Scientific Inquiry Quiz

Interplay between observation, experiment and theory in science:

The scientific method involves careful observation, hypothesis formulation, experimental testing, and refinement or elimination of hypotheses based on experimental findings.
The scientific method is not a fixed sequence of steps applicable to all scientific enterprises, but rather a set of general principles.
Scientists test hypotheses by conducting experiments or studies, and a scientific hypothesis must be falsifiable.
Empiricism is the ubiquitous element in the scientific method and is in opposition to stringent forms of rationalism.
Early expressions of empiricism and the scientific method can be found throughout history, with particular development aided by theoretical works by various philosophers and scientists.
The scientific method can build on previous knowledge and develop a more sophisticated understanding of its topics of study over time.
The scientific method involves formulating a question, developing a hypothesis, making predictions based on the hypothesis, testing the hypothesis, analyzing the results, and incorporating evidence from other scientists and from experience.
Replication is important in the scientific method, and significant or surprising results may be replicated by other scientists.
Peer review involves evaluation of the experiment by experts, who typically give their opinions anonymously.
The scientific method is not always aligned with a form of empiricism in which the empirical data is put forward in the form of experience or other abstracted forms of knowledge.
The scientific method is a heterogeneous and local practice rather than a homogeneous and universal method.
The scientific method is a process by which science is carried out and can be seen to underlie the scientific revolution.The Scientific Method: Key Points
Scientists record their data and may be requested to share it with other scientists who wish to replicate their original results.
Institutional researchers use observations of the real world to test their hypotheses and reduce the research function to a cost/benefit expressed in money and time.
Large instruments, such as CERN's Large Hadron Collider, entail expected costs of billions of dollars and affect public policy on a national or international basis.
The scientific method is an iterative, cyclical process through which information is continually revised and develops advances in knowledge.
The scientific method includes formulating hypotheses, testing and analyzing results, and formulating new hypotheses.
The scientific method is subject to peer review for possible mistakes and is often taught in the educational system as "the scientific method."
Scientific measurements are usually tabulated, graphed, or mapped, and statistical manipulations performed on them.
Measurements in scientific work are usually accompanied by estimates of their uncertainty, which can be calculated by consideration of the uncertainties of the individual underlying quantities used.
Scientific quantities are often characterized by their units of measure, which can later be described in terms of conventional physical units when communicating the work.
A hypothesis is a suggested explanation of a phenomenon and normally has the form of a mathematical model.
Any useful hypothesis will enable predictions, which can be statistical and deal only with probabilities.
Once predictions are made, they can be sought by experiments, and if the experimental results confirm the predictions, then the hypotheses are considered more likely to be correct.The Scientific Method: Key Points
The scientific method involves a systematic approach to testing hypotheses through experimentation and observation.
Scientists assume an attitude of openness and accountability and detailed record-keeping is essential to support the integrity of the procedure.
The scientific method is iterative, meaning that it is possible to refine its accuracy and precision at any stage.
Scientific inquiry aims to obtain knowledge in the form of testable explanations that scientists can use to predict the results of future experiments.
Scientific knowledge is closely tied to empirical findings and can remain subject to falsification if new experimental observations are incompatible with what is found.
Theories can also become subsumed by other theories, and scientific explanations become accepted over time as evidence accumulates on a given topic.
The scientific community accepts scientific work when it has been confirmed, and experimental and theoretical results must be reproduced by others within the scientific community.
The practice of experimental control and reproducibility can have the effect of diminishing the potentially harmful effects of circumstance and personal bias.
The classical model of scientific inquiry derives from Aristotle, who distinguished the forms of approximate and exact reasoning, and set out the threefold scheme of abductive, deductive, and inductive inference.
The hypothetico-deductive model or method is a proposed description of the scientific method, where predictions from the hypothesis are central.
Scientific communication and community are important elements of the scientific method, and various standards of scientific methodology are used within such an environment, including the peer review evaluation.
Invariance as a fundamental aspect of a scientific account of reality had long been part of philosophy of science.Overview of the Scientific Method
The scientific method involves the testing of hypotheses through observation and experimentation.
Peer review is a standard practice in scientific journals, where manuscripts are evaluated by fellow scientists for errors and quality.
Documentation and replication are used to ensure accuracy and reliability of experimental results.
Archiving of data, including experimental procedures and raw data, helps to provide evidence for methodology and assist in future attempts to reproduce results.
Data sharing may be necessary when additional information is needed before a study can be reproduced.
Limitations of the scientific method include the possibility of systematic errors or biased reporting of experimental results.
The science of complex systems involves transdisciplinarity, systems theory, control theory, and scientific modeling.
Philosophy of science examines the underlying logic and ethics of the scientific method, and there are different schools of thought on this.
Postmodernist critiques of science have led to debates about the nature of scientific knowledge and its relationship to reality.
Anthropology and sociology have studied the epistemic cultures of different scientific communities and their practices.
Mathematics and science share similarities in their use of models and iterative steps, but the connection between mathematics and reality remains unclear.
Statistics play a key role in scientific research, but there are concerns about the reliability of statistical analysis in some fields.
Chance plays a significant role in scientific discovery, with estimates suggesting that up to half of all discoveries are stumbled upon rather than sought out.