Building Scientific Building Scientific KnowledgeKnowledgeThe Real Answer ToThe Real Answer To

““How’d You Get That?!?!”How’d You Get That?!?!”

Observation & InferenceObservation & InferenceFrom an early age, you gain an From an early age, you gain an understanding of the world through understanding of the world through exploration and experimentation. Both exploration and experimentation. Both of these use the ability to observe.of these use the ability to observe.ObservationObservation takes place in the learning process takes place in the learning process when we use our when we use our sensessenses to make note of to make note of phenomena in nature or laboratory settings.phenomena in nature or laboratory settings.Once several observations have been made, you Once several observations have been made, you may infer knowledge of the phenomenon based may infer knowledge of the phenomenon based on your observations.on your observations.An An inferenceinference is a judgment or opinion that is is a judgment or opinion that is based on observations and/or the results of based on observations and/or the results of testing.testing.

Observe & Infer People!Observe & Infer People!

What is this?What is this?What did you observe?What did you observe?You used your senses You used your senses to make observations to make observations in order to infer what in order to infer what the material in the the material in the picture was .picture was .Lets try another one…What Lets try another one…What is this?is this?Again – the process of Again – the process of observing and inferring observing and inferring repeats itself.repeats itself.

Types of KnowledgeTypes of KnowledgeEmpirical knowledgeEmpirical knowledge is knowledge gained by is knowledge gained by using the senses or extensions of the senses. (A using the senses or extensions of the senses. (A microscope extends the sense of sight.)microscope extends the sense of sight.)Noting that water turns from a liquid to a gas at Noting that water turns from a liquid to a gas at 100°C by watching a thermometer and the water 100°C by watching a thermometer and the water itself is an example of empirical knowledge.itself is an example of empirical knowledge.Theoretical knowledgeTheoretical knowledge is knowledge based on is knowledge based on ideas that are created to explain observations. It ideas that are created to explain observations. It tries to explain how something works based on tries to explain how something works based on what you gained from your senses.what you gained from your senses.A A theorytheory is often formed to explain the is often formed to explain the connection between a large number of related connection between a large number of related observations.observations.

ModelsModels

Once they have Once they have developed a theory, developed a theory, scientists will often try to scientists will often try to develop a model to develop a model to communicate how the communicate how the theory operates.theory operates.A A modelmodel is a is a representation of a representation of a theory…It may be theory…It may be restricted or changed as restricted or changed as new information is new information is gathered.gathered.

CopernicusCopernicus

That’s All Folks!That’s All Folks!