1: Scientific Method Flashcards
What is double blind testing?
Neither the investigator nor participants know who gets what
Why is double blind testing important
Avoidance of bias
What is a hypothesis
An educated guess based on observation
Why do scientists publish their results/ conclusions
Peer review
Spread knowledge
Name the limitations of the scientific method
The extent of our knowledge The basis of investigation Interpretation of results Changes in the natural world Accidental discoveries
Give examples of three ethical issues
Cloning animals
Using captive animals in experiments
Freezing sperm and embryos
Name four ways of making an experiment fair
Large sample
Random sample
Others must be able to replicate
Double blind testing
How many variables are usually tested in an experiment
One
Why is a control important
To provide a standard to compare with the actual experiment
Why are replicates important
Ensure reliability
Avoid bias
Verify result
What is data
Observations
Results of an experiment
What is a theory
A hypothesis supported by experiment
What is a variable
A factor that may change in an experiment
What is a principle/law
Arises from a theory that has shown to be valid when fully tested over a long period of time
Experiment
Designed to test a hypothesis
