypothesis
     • Biological systems are variable
   • Use statistics to analyze a hypothesis
   • Two types of statistical analysis
     • Nonsignificant
       • Data shows no effect
     • Statistically significant
       • Data shows effect
   • Hypothesis may be rejected

3. EXPERIMENTS TO TEST HYPOTHESIS

   • Observational studies help as an important tool
   • Experiments to solve some questions
     • Dependant variables
       • Cause and effect relationship
       • Experimental data
       • Depend of something
     • Independant variables
       • Condition manipulated by a scientist
     • Constants
       • Conditions that never change

4. THEORIES AS EXPLANATION

   • Theory
     • Proposed explanation for a wide of observations and experimental results
   • Scientific Law
     • Describes a truth that is valid everywhere
   • Theories are not easily accepted
     • Need to be supported by data
     • Subject to change
   • New theories may replace old theories
     • Always revise theories to update them
   • Science on going process