Scientific MethodStudent Fill in Notes
Observations vs Inferences
_________________: Something that you experience with your 5 senses
_________________: A statement, conclusion or reflection based on prior knowledge or experience
Observations
- Observations must be ______________ and accurate, not relative, so that it means the same to everyone.
Example:•Incorrect - the burning bag smelled nasty
•Correct - the burning bag smelled similar to rotten eggs
Inferences
Examples:- You leave the movie theater and
see the ground is wet so you infer that it rained.
- You are walking along the beach and see a footprint in the sand. You infer that someone was here before you.
Obs or Inf?
1. There is a representation of a face on one side of the coin.2. The coin tells us that these were deeply religious people.3. The words “We Trust the Gods” are printed on the coin.4. On one side of the artifact is a drawing of leaves.5. We can tell that these were peace-loving people.6. The face on the coin is a representation of the nation’s king.
Scenario #1
You come home to melted ice cream in the freezer. What can we infer?
Scenario #2
Your observations & inferences?
Qualitative vs Quantitative
- Both Observations and inferences can be qualitative or quantitative
- Quantitative: ________________________________
_____________________________________________
- Qualitative: __________________________________
_____________________________________________
Qualitative vs Quantitative
Qualitative observations –- Example: Hedwig has blue
eyesQuantitative observations- Example: Hedwig has two
eyes
2 Qualitative Obs:____________________________________
2 Quantitative Obs:____________________________________
2 Inferences:____________________________________
Scientific Method
•A process used to find answers to questions about the world around us. It uses observations, logic, reasoning and experimentation.
•There are certain steps we follow while using this method.
1. _________________________________________________________________________________________________- Based on previous observations of
the problem or phenomenon- Can be stated as a question- Example: Does the color of light
affect plant growth?
2. COMPLETE BACKGROUND ________________.
3. _____________________________________.
•Hypothesis – An educated _______________ of
what will happen. •A hypothesis must be ______________ and can be proven false.•Predicts the cause and effect•They are often written as “_________” statements
Circle the better hypothesis.
● The color of light might affect plant growth.
● If plants are exposed to green lights, then these plants will grow taller than plants that are exposed to natural, red, yellow or blue light.
4. ____________________________________
______________________________________.● Consider your methods (steps to perform the
experiment), variables & number of trials● Materials needed● Carry out a ________________ experiment-
experiment in which an experimental group is compared to a control group. Only one variable is tested at a time.
Same species of plant/ soil / watering patternMeasure growth after certain amount of time. Compare.
LIGHT
Variables
•_______________________ VARIABLE (IV) – The
variable that YOU purposefully change.
•_______________________ VARIABLE (DV) – The
variable that responds to the IV. (what you
measure)
Variables
•_________________ –Variable that is used as a
standard for comparing your results.
_________________________ GROUP - Group of
subjects that are exposed to the variable being
tested
When we discover new medicines, they have to undergo human trials before they can be sold to the public. The scientists testing the medicine will often have two groups: one group who is given the pill and another group who is given a placebo (usually a sugar pill that will not affect the results).
Which group would be considered the control group? _________________________________
The experimental group? ____________________________
Same species of plant/ soil / watering patternMeasure growth after certain amount of time. Compare.
LIGHT
Plant Example Variables:
Indep. V (what we are changing): __________________________
Dep. V (what we are measuring): _________________________
Control (what we compare our data to):___________________________________Experimental Group: __________________
Identify the Variables
1.Ms. Stone wanted to see how different types of music affected students' pulse rates. She played different types of music: heavy metal, rap, R&B, alternative, pop, country, and classical music and compared the pulse rates to students’ normal relaxed pulse rate.
Identify the Variables
1.Identify the•IV: _________________________
•DV:_________________________
•CONTROL:___________________
Identify the Variables
2. Nick wanted to see how high an ice cube would float in different temperatures of water.•IV: _________________________
•DV:_________________________
_____________________- All factors that remain the same during the course of an experiment to make sure our data is only from the variable we are changing.
● Constants are the factors that do not vary between the experimental and the control groups.
5. ____________________
•Data – __________________________ that display the observations and measurements from the experiment.
•Present the information in a way that allows people to see patterns and make connections (tables and graphs).
Types of Graphs
Bar Graph Line Graph Pie Graph
GraphsTITLE
_______________
___________
___________
_______________________
_________
6. ____________________.
Includes restatement of the hypothesis, data
and observations.
● Explain if your experiment __________
● _______________________________.
● Suggest new and better experiments.