Lecture Notes: The Process of Science

Introduction to the Process of Science

• Focus on understanding how science works.
• Importance of scientific method in education but recognizing its limitations.
• Real-world application of scientific methods beyond steps on a poster.

Scientific Method Overview

• Traditional 7 (or 8) step scientific method as a guide, not a strict process.
• Steps can include:
  • Observations
  • Problem Identification
  • Asking Questions

Making Observations

• Basis for scientific inquiry; can occur by chance or after experiments.
• Observations lead to identifying problems and asking questions.
• Example: Car not starting leads to problem identification and question formulation (e.g., "Why doesn't my car start?").

Forming a Hypothesis

• Hypothesis as an educated guess based on logic, reasoning, and prior knowledge.
• Must be testable and falsifiable (able to be proven false by data).
• Typically structured as "If... then... because..." statements.
• Example hypothesis: "If 10 grams of creatine are taken daily for 40 days, then muscle mass will increase because creatine enhances muscle growth."

Variables in Experiments

• Independent Variable: The factor that is manipulated (e.g., creatine intake).
• Dependent Variable: The outcome measured (e.g., muscle mass).
• Importance of including variables in hypothesis formulation.

Background Research

• Essential for understanding prior work, refining hypotheses, and designing experiments.
• Literature review focuses on peer-reviewed articles, not non-scientific sources.
• Helps in identifying gaps and adapting methodologies.

Designing and Conducting Experiments

• Experiment design includes testing hypotheses and collecting data.
• Need for controlled, confounding, and controlled variables.
• Use of control groups to compare effects of independent variables.
• Importance of replicates to ensure accuracy and reliability of data.

Analyzing Data

• Statistical analysis and organization of data to identify patterns and relationships.
• Comparison with existing literature and peer consultations.
• Adding new knowledge to the scientific community.

Drawing Conclusions

• Explaining data significance and broader impacts.
• Comparison with existing literature and future research questions.
• Acknowledging experimental limitations and unexpected results.

Repeating Work and Sharing Results

• Importance of replicates during experiments to validate results.
• Sharing findings through publications, conferences, and presentations.

Conclusion

• Scientific research is iterative and contributes to broader scientific questions.
• Emphasizes the importance of communication and sharing in science.