Chapter 1: The Practice of Science

Name the 7 steps scientist use to make and investigation.

1. Ask a question 2. State your hypothesis 3. Identify and control variables 4. Test your hypothesis 5. Collect, record, and interpret your data 6. State your conclusion 7. Do repeat trials

List the 4 things scientist do when conducting and investigation:

1. Define problems 2. Identify variables 3. Make observations 4. Draw conclusions

What do scientists do to help us better understand the world? (2 things)

1. First, they define a problem 2. Then, they try to find answers

Name the 3 types of investigations that scientist use.

1. Models 2. Surveys 3. Sampling

Name 3 examples of reliable reference materials.

1. textbooks 2. scientific journals 3. reliable internet sources

What is important for scientist to do?

1. to observe 2. collect information 3. test ideas 4. make predictions 5. share their finding with other scientist

What is a hypothesis?

A statement of what you think will happen during the investigation.

What is the use of scientific methods to test a hypothesis called?

An experiment

What do scientist do with the information (data) collected in a survey?

Answers from a survey are recorded and analyzed.

A ________________ is a standard against which change is measured. (It's how we know change has occurred)

Control Group

What kind of variable changes when you change the independent variable? (the height of the plant)

Dependent variable

For a scientific conclusion to be valid, it must be based on ___________.

Facts

Scientist must collect data from the entire population to draw conclusions. (True or false)

False (Scientist may collect data from a small SAMPLE of the larger population and draw conclusions)

Scientist can not interview people to get information from a survey. (True or false)

False (Scientist may interview people for information)

Scientist create a ___________for the question they want answered.

Hypothesis

What kind of variable can you control? (For example-how much light you shine on a plant to see the growth)

Independent variable

Scientist often use __________to test designs and materials.

Models

What are models?

Objects or ideas that represent other things.

How many variables at a time should be tested in a scientific observation?

Only one variable at a time should be tested

What is another word for hypothesis?

Prediction

What are variables?

Something that can change in a test.

What are questionnaires that are given out to a number of people called?

Survey

After defining a problem, how do scientist begin their investigation?

They begin with research

What do models show?

They show how something is constructed or how it works.

What types of materials do scientist use when they do research?

They use appropriate "reference materials" written and reviewed by other Scientist.

What do scientist use their observations for?

They use observations to DRAW CONCLUSIONS (summarize what they have learned)

An experiment is not the only way to test a scientific hypothesis. (True or false)

True

The 7 steps of a scientific investigation do not need to be done in a specific order. (true or false)

True

When conducting an investigation, what must a scientist identify?

Variables

What do scientific investigations begin with?

a testable question

Something you find out about objects, events, or living things using your senses is called _____________.

an OBSERVATION