The Science of The Science of BiologyBiology

Key ConceptKey Concept What is the goal of science?What is the goal of science?

VocabularyVocabulary ScienceScience ObservationObservation DataData InferenceInference hypothesishypothesis

What Science Is and Is What Science Is and Is NotNot

The goal of The goal of sciencescience is to investigate is to investigate and understand the and understand the natural world, to natural world, to explain events in explain events in the natural world, the natural world, and to use those and to use those explanations to explanations to make useful make useful predictions.predictions.

Thinking Like a ScientistThinking Like a Scientist

Scientific thinking Scientific thinking usually begins with usually begins with an an observationobservation..

The information The information gathered from gathered from observations is observations is called called datadata..

Types of DataTypes of Data

QualitativeQualitative Data- this is descriptive data. Data- this is descriptive data. Ex: the dog is brownEx: the dog is brown

QuantitativeQuantitative Data- this is numerical data. Data- this is numerical data. Ex: the dog weighs 70 lbsEx: the dog weighs 70 lbs

Scientists may use data to make Scientists may use data to make inferencesinferences. Inferences are logical . Inferences are logical interpretations based on prior knowledge interpretations based on prior knowledge or experience. or experience.

Explaining and Interpreting Explaining and Interpreting ObservationsObservations

After observations, a scientist will After observations, a scientist will create a create a hypothesishypothesis..

A hypothesis is a proposed A hypothesis is a proposed explanation.explanation.

This hypothesis must be testable. This hypothesis must be testable.

What Makes a Good What Makes a Good Scientist?Scientist?