Key science skills Flashcards
What is random error?
- affect the precision of a measurement and are present in all measurements except for measurements involving counting.
- unpredictable variations in the measurement process and result in a spread of readings.
- The effect of random errors can be reduced by making more or repeated measurements and calculating a new mean and/or by refining the measurement method or technique.
What is personal error?
include mistakes or miscalculations.
What is a systematic error?
- affect the accuracy of a measurement.
- cause readings to differ from the true value by a consistent amount each time a measurement is made, so that all the readings are shifted in one direction from the true value.
- The accuracy of measurements subject to systematic errors cannot be improved by repeating those measurements.
What is uncertainty?
the uncertainty of the result of a measurement reflects the lack of exact knowledge of the value of the quantity being measured. VCE Biology requires only a qualitative treatment of uncertainty. When evaluating personally sourced or provided data, students should be able to identify contradictory, provisional and incomplete data including possible sources of bias.
What is an outlier?
Readings that lie a long way from other results are sometimes called outliers. Repeating readings may be useful in further examining an outlier.
What is integrity?
the commitment to searching for knowledge and understanding and the honest reporting of all sources of information and communication of results, whether favourable or unfavourable, in ways that permit scrutiny and contribute to public knowledge and understanding.
What is justice?
the moral obligation to ensure that there is fair consideration of competing claims; that there is no unfair burden on a particular group from an action; and that there is fair distribution and access to the benefits of an action.
What is beneficence?
the commitment to maximising benefits and minimising the risks and harms involved in taking a particular position or course of action.
What is non-maleficence?
involves avoiding the causations of harm. However, as positions or courses of actions in scientific research may involve some degree of harm, the concept of non-maleficence implies that the harm resulting from any position or course of action should not be disproportionate to the benefits from any position or course of action.
What is respect?
involves consideration of the extent to which living things have an intrinsic value and/or instrumental value; giving due regard to the welfare, liberty and autonomy, beliefs, perceptions, customs and cultural heritage of both the individual and the collective; consideration of the capacity of living things to make their own decisions; and when living things have diminished capacity to make their own decisions ensuring that they are empowered where possible and protected as necessary.
What are the bio-ethical concepts?
- integrity
- justice
- beneficence
- non-maleficence
- respect
What are the bio-ethical approaches?
- Consequences-based
- Duty- and/or rule-based
- Virtues-based
What is the virtues-based approach?
person- rather than action-based. Consideration is given to the virtue or moral character of the person carrying out the action, providing guidance about the characteristics and behaviours a good person would seek to achieve to then be able to act in the right way.
What is the consequences-based approach?
places central importance on the consideration of the consequences of an action (the ends), with the aim to achieve maximisation of positive outcomes and minimisation of negative effects.
What is the duty- and/or rule-based approach?
concerned with how people act (the means) and places central importance on the idea that people have a duty to act in a particular way, and/or that certain ethical rules must be followed, regardless of the consequences that may be produced.
