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Scientific Methods

Chapter 1. Scientific Methods. Scientific Method. Each discipline has its methods for discovering and communicating new ideas Science tries to explain the physical and natural world Unbiased observation Careful description Asking questions about what has been observed

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Scientific Methods

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  1. Chapter 1 Scientific Methods

  2. Scientific Method • Each discipline has its methods for discovering and communicating new ideas • Science tries to explain the physical and natural world • Unbiased observation • Careful description • Asking questions about what has been observed • Formulating hypotheses about what might be answers • Testing the predictions from specific hypotheses • Disseminating the results such that other can examine your results, try to disprove or build upon those results

  3. Is this method only applicable to science? • Unbiased observation • Careful description • Asking questions about what has been observed • Formulating hypotheses about what might be answers • Testing the predictions from specific hypotheses • Disseminating the results such that other can examine your results, try to disprove or build upon those results

  4. Observation and Description • This is a critical and glossed over first step • Much of science research is primarily observing and making descriptive measurements • Ex. Measuring Rafflesiaarnoldiito answer question, How big do the flowers get?

  5. Other examples • Descriptions of animal behavior • Plant and animal anatomy • Single celled organisms in the DUSEL mine water • Human genome project • Identifying what birds are endemic to the Black Hills

  6. Develop a hypothesis • From observations => questions arise • What influences carrion flower size? • Develop a hypothesis = a best guess to answer the question • Must be based on observations + previous research • H: Age of carrion plants influences flower size • H: Can you think of another? • Test the Null hypothesis – for statistical reasons • Null hypothesis – negative version of hypothesis • Ho : If grown under constant conditions, older and younger plants will produce similarly sized flowers. • Must generate predictions that arefalsifiable

  7. Design test • Specific predictions come from a good hypothesis • If grown under constant conditions, older and younger plants will produce similarly sized flowers. • Why constant conditions? What does this mean? • Variable: anything that can vary and might influence the results of your test.

  8. Design test • Experiment to test this should • Have controls to ensure the only difference is the variable to be tested – plant age • All other variables are held constant • Be done “blind” – individual measuring the flowers should not know the age of the flowers she is measuring • Have sufficient sample size to reflect the population

  9. Analysis, Conclusions, Revisions • Based on results of test – • Was your hypothesis supported? • Refine your question or move on to a more refined hypothesis • Is the impact of age due to physiological changes that come with age? • Was your hypothesis not supported by your results? • Develop a new hypothesis and test • Report your results • Such that others can repeat and verify your results

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