Chapter 3: Thinking like a.. Flashcards
Genetics and Evolution
Data
In research, information systematically collected for analysis and interpretation.
Induction
To draw general conclusions from specific observations.
Sample
In research, a number of people selected from a population to serve as an example of that
population.
Pseudoscience:
Beliefs or practices that are presented as being scientific, or which are mistaken for
being scientific, but which are not scientific. Ex: Astrology
Inductive Reasoning
A form of reasoning in which a general conclusion is inferred from a set of
observations. Ex: Dark sky means it is going to rain.
Deductive Reasoning
General principles that are applied to specific instances. Ex: All birds have
feathers, a duck has feathers, a duck must be a bird.
Representative
In research, the degree to which a sample is a typical example of the population from
which it is drawn.
Anecdotal Evidence
A piece of biased evidence, usually drawn from personal experience, used to
support a conclusion that may or may not be correct.
Correlation
In statistics, the measure of relatedness of two or more variables.
Distribution
In statistics, the relative frequency that a particular value occurs for each possible value of
a given variable.
Null-Hypothesis Significance Testing (NHST)
assesses the probability that the collected data (the
observations) would be the same if there were no relationship between the variables in the study.
Type 1 Error
When the researcher concludes that there is a correlation, when in reality there is not.
Type 2 Error
When the researcher concludes no correlation, when in reality there is
Probability Values
The established threshold for determining whether a given value occurs by chance.
Scientific Theory
An explanation for observed phenomena that is empirically well-supported,
consistent, and fruitful (predictive).
