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SCIENTIFIC METHODSCIENTIFIC METHOD

PROCESSES OF SCIENTIFIC PROCESSES OF SCIENTIFIC INQUIRYINQUIRY

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WHAT DO YOU DO WITH AN WHAT DO YOU DO WITH AN OBSERVATION?OBSERVATION?

INDUCTIVE REASONINGINDUCTIVE REASONING DEDUCTIVE REASONINGDEDUCTIVE REASONING

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INDUCTIVE REASONINGINDUCTIVE REASONING

PROCESS OF GENERALIZING PROCESS OF GENERALIZING FROM SPECIFIC FROM SPECIFIC OBSERVATIONSOBSERVATIONS

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EXAMPLEEXAMPLE

The average mass of cows in The average mass of cows in Vermont is 450kg therefore the Vermont is 450kg therefore the

average mass of all North average mass of all North American cows must be 450kgAmerican cows must be 450kg

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DEDUCTIVE REASONINGDEDUCTIVE REASONING

START W/ VALID GENERALIZATIONSTART W/ VALID GENERALIZATION REASON FROM ITREASON FROM IT ARRIVE AT SPECIFIC CONCLUSIONARRIVE AT SPECIFIC CONCLUSION

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EXAMPLEEXAMPLEYOU DEDUCE THAT IF THE YOU DEDUCE THAT IF THE

AVERAGE LIFE EXPECTANCY OF AVERAGE LIFE EXPECTANCY OF AFRICAN LIONS IN THE WILD IS 10 AFRICAN LIONS IN THE WILD IS 10 YEARS THEN THE AVERAGE LIFE YEARS THEN THE AVERAGE LIFE EXPECTANCY OF LIONS IN KENYA EXPECTANCY OF LIONS IN KENYA

IS 10 YEARS IS 10 YEARS

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SCIENTISTS GO FURTHER - SCIENTISTS GO FURTHER - THEY TEST IDEASTHEY TEST IDEAS

WILL OBSERVATIONS MADE WILL OBSERVATIONS MADE FROM DIFFERENT FROM DIFFERENT

LOCATIONS SHOW THAT THE LOCATIONS SHOW THAT THE AVERAGE MASS OF COWS IS AVERAGE MASS OF COWS IS

450kg?450kg?

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STEPS TOSTEPS TO SCIENTIFIC METHOD SCIENTIFIC METHOD

MAKE OBSERVATIONSMAKE OBSERVATIONS FORM QUESTIONS BASED ON FORM QUESTIONS BASED ON

OBSERVATIONSOBSERVATIONS FORMULATE A HYPOTHESISFORMULATE A HYPOTHESIS TEST HYPOTHESIS - REPEAT TESTSTEST HYPOTHESIS - REPEAT TESTS ANALYZE RESULTSANALYZE RESULTS CONCLUSIONCONCLUSION

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IN SCIENCE THERE ARE NO IN SCIENCE THERE ARE NO ABSOLUTE TRUTHSABSOLUTE TRUTHS

AN IDEA IS CORRECT WITHIN AN IDEA IS CORRECT WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK OF THE FRAMEWORK OF

OBSERVATIONS & TESTS OBSERVATIONS & TESTS WHICH IT IS DERIVEDWHICH IT IS DERIVED

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Set of ideas that Set of ideas that form a general form a general frame of reference frame of reference for further study for further study

Explanations have Explanations have high probability of high probability of being validbeing valid

Evidence is so over- Evidence is so over- whelming that the whelming that the explanation is explanation is further elevatedfurther elevated

fundamental fundamental doctrine on which doctrine on which other concepts are other concepts are based objectivitybased objectivity

THEORY PRINCIPLETHEORY PRINCIPLE

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WHAT IS A HYPOTHESIS?WHAT IS A HYPOTHESIS?

A tentative explanationA tentative explanation To be scientific must be testableTo be scientific must be testable Constructed to provide framework for Constructed to provide framework for

stating the results of an experimentstating the results of an experiment Must be more specific than problemMust be more specific than problem

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TESTING THE HYPOTHESISTESTING THE HYPOTHESIS

INDEPENDENT VARIABLEINDEPENDENT VARIABLE DEPENDENT VARIABLEDEPENDENT VARIABLE CONTROLLED VARIABLECONTROLLED VARIABLE

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INDEPENDENT VARIABLEINDEPENDENT VARIABLE

THE CONDITION OR EVENT THE CONDITION OR EVENT UNDER STUDYUNDER STUDY

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DEPENDENT VARIABLEDEPENDENT VARIABLE

Variables that can possibly Variables that can possibly change because of the change because of the

presence of or change in an presence of or change in an independent variable (What is independent variable (What is measured in an experiment)measured in an experiment)

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CONTROLLED VARIBLESCONTROLLED VARIBLES(CONSTANTS)(CONSTANTS)

Conditions that could affect the Conditions that could affect the outcome of an experiment but outcome of an experiment but do not because they are held do not because they are held

constantconstant

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RANDOM SAMPLINGRANDOM SAMPLING

Subjects are randomly assorted Subjects are randomly assorted into either experimental group or into either experimental group or

control group (ensures both control group (ensures both groups are representative groups are representative

samples of the original samples of the original population)population)

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SAMPLING ERRORSAMPLING ERROR

When a test group is not When a test group is not equivalent to a natural equivalent to a natural

population, a sampling error is population, a sampling error is introduced to the experimentintroduced to the experiment

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SYSTEMATIC ERRORSYSTEMATIC ERROR

ERROR THAT ERROR THAT OCCURS IN THE OCCURS IN THE SAME DIRECTION SAME DIRECTION EACH TIME AND IS EACH TIME AND IS ALWAYS EITHER ALWAYS EITHER TOO HIGH OR TOO TOO HIGH OR TOO LOWLOW

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ORGANIZING TEST RESULTSORGANIZING TEST RESULTS

DATA TABLESDATA TABLES GRAPHSGRAPHS

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Example: Annual and Seasonal Example: Annual and Seasonal Black Bear home ranges in kmBlack Bear home ranges in km22..

Spr./Sum. Fall Annual05

101520253035404550

Spr./Sum. Fall Annual

Bear #19

Bear #81

Bear #14

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Comparison of annual and Comparison of annual and seasonal home range estimatesseasonal home range estimates

Bear # 14 19 48 81 x

Annual 46.9 34.4 -------- 38.1 39.8

Spr./Sum.

27.4 27.6 25.0 33.7 28.4

Fall 38.0 27.4 -------- 27.5 31.0

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Statistical tests Statistical tests

determine if differences between determine if differences between experimental data and control experimental data and control

data are significant or likely due data are significant or likely due only to chance.only to chance.

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GENERALIZING FROM TEST GENERALIZING FROM TEST RESULTSRESULTS

Hypothesis is accepted or rejected on Hypothesis is accepted or rejected on basis of conclusions drawnbasis of conclusions drawn

Statement is written about new insights Statement is written about new insights gainedgained

Apparent trends are notedApparent trends are noted Further problems and Further problems and

hypotheses are posedhypotheses are posed