Week One

Question 1

New data or claims will not be widely accepted until what three things occur?

Answer 1

1. The results are replicated
2. The results cannot be explained by a reasonable alternative hypothesis (example: only one thing differs between the treatment groups and the control groups)
3. The results are supported by more than one type of data or source of evidence.

Question 2

Two tools important to improve systems for detecting cheaters?

Answer 2

1. A culture that values integrity and trust, underlain by a commitment to “follow where the data lead;”
2. The recognition that all work will be examined critically and rejected if it cannot be replicated or if data supporting other hypothesis are more convincing.

Question 3

What is Science?

Answer 3

A human endeavor based on asking questions about the natural and physical world and answering them with measurable, verifiable evidence.

Question 4

What is Pseudoscience?

Answer 4

A tradition that tries to explain or predict natural and physical phenomena but 1) does not rely on measurable, verifiable evidence, and 2) invokes mysterious or unnamed mechanisms rather than known physical mechanisms.

Question 5

What is a hypothesis?

Answer 5

A hypothesis a proposed explanation for something that researchers have observed.

Question 6

What is a prediction?

Answer 6

A statement of an outcome that should occur if a hypothesis is correct.

Question 7

What is scientific inquiry based on?

Answer 7

Scientific inquiry is based on testing hypotheses. This testing is possible because well-constructed hypotheses make predictions that can be evaluated with data.

Question 8

What is the most fundamental goal in a rigorous experimental design?

Answer 8

The most fundamental goal in a rigorous experimental design is to design the treatment groups and procedure so that only one thing varies among the treatment groups—with that one thing reflecting the hypothesis being tested.

Question 9

When is a hypothesis correct?

Answer 9

If data from an experiment conform to the predictions of a hypothesis, then the results support the hypothesis—meaning that they provide evidence that the hypothesis may be correct. If the data do not conform to the predictions of the hypothesis, then the hypothesis has to be rejected as incorrect.

Question 10

What is the outcome variable?

Answer 10

The variable that is measured in an experimental or observational study. It represents a quantity that is relevant to the hypothesis being tested.

Question 11

What does the x-axis plot?

Answer 11

What life scientist call independent variable or predictor variable?