Lecture Notes: The Scientific Method

Introduction

• Focus on traditional and modern scientific methods.
• Goals: Understand the basic components of science and the role of hypotheses in hypothesis testing.

What is Science?

• Science as a Noun: Collection of data and facts, e.g., textbooks.
• Science as a Verb: Methodology to understand the world, involving testing ideas and falsifiability.

Traditional Scientific Method

• Steps: Observation, questioning, hypothesis formation, predictions, experimentation, analyzing results, reporting.
• Simplified version of actual scientific practice.

Modern Scientific Process

• Dynamic and non-linear; involves feedback loops.
• Central to the process: Testing ideas.

Stages of the Scientific Process

Exploration and Discovery

• Observations, idea formation, and initial questioning.
• Example: Unusual observation of a diurnal snake at night leading to new questions.

Hypothesis Formation

• Definition: Tentative explanation, must be testable and falsifiable.
• Difference from predictions: Hypotheses include explanations, predictions do not.

Testing Hypotheses

• Hypotheses can be supported or refuted, both outcomes are valid.
• Experiments are structured tests to compare ideas.
• Example: Fertilizer impact on plant growth.

Community Analysis and Feedback

• Involves peer review, replication of studies, and discussion with colleagues.
• Final step: Publishing results, making them accessible to the community.

Benefits and Outcomes

• Various impacts, such as technology development, knowledge building, informing policy, solving societal problems.

Applied vs Basic Science

• Basic Science: Answers fundamental questions without direct real-world application.
• Applied Science: Solves real-world problems using scientific knowledge.

Scientific Theories and Laws

• Theories: Supported by extensive evidence but can be overturned with new data.
• Laws: Describe natural phenomena without explaining them.
• Theories and laws are distinct and do not transform into each other.

Key Takeaways

• Science is a dynamic and iterative process.
• Testing ideas is central to scientific inquiry.
• The distinction between applied and basic science highlights different scientific pursuits.
• Understanding the role of hypotheses, theories, and laws is crucial in science.