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The Nature of Science The Nature of Science & &
Science SkillsScience Skills
Test
Review
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Research starts with a …
• Research question– What the scientists
wants to know
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What are the two general types of research:
• Experimental• Descriptive
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Descriptive research is…
• Based mainly on observations
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Examples of descriptive research are…
• Making models• Dissections• Observing animals in
the wild
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For example…
How do the survivors of a disaster react to the disaster?
No variables; data is based on watching and talking to survivors
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Experimental research is…
• The manipulation and control of variables
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An experimental question has to indicate the variables
• How the independent variable will AFFECT the dependent variable
• What the EFFECT of the independent variable will be on the dependent variable
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For example…
• How does the temperature of ocean water affect the speed of a hurricane?– Independent variable
• T of ocean water
– Dependent variable• Speed of a hurricane
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Predictions
• Educated guesses about what will happen during an investigation– Based on prior knowledge (observations,
background research, etc)
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For example…
People in disasters will react by trying to help others as much as possible.
This is a PREDICTION because it’s a guess about what you think will happen.
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Hypothesis(plural – hypotheses)
• Special kind of prediction
• What makes it so special???– It’s a guess about the VARIABLES & their
relationship, in particular,• How will the independent variable affect the
dependent variable?????????
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How to write a hypothesis
• Use an If, Then statement
• IF the independent variable changes, THEN the dependent variable changes– This type of sentence shows what the IV will
do to the DV
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For example…
• IF the T of ocean water increases, THEN the speed of a hurricane will increase.
• This shows the expected relationship between the independent variable (the T of ocean water) and the dependent variable (the speed of a hurricane)– If the T of ocean water changes, it will cause
the speed of a hurricane to change too.
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The null hypothesis
• A statistical procedure
• Stated as if there will be no relationship between the variables
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For example…
• There is no relationship between water temperature and the speed of a hurricane
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Planning the investigation – Experimental Design
• You absolutely, positively have to know what the variables are!– What you are changing
• How you are changing
– What you are measuring• How you are measuring
– Repeated trials– Data tables
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Analyzing the data
• Reduce the data– Do something to make the amount of data
smaller• Central tendencies
– Mean (average)– Median– Mode– Range– frequency
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Analyzing the data
• Graph the data– Lets us see trends, patterns, relationships,
comparisons– Bar graphs
• Let us compare data
– Line graphs• Let us see trends or changes
– Scatter plots• Shows correlations or associations between
variables
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Conclusions
• How we sum up the investigation– Does the data support the hypothesis?
• If it does – we accept the hypothesis• If it does not – we reject the hypothesis
– All back up what you say with data• Evidence
– Discuss issues or problems with the investigation
– Discuss the importance or relevance of the investigation
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Communicate what you know
• Finding out something new doesn’t do anyone any good unless the new knowledge is shared– Journals & magazines– Presentations