Introduction to
Science as an
Inquiry-Based
Process
North Carolina State University
©2004 Labwrite Project
Exploring Science
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What is science?
What are scientists?
What do scientists do?
What does it mean to think like
scientists?
• What is inquiry?
• How is inquiry used in science?
The Scientific Method
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Identify a problem you would like to solve
Formulate a hypothesis
Test the hypothesis
Collect and analyze the data--Record the
data you collect from your experiment.
• Make conclusions
Looking at the Hypothesis
• What is the role of the hypothesis?
• What is the difference between a
hypothesis, a theory, and a law?
• What are some theories and laws with
which you are familiar?
How is the Scientific Method
Reflected in Scientific Writing?
Parts of a Scientific Journal Article:
• Title: What is the article is about
• Abstract: Summarizes the whole article
• Introduction: Establishes the area in which the
research takes place, the research problem, the
importance of the research, and the guiding
question or hypothesis.
• Materials & Methods: Describes the research
procedure
• Results: Reports the outcomes of the research
procedure
How is Scientific Inquiry
Reflected in Scientific Writing?
Parts of a Scientific Journal Article
(continued):
• Discussion: Interprets the results,
explaining them and comparing them to
the results of other experiments.
• Conclusion: Focuses the reader on what is
important about the research, its
contribution to the larger area of study.
• References: Lists the sources used in the
article.