Chapter 1 - Scientific Method Flashcards
Biology
The study of living organisms
Scientific method
The process of making observations of the world and proposing, testing, and discarding/modifying ideas about how the world works
Hypothesis
Proses explanation for one or more observations
Testable
The ability of a hypothesis to be evaluated by the natural laws of the measurable universe
Supernatural
Not constrained by the laws of nature
Falsifiable
The ability of a hypothesis to be proven incorrect
Scientific theory
An explanation for a set of related observations that us based on a hypothesis that has been proven true by multiple, independent lines of research
Inductive reasoning
Combining a series of specific observations to make a general conclusion
Deductive reasoning
Using a general statement to predict specific outcomes
Prediction
The result we expect from a hypothesis test
Alternative hypothesis
Factor other than the tested hypothesis that may explain observations
Experimentation
Sets of actions or observations designed to test specific hypothesis
Data
Information collected by scientists through hypothesis testing
Variables
Any factor in a test that can change in value under different conditions
Independent variable
A variable whose value can be freely changed
Dependent variable
Variable whose changes are influenced by the independent variable
Control
A subject similar to an experimental subject in all ways except it is not exposed to the experimental treatment
Random assignment
An effective way to minimize differences between groups
Placebo
Sham treatments in experiments
Bias
Influence on the results of an experiments based on the opinions/expectations of the subjects/researchers
Blind experiment
Situation in which the individual subjects are not aware of what they are predicted to experience
Objective
Without bias
Double-blind
Situation in which both the observers and the subjects are unaware of either the hypothesis or which group a subject is in
Correlation
The relationship between two variables
Statistics
A specialized branch of mathematics used to evaluate and compare data
Sample
Small subgroup of a population
Mean
Average
Statistical tests
A type of experimental test whose data can be used to extend the results of a sample to an entire population
Statistically significant
A result that is very unlikely to be due to chance differences between the experimental and control samples
Primary sources
A source written by the researchers themselves and reviewed within the scientific community
Peer review
Process in which scientists review the results and conclusions of an experiment before it is published
Secondary source
Source with information from a primary source
Anecdotal evidence
Advice based on an individual’s personal experience
