Science, Environmental Science & the Science, Environmental Science & the Scientific MethodScientific Method

What is science?What is science? What isWhat is Environmental Environmental

ScienceScience?? What is the Scientific What is the Scientific

Method?Method?

What is Science?What is Science?

KnowledgeKnowledge Verified human experienceVerified human experience A way to explore our environmentA way to explore our environment Self-testingSelf-testing Seeks facts or demonstrates relationshipsSeeks facts or demonstrates relationships Includes fields of physical, chemical, Includes fields of physical, chemical,

biological & environmental sciences biological & environmental sciences

FactsFacts

Raw material of scienceRaw material of science Avoids myths & biasAvoids myths & bias Is less subjective than nonscience fieldsIs less subjective than nonscience fields

ScientistsScientists

What does a scientist do? What does a scientist do? Asks questions & identifies a problem to be Asks questions & identifies a problem to be

investigated investigated Collects data or facts by making observations & Collects data or facts by making observations &

measurementsmeasurements Confirms resulting data or facts with other Confirms resulting data or facts with other

scientistsscientists Tries to come up with a variety of possible or Tries to come up with a variety of possible or

tentative explanations of what they observetentative explanations of what they observe

Environmental ScienceEnvironmental Science What is Environmental Science?What is Environmental Science?

– New branch of science which includes New branch of science which includes Conservation Conservation Biology, Environmental Biology, Restoration Ecology, Biology, Environmental Biology, Restoration Ecology, Ecosystem ManagementEcosystem Management & & Sustainable StudiesSustainable Studies

– Study of how humans & other species interact with each Study of how humans & other species interact with each other & the nonliving (abiotic) environmentother & the nonliving (abiotic) environment

– Utilizes problem-solving methodology to address Utilizes problem-solving methodology to address environmental issuesenvironmental issues

– Consensus-based conservation including all other Consensus-based conservation including all other stakeholdersstakeholders

Part science/part consensus-based Part science/part consensus-based decision-makingdecision-making

Environmental ScientistEnvironmental Scientist What does an Environmental Scientist What does an Environmental Scientist

do?do?• Uses information from the sciences & Uses information from the sciences &

social sciences to:social sciences to:1.1. Understand how the Earth worksUnderstand how the Earth works2.2. Learn how humans interact with the Learn how humans interact with the

EarthEarth3.3. Develop solutions to environmental Develop solutions to environmental

problemsproblems

Scientific MethodScientific Method

Process used by scientistsProcess used by scientists A most A most powerful toolpowerful tool Systematic search for knowledgeSystematic search for knowledge Uses observation & experimentationUses observation & experimentation No conclusion is absolutely true & are No conclusion is absolutely true & are

always subject to change!always subject to change!

5 Steps of the Scientific Method5 Steps of the Scientific Method

1. Make an observation1. Make an observation 2. Make a statement about that observation2. Make a statement about that observation

– HypothesisHypothesis– Inductive reasoningInductive reasoning

3. Go from general to specific3. Go from general to specific– Using deductive reasoningUsing deductive reasoning– If. . .then. . .If. . .then. . .

Put simply, deductive reasoning involves Put simply, deductive reasoning involves moving from generalities to specifics by moving from generalities to specifics by working through a series of reasoned working through a series of reasoned statements. Inductive reasoning, on the statements. Inductive reasoning, on the other hand, takes a series of specific other hand, takes a series of specific observations and tries to expand them into a observations and tries to expand them into a more general theory.more general theory.

5 Steps of the Scientific Method5 Steps of the Scientific Method

4. Design an 4. Design an experimentexperiment– Control groupControl group– Test groupTest group– Groups are formed randomlyGroups are formed randomly– Experiments must be repeatableExperiments must be repeatable– Stands the test of your peers!Stands the test of your peers!

5. Analyze & Communicate the results5. Analyze & Communicate the results

5 Steps of the Environmental 5 Steps of the Environmental MethodMethod

Scientific AssessmentScientific Assessment Risk AssessmentRisk Assessment Public EducationPublic Education Political ActionPolitical Action Follow-throughFollow-through

Scientific Method In-Class Scientific Method In-Class AssignmentAssignment

Short Writing Assignment Short Writing Assignment Apply the scientific method to “Polar Ice Apply the scientific method to “Polar Ice

Melting” Melting” Money is no object for your experiment! Money is no object for your experiment!

Make your best guess at your results. Make your best guess at your results. Grammatically correct sentencesGrammatically correct sentences

What is your observation?

• ObservationObservation: Polar Ice Caps are Melting : Polar Ice Caps are Melting • QuestioningQuestioning: Why are the polar ice caps melting? : Why are the polar ice caps melting? HypothesisHypothesis: An educated guess. This should be stated : An educated guess. This should be stated

in such a way that you can say YES (support) or NO in such a way that you can say YES (support) or NO (refute) to your hypothesis. (refute) to your hypothesis.

• ExperimentExperiment: Design your experiment with your : Design your experiment with your limitless budgetlimitless budget

• ResultsResults: Since we will not actually be executing your : Since we will not actually be executing your brilliant experiment, discuss the findings you think you brilliant experiment, discuss the findings you think you would discover. would discover.

• AnalyzeAnalyze: Using statistical analysis, you would analyze : Using statistical analysis, you would analyze your data to find trends or correlations among data your data to find trends or correlations among data points. points.

• Communicate your findingsCommunicate your findings: How would you share : How would you share your data and conclusions with the world? your data and conclusions with the world?