Scientific Thinking - Jade Farrise PDF

LS15 Peer Learning/Week 2 Session 1 [email protected] Scientific Thinking What is scientific thinking? Scientific thinking acts as a framework for experimentation (systemic ways for...

LS15 Peer Learning/Week 2 Session 1 [email protected] Scientific Thinking What is scientific thinking? Scientific thinking acts as a framework for experimentation (systemic ways for us to test out ideas and draw conclusions) Rule out explanations that arnet trust and rule our what is true How is it different from the scientific method? Scientific thinking and scientific method are the same things The terms scientific method is very rigid and scientific thinking sounds like the way of life Steps for the scientific method Step 1: Make Observation Before you come up with a question must observe through your senses (tate, touch, smell) Look for patterns cause and effect relationships Step 2: Hypothesis: Hypotheses are tesable and refutable explanations for something observed in nature. Step 3: Predictions Take the form of if and then Predictions are differentiated by hypotheses because because yur forecasting/predicting the future What will happen if the hypothesis is correct Step 4: Devise and carry out experiments Gives ability to determine whether a hypothesis is correct Experiements have to be carefully designed so that you can gain true knowledge and have certainty ver what you discover Step 5: Draw conclusions, make revisions If the hypothesis is not true you go back and modify it again. Hypothesis vs. Theory? Hypotheses are proposed explanations of something. Theories are hypotheses about the natural world that is extremely well-supported by empirical data, also tend to be broader in scope What is power? Power is how confident you are about the results of the experiment 3 ways to increase power 1. Randomize subjects across control and experimental groups LS15 Peer Learning/Week 2 Session 1 [email protected] Don’t let people sign up for what they want, because if they want it they’ll probably behave with a motive in mind and skew the results 2. Control Control for other variables to make sure there are no underlying differences between groups Ex. For the experiment about strength, we want to control for age 3. Use a double-blind design Don’t let the subject or the researcher know about which treatment they’re receiving or administering, bc when someone knows something should happen this could skew the results Removes potential biases/knowledge What is pseudoscience? Why is it harmful? When indicuduals make scientific sounding claims that are not supported by trustworthy methodical scientific studies. They are harmful because they present statements as facts which can be misleading. What are anecdotes? Why are they unreliable? Anecdotes are based on a few observations, people conclude that there is or is not a link between two things. They do not include a large or representative population and are not data