The Characteristics of
Scientific Knowledge
Chapter 2
Lesson 1
Page 52
What activities do investigations
involve?
• Scientific investigations involve
observing, collecting empirical
evidence, using logical reasoning,
inferring, and applying imagination.
• Read the passage on page 53 about the
crows.
Observing
• Observing- using one or more of your
senses to gather information
• Observing is the process of gathering
information from which scientific
conclusions are drawn
Collecting Empirical Evidence
• Read the passage on page 54
• Data- facts, figures, and other evidence
collected during a scientific investigation
• Empirical evidence- is data and
observations that have been collected
through scientific processes and that
explain a particular observation
• ( data that is precise, logical, and consistent)
Collecting Empirical Evidence
• All scientific investigations involve the
collection of relevant empirical
evidence to support the researchers’
conclusions
Using Logical Reasoning
• Once data is collected, scientists look at it
to see patterns that explain their
observations
• Using logic and reasoning they come up
with conclusions
• Scientists use logical reasoning to
examine their data and reach
conclusions that explain their
observations
Inferring
• Inferring- explaining observation in a
logical manner (from what is already known)
• It is not guessing wildly (blindly)
• Scientific investigations involve inferring,
or basing conclusions on reasoning from
what is already known
Applying Imagination
• Applying imagination is an important
element of scientific investigation. It helps
scientists to design experiments. It also
allows scientists to solve scientific
problems and see patterns in data that no
one else has noticed.
• What did the scientists studying the crows
use their imagination for?
What are Scientific Thinking and
Pseudoscientific Thinking?
• Scientific thinking requires a logical way of
reasoning based on gathering and
evaluating evidence
• There are two main types of reasoning:
• Objective
• Subjective
Objective Reasoning
• Objective Reasoning- reasoning based
on evidence
• Scientific reasoning relies on gathering
and evaluating evidence
• Usually the best kind of reasoning
because it is based on evidence from
many different areas
Subjective Reasoning
• Subjective Reasoning- reasoning based
on personal feelings, or personal values
• Reasoning based on opinion (the
reasoning is subject to opinion)
• Opinions- personal feelings
• Most of the time, this reasoning leads to
wrong conclusions
Science vs Pseudoscience
• Read the passage on page 57
• Pseudoscience- a set of beliefs that may
make use of science but whose
conclusions and predictions are not based
on observation, objective reasoning, or
scientific evidence.
Science vs Pseudoscience
• Science is based on empirical evidence
and well-reasoned interpretations of data.
Pseudoscience may make use of scientific
data. But the conclusions or
pseudoscience are based on either
subjective reasoning or faulty beliefs
rather than on careful examination of
evidence.
Assignment
• Finish reading pages 58 and 59 and finish
answering the questions from 52-59