What is Science anyway

Science is organized knowledge

• What does that really mean? Science refers to a system of acquiring knowledge. This system uses observation and experimentation to describe and explain natural phenomena.

science

• The term science also refers to the organized body of knowledge people have gained using the scientific method.

Scientific Method

• Ask a question• Do Background Research• Construct a Hypothesis• Test the Hypothesis by experimentation• Analyze your Data and Draw a Conclusion• Communicate your Results

Scientific method

• Ask a question: Once you find a general topic that interests you, write down the question that you want to answer. A scientific question usually starts with: How, What, When, Who, Which, Why, or Where. For example, if you are interested in Plants, your question might be "How much fertilizer is needed for optimal growth?"

Scientific method

• Do Background Research: – Look in research journals, text books, on line, and

see what other work has been done on this topic.– Use the most believable sources.

Scientific method

• Construct a Hypothesis:– A hypothesis is an educated guess about how things

work. – Most of the time a hypothesis is written like this: “If I

do this , then This will happen." (Fill in the blanks with the appropriate information from your own experiment.)

– Your hypothesis should be something that you can actually test, what's called a testable hypothesis. In other words, you need to be able to measure both "what you do" and "what will happen."

Scientific method

• Test Your Hypothesis by Doing an Experiment:– Make a materials list : What type of supplies and

equipment will you need to complete your experiment? By making a complete list ahead of time, you can make sure that you have everything on hand when you need it. Keep your list since you will need it as part of your lab report.

Scientific method

• Test Your Hypothesis by Doing an Experiment– Write the experimental procedure like a step-by-

step recipe for your experiment. A good procedure is so detailed and complete that it lets someone else duplicate your experiment exactly!

Scientific method

• Test Your Hypothesis by Doing an Experiment– Repeating a science experiment is an important

step to verify that your results are consistent and not just an accident.

– For a typical experiment, you should plan to repeat it at least three times (more is better).

– If you are doing something like growing plants, then you should do the experiment on at least three identical plants in separate pots (that's the same as doing the experiment three times).

Scientific method

• Analyze Your Data and Draw a Conclusion:– Review your data. Try to look at the results of

your experiment with a critical eye. Ask yourself these questions:

– Is it complete, or did you forget something? – Do you need to collect more data? – Did you make any mistakes?

Scientific method

• Analyze Your Data and Draw a Conclusion:– Calculate an average for the different trials of

your experiment, if appropriate.– Make sure to clearly label all tables and graphs.

And, include the units of measurement (volts, inches, grams, etc.).

Scientific method

• Communicate Your Results:– Your conclusions summarize how your results

support or contradict your original hypothesis: – Summarize your results in a few sentences and

use this summary to support your conclusion. Include key facts from your background research to help explain your results as needed.

Scientific method

• Communicate Your Results:– State whether your results support or contradict

your hypothesis. – Summarize and evaluate your experimental

procedure, making comments about its success and effectiveness.

Scientific method

• Communicate Your Results:– Suggest changes in the experimental procedure

(or design) and possibilities for further study.