Science and the Scientific Method: Key Points from the Lecture

Personal Reflections on Science

Personal Interest: The speaker has always loved science, enhanced by participation in science fairs.
Science Fairs: Opportunities for students to investigate problems using the scientific method; can be physical or online.

Traditional Steps:
1. Observation of phenomena.
2. Formulation of a question.
3. Hypothesis creation - a testable explanation.
4. Experiment design and procedure execution.
5. Data analysis, usually with graphs and tables.
6. Conclusion to address the hypothesis.
Misconceptions:
- The method is often thought to be linear but is flexible and iterative.
- Scientists may revisit steps and frequently adjust hypotheses and models.
- Variations of the scientific method exist, with differences in steps included.

Definition: Derived from Latin, meaning "knowledge."
Goals: Gain knowledge that leads to theories and laws.
Terms in Scientific Investigation:
- Observations: Gathering data about phenomena.
- Inferences: Logical conclusions based on evidence.

Problem: Barnacles attaching to boats.
Data Collection: Observations and counting barnacles, noting attachment spots.
Experiment Design:
- Test different concentrations of anti-barnacle additive in boat paint.
- Control Group: Receives only the paint, not the additive.
- Constants: Same paint application tools, boat models, sizes, environment, and time.
Graphing:
- Use bar graphs to represent data.
- Independent Variable: Concentration of additive (x-axis).
- Dependent Variable: Number of barnacles (y-axis).
- Mnemonic: Dry mix (Dependent/Responding Y-axis, Manipulated/Independent X-axis).

Scope: Applicable only to natural world phenomena.
Ethics: Important consideration in scientific work.
Collaborative and Creative: Science is a global and ongoing endeavor.
Communication: Good science communication and credible sources are vital.
Ongoing Discovery: Science is not "done"; it's an ongoing process of discovery and learning.