Essay Question - What is science? What are the hallmarks of science? Describe the scientific
method. Give a clear example of how it works. What is meant by the word “theory”. How does a theory
differ from a law? Give an example from current day events that is often purported to be science but that
is not science.
Key ideas to look for:
Science - process of knowing
- looks at evidence
Hallmarks (MUST HAVE)
- Natural explanations
- Testable, repeatable predictions
- KISS (Keep it simple, or Occam’s Razor)
Process (MUST HAVE or something similar – book has slightly different
version)
- Observe
- Question
- Model (theorize, hypothesize)
- Predict
- Test
- Revise
Examples (something science related AND some connecting comments to
science)
- car quits working and process you go through
- flashlight quits working and process you go through
- cooking something and process you go through
- Geocentric vs. Heliocentric debate (no one will likely do this one)
Law
– what happens
- tested so many times that taken as “fact”
Ex - Law of gravity:
Ex - Kepler’s Laws of Planetary Motion
Theory
- why something happens
- includes laws
- makes testable predictions
- never proven but never disproven
- can be modified
- stronger than a law.
Ex - Theory of General Relativity (Again I’d like some connecting
comments between the example and the law vs theory)
Nonscience current events: (I’d like to see a statement about why it
is not science but I don’t think we will get that here.)
astrology, intelligent design, flying spaghetti monster, theology
Here is an example of an essay:
Science is a way of knowing that depends on repeatable, testable
evidence. It is a method to get beyond the conflicts in various
belief systems. Three major hallmarks distinguish science from
nonscience. Science uses natural explanations (not supernatural),
tends to use the simplest of any competing theories, and uses
testable, repeatable predictions to decide what is true.
One description of the scientific method or process includes observing
questioning, modeling (theorize, hypothesize), predicting, testing,
and revising. For example, suppose your car stops working
(observation). You ask why (question). You think you are out of gas
(model or hypothesis). If you put in gas, the car will go again
(prediction). Put in gas and try to start car (test). Car still won’t
go so maybe it’s an electrical problem (revise).
(Side note: A better example would tie into astronomy by discussing
the Geocentric-Heliocentric debate using perhaps the phases of Venus
as the test, etc.)
In science a law tells you what happens. It has been tested
times that it is generally accepted to be true. For example
of gravity tells you that when you drop your keys, they will
that they will fall at a certain rate, and even allow you to
the force of one object on another.
so many
the law
fall,
calculate
A theory explains why an event happens. It includes laws and makes
testable predictions. It cannot be proven but it has never been
disproven. Theories are stronger than laws and can be modified.
Ex - Theory of General Relativity - best explanation we have of why
one mass exerts a force on another mass. Explains why your keys fall
down AND why planets orbit the way they do. Another example is the
theory of evolution. It includes many laws and describes the
mechanism to explain why we have the plants and animal we have today.
Current events that are purported to be science but that are not
include astrology, intelligent design, flying spaghetti monster, and
theology. These are not sciences because they fail to meet one or all
of the hallmarks of science. For example, astrology is testable but
fails those tests. It also uses supernatural explanations.
Sarah –
These will not be easy to read and correct. Try looking at the
essay’s of Seana Williams, Jen Anderson, Heidi Blum first. I’m
guessing on these since I don’t know the students yet but at least one
of those ought to be good. Then read through some of them quickly to
get a flavor. Then just try sorting into piles. My experience has
been that the really good ones and the really bad ones are very
evident and won’t take much time at all. The middle ones take the
time. Just try sorting them into similar piles. Maybe really good,
good, fair, poor, not even close. I am grading these on a 20 point
scale and will likely give: 20, 19, 18 17, 15, 13, 11, 7, 3, 0 as
grades as follows:
19-20 Excellent
17-18 Good
15 Fair
13 Fair
11 poor but passing
7 not passing but has something
3 not passing, gift
0 evidently a bozo
I guess that is my way of saying: don’t look for too fine a
distinction. It will drive you nuts.
Good luck.
Parke