Unit 1 Exam Flashcards
What is Science?
Observations description and organization of organisms
What does science do?
Provides explanations for observable phenomena
Metacognition
awareness and understanding of one’s thought process
Examples of Metacognition
- beliefs about the learning process
- confidence in one’s ability to learn
- judgments about what one has learned
- deciding how to study/learn
- reflecting on the process
(e.g., awareness that you may have difficulty remembering people’s names in social situations, reminding yourself that you should try to remember the name of the person you just met)
Metacognition Planning
- what strategies will I use to study?
- how much time do I plan on studying? Over what period, and how long?
- which aspects of the course material should I spend more or less on, based on my current understanding of the material?
metacognition monitoring
- at what point am I following my plan for my studying for the exam? Do I know all the material?
- to what extent am I taking advantage of all the available learning support options?
- am I struggling with motivation to study? If so, do I remember why I am taking this course?
- Am I getting clarification on the material I am confused about? If not, how can I get clarification?
metacognition evaluation
- what about my exam prep worked well that I should remember to do next time?
- what did not work well that I should change or try to do differently in the future?
- what questions did I not answer correctly? What am I still confused about?
Evolution explains…
both the unity and diversity of life
diversity
Heritable changes occur as a result of natural selection.
unity
descent with modification
biology is an _______________ exercise of ____________ curiosity
organized
human
Science is based on __________ knowledge.
empirical
empirical knowledge
what can be demonstrated by observation and experience
Science is committed to ______________ and thinking of _____________ _____________
rationality
alternate explanations
Sciences emphasizes ________________
repeatability
Science is committed to _______________ and _______________
testability
experimentation
Science searches for ____________ principles operating in the ____________ __________
general
natural world
Science involves _________ and __________
creativity
ingenuity
Sciences often requires ______________
teamwork (cooperation)
Science is NOT
- democratic (based on votes - ideas are accepted or rejected based on evidence)
- what we would like to believe
- arguing in favor of a position
- personality and persuasiveness
- just collected lots of facts
- moral (principled, concerned with right or wrong, good or evil) - but scientists can be
Characteristics of a Fact in Science
- observation or idea that has been repeatedly confirmed
- can depend on context and ability of the observer to observe (new technologies or tools can change facts)
– (e.g., an atom is the smallest existing thing - new technology proves that atoms can be split, making the “splitting” the smallest thing in existence)
Characteristic of Law in Science
- descriptive empirical generalizations
– (e.g., when you start a new job, you meet a few employees of the new company and form an impression of the company as a whole) - states what happens under certain conditions of nature (not explanatory)
– (e.g., the law of gravity: an object will always fall towards earth due to the pull of gravity)
Hypothesis
- statements of what might be true
- tentative (done without confidence) explanation to account for observed phenomena
- testable (predictive) - a good hypothesis can always be proven wrong
(usually [but not always] an if… then… statement)
e.g., IF a person gets 7 hours of sleep, THEN they will feel less fatigue than if he sleeps less than 7 hours
e.g., consumption of sugary drinks every day leads to obesity
Theory
- the body of connected statements to explain an observation
- based on accumulated evidence and reasoning
- an explanation that has stood the test of time and is supported well by empirical evidence
- usually broader (more inclusive) than a hypothesis
- not just a hunch
Most important to least important (laws, facts, hypothesis, and theory) in the eyes of science
MOST IMPORTANT
theories
laws
hypothesis
facts
LEAST IMPORTANT
Most important to least important (laws, facts, hypothesis, and theory) in the eyes of most people
MOST IMPORTANT
facts
laws
theories
hypothesis
LEAST IMPORTANT
Scientific method: inquiry
What are the elements of inquiry
- challenge
- adventure
- luck
- careful planning
- reasoning
- creativity
- cooperation/competition
- patience/persistence
What is the process of the scientific method?
observation -> question -> hypothesis -> predictions -> Test: experimental or observation
A test may not always ___________ a hypothesis: you may have to _____________ a hypothesis or _____________ a ______ hypothesis
support
revise
create
new
Science is all about the __________
questions
A hypothesis leads to testable predictions meaning… (multiple answers)
- possible explanation
- reflecting on past experience
- multiple hypotheses
- should be testable
- can be falsified (eliminated) but should/cannot be “proven”
- usually supported by a large number (preponderance) of evidence
Hypothesis-based science is…
explaining nature
When explaining nature (hypothesis-based science) you are seeking
- natural causes/explanations for observation (data)
- involves proposing and testing hypotheses
- deduction - goes from general to specific (making predictions based on general knowledge)
Discovery (finding a discovery) is basically…
describing nature
you explain discovery through
- observations (analysis of data)
- induction (deriving generalizations from more specific observations)
different types of observations (analysis of data)
- qualitative (interpreted based on the description and related language)
- quantitative (number-based, countable, or measurable data)
induction
deriving generalizations from more specific observations
Direct Experiments are
- holding constant/control factors other then those you are testing
- treat 2 or more groups (with and without the factor of interest)
- observe outcomes
- studies can also be observational (natural experiments)
Observational studies
research technique where you observe participants and phenomena in their most natural settings
indirect experiments
- used when phenomena are not directly observable
- uses interference
design experiment
- control and experimental groups
- replication
- examine one variable at a time
- repeatable
Gather data
- measurement (what to measure and how)
- quantitative data
- qualitative data
interpret results
- analysis (using statistics
- presentations at scientific meetings
- media/public interpretation
4 Lessons Every GOOD scientist must learn (by Ethan Siegel)
- you are full of misconceptions (work to “unlearn” them)
- you will misinterpret what studies (new and old) mean until you have a sufficiently strong foundation of knowledge in that particular area
- previous “consensus” opinions are often insufficient or even wrong today
- you will have “favorites” among the speculative ideas and hypotheses. And they’re probably all incorrect
Ways of knowing
authority, revelation, logic, science, beliefs, empirical evidence, nature, uncertainty, supernatural power, theory, hypothesis, fact
Scientific inquiry
observations, questions, hypothesis, prediction, experiment, data, interpretation, conclusion, communication, discovery science, hypothesis testing, falsifiable
a scientific experiment
Direct experiment, indirect experiment, variables held constant, variable manipulated, control, replication, observable phenomena, phenomena not observable, interference, observations, qualitative/quantitative data, direct measurement
Strengths and limitations of the scientific method
STRENGTHS
- science never leads to the absolute truth but to more reliable knowledge
- Scientific can be used to investigate falsifiable hypotheses
WEAKNESSES.
- the scientific method attempts to eliminate bias or prejudice in the experimenter but the intentions of the scientists can escape bias
- personal and cultural beliefs can influence the scientific method
Bioethics
- the study of typically controversial ethics brought about by advances in biology and medicine
- moral discernment as it relates to medical policy, practice, and research
- concerns the ethical questions that arise in the relationships among bio,ogy, technology, medicine, politics, law, philosophy
examples of Bioethics
- respect of autonomy (organ donation and transplantation
- genetic research (henrietta lacks)
- death and dying (what the environmental concerns are)
Scientific Influences in society, example
- Nazi concentration camps, medical research projects involving experimentation on human subjects were conducted (to benefit German troops)
– freezing/hypothermia
– sterilization studies via radiation
– sleep experiment
– integrity of the Nuremberg Medical Code
Numberg Medical Code
- no experiment should be conducted where there is a prior reason to believe that death or disabling injury will occur (except if the physicians conducting the investigation also serve as subjects)
– the voluntary, informed consent
– not random or unnecessary in nature, but liable to yield fruitful results for the good of society
– based on the results of animal experimentation and a knowledge of the natural history of the tested disease (human trial is the last step, not the first step)
–should not cause death or injury
– proper preparations and adequate facilities provided to protect subjects
– conducted only by scientifically qualified persons
– Subjects can quit at any time
– the scientists must stop the experiment if it harms the subject
Science is ALWAYS culturally situated.
- embedded in the culture, history, values, and interests of those asking the questions, doing the work, funding the work
Sexism in Scientific Practices
- exclusion of women from scientific studies, particularly those investigating human health and disease
- influence of cultural assumptions about gender on science (male/female differences overemphasized… gendered language and metaphors bias investigation)
- under-representation of women as scientists
Jennifer vs. John(research question: how was the experiment designed (discovery or hypothesis, direct or indirect): what were the results)
research question: is there gender bias in the science when it comes to hiring a man vs. a woman
How was the experiment designed: hypothesis and it was indirect
the results: based on the identical resumes, John was more likely to get hired, mentored, or the ability to shadow over Jennifer even though the resumes were identical
There is more than one ______ for an organism. And more than one __________ for a common name
name
organism
Taxonomy
humans (especially biologists) like to name, organize, and classify things