chap 1: Glossary Terms

Question 1

Accurate

Answer 1

without any mistakes

Question 2

Authentication:

Answer 2

confirming that the submitted assessment has been completed by the student

Question 3

Beneficence

Answer 3

an ethical concept that involves taking positive action that maximises the benefits and minimises the risks or potential harms

Question 4

Bias

Answer 4

an error that occurs when an investigation is not randomised, particularly if the investigator is affected by their expectations of the outcome.

Question 5

Control Group

Answer 5

a group is an investigation that receives no treatment (independent variable) so a baseline value can be established

Question 6

Controlled Variable

Answer 6

the variable that is kept constant during an investigation in order to determine the relationship between the independent and dependent variables

Question 7

Dependent Variable

Answer 7

the variable that is being measured and whose value depends on the independent variable

Question 8

Ethics

Answer 8

a system of moral principles that considers what is good and bad for society

Question 9

Extraneous Variable

Answer 9

a variable, other than the independent variable, that can influence the dependent variable

Question 10

Gradient

Answer 10

the slope of a graph

Question 11

Hypothesis

Answer 11

tentative prediction, or explanation of an observation, based on an existing model or theory

Question 12

Independent Variable:

Answer 12

the variable changed or manipulated by the scientist and assumed to have an effect on the dependent variable

Question 13

Integrity

Answer 13

an ethical concept that means being honest about ones actions, in science it means fully reporting data and acknowledging all sources of information

Question 14

Justice

Answer 14

a moral obligation to give fair consideration to competing claims, not place unfair burden on a particular group, and ensure fair access and distribution of benefits of an action

Question 15

Logbook

Answer 15

a legal record of an experimental investigations kept by scientists performing the investigations

Question 16

Method

Answer 16

the steps taken to carry out a scientific investigation

Question 17

Methodology

Answer 17

the broader framework of approach taken in the investigation to test your research question

Question 18

Model

Answer 18

a representation of a system or phenomenon that explains the system or phenomenon. May be mathematical equations, computer simulation, physical object, words or some other form

Question 19

Non-Maleficence

Answer 19

an ethical concept that involves avoiding harm or ensuring that harm caused by action is proportionate to the benefit gained from the action

Question 20

Observation

Answer 20

acquisition of information through your senses

Question 21

Outlier

Answer 21

a data point that does not fit the pattern shown by the other measured data points

Question 22

Personal Error

Answer 22

a mistake of miscalculation due to human error

Question 23

Precise

Answer 23

how closely together measurements are to one another

Question 24

Primary Data

Answer 24

data that you have measured or collected yourself

Question 25

Qualitative Data

Answer 25

a measurement with descriptive or non-numerical results

Question 26

Quantitative Data

Answer 26

a measurement with numerical values

Question 27

Random Error

Answer 27

an unpredictable variation in measurement; can be improved by taking multiple measurements and calculating an average

Question 28

References

Answer 28

list of all sources used for the write-up of an investigation

Question 29

Reliable

Answer 29

highly likely to be a trustworthy source of information

Question 30

Repeatable

Answer 30

an investigation that can be conducted again by the same investigator under the same conditions to generate similar results

Question 31

Replicates

Answer 31

independent samples that allow you to take multiple measurements, increasing the reliability of your data

Question 32

Reproducible

Answer 32

giving the same result within uncertainty limits; when repeated measurements are made by a different investigator

Question 33

Research Question

Answer 33

A specific question that a particular investigation or investigator is attempting to answer

Question 34

Respect

Answer 34

an ethical concept that considers the rights of an individual or group

Question 35

Risk Assessment

Answer 35

a process of evaluating potential risks of an investigation

Question 36

Secondary Data

Answer 36

data that has been measured and collected by someone other than you

Question 37

Secondary Source

Answer 37

a source of information that has been obtained from another source

Question 38

Systematic Error

Answer 38

a predictable deviation in data

Question 39

Theory

Answer 39

a collection of models and concepts that explains specific systems or phenomena; scientific theories allow predictions to be made and hence are falsifiable

Question 40

True Value

Answer 40

a value obtained in an ideal measurement

Question 41

Uncertainty

Answer 41

a range of values that the true value falls within

Question 42

Valid

Answer 42

describes results that are affected by only a single independent variable and hence are reproducible

Question 43

Variable

Answer 43

something that can change or be changes, as distinct from a constant, which does not change