What is Science?
Chapter 1, Lesson 1
Using one or more of your senses and
tools to gather information.
observing
Creating representations of complex
objects or processes.
(ex. mathematical equations)
making models
Deals with numbers, or amounts.
quantitative observation
Way of learning about the natural
world.
science
Deals with descriptions that cannot
be expressed in numbers.
qualitative observation
When you explain or interpret the
things you observe.
inferring
The grouping together of items that
are alike in some way.
classifying
Making a statement or a claim about
what will happen in the future based
on past experience or evidence.
predicting
Comparing observations and data to
reach a conclusion about them.
evaluating
Bias that stems from a person’s likes
and dislikes.
personal bias
The act of making decisions and
drawing conclusions based on
available evidence.
Objective
Having an attitude of doubt.
skepticism
Using specific observations to make
generalizations.
inductive reasoning
(increasing)
The act of making decisions and
drawing conclusions where personal
feelings have been entered.
subjective
Rules that enable people to know
right from wrong.
ethics
Type of reasoning that can lead to
faulty conclusions.
faulty reasoning
A way to explain things by starting
with a general idea and then applying
the idea to a specific observation.
deductive reasoning
(decreasing)
Bias that stems from the culture in
which a person grows up.
cultural bias
Scientific attitude used by good
scientists when reporting their
observations and results.
honesty
A mistake in the design of an
experiment that makes a particular
result more likely.
experimental bias
Scientific attitude that makes a
scientist capable of accepting new
and different ideas.
open-mindedness
Scientific attitude that should be
balanced by a scientist’s openmindedness.
skepticism
Scientific attitude that helps scientists
come up with inventive ways to solve
problems.
creativity
Diverse ways in which scientists study
the natural world and propose
explanations based on the evidence
they gather.
Possible answer to a scientific
question (not a fact).
hypothesis
What is needed before a hypothesis
can be accepted as true.
many trials
Any factor that can change in an
experiment.
variable
Factor that is purposely changed to
test a hypothesis.
manipulated variable
Factor that may change in response to
a manipulated variable.
responding variable
Experiment in which only one
variable is manipulated at a time.
controlled experiment
Facts, figures and other evidence
gathered through observation.
data
Well-tested explanation for a wide
range of observations.
scientific theory
Statement that describes what scientists expect
to happen every time under a particular set of
conditions.
Example – “All objects in the universe attract
each other”
scientific law
A summary of what is learned from
an experiment.
conclusion
Tool that can help you interpret data.
graph
3 ways scientists communicate their
results.
• publish articles
• talking at meetings
• internet