Scientific Method Vocabulary

Investigation The process of gathering information in order to answer a question or solve a problem. Quest to answer a question

Ethics: Principles that guide our decisions about what is good and fair Avoid any risk of considerably harming people, the environment, or property unnecessarily. Just because we can do it, should we?

Bias: A personal point of view that is based on belief instead of scientific facts.

Materials: A list of items needed to conduct an experiment.

Procedure: A step-by-step set of detailed directions for testing the hypothesis. A good procedure is so detailed and complete that it lets someone else duplicate your experiment exactly! Repeating a science experiment is an important step to verify that your results are consistent and not just an accident.

Variables: All the factors that can change in an experiment, possibly affecting the results. "The teacher's location is an either/or situation"Loudness measured in decibelsSame classroom Same students Same time of

Is a classroom noisier when the teacher leaves the room? Possible Variables? Teacher location – either in the room or not Same classroom Same students Same time of day Same decibel meter measuring loudness in decibels

Independent Variable: The ONE factor that is changed in an experiment by the scientist.

Is a classroom noisier when the teacher leaves the room? Possible Variables? Teacher location – either in the room or not Same classroom Same students Same time of day Same decibel meter measuring loudness in decibels

Dependent Variable: The factor that may be affected as a result of changing the independent variable. This is measured and recorded as data.

Is a classroom noisier when the teacher leaves the room? Possible Variables? Teacher location – either in the room or not Same classroom Same students Same time of day Same decibel meter measuring loudness in decibels

Assumption: Is an explanation that is accepted without proof. Usually it is something we previously learned and do not question. It is part of our system of beliefs. We assume our beliefs to be true and use them to interpret the world about us.

Inference: A conclusion based on observed evidence. If you come at me with a knife in your hand, I probably would infer that you mean to do me harm

Inferences Examples Observation: An apple has a missing chunk. Inference: Someone took a bite of the apple. Observation: There are shoe-shaped footprints in the mud. Inference: A person has been here. Observation: There are pieces of eggshell in a nest. Inference: A bird hatched from the egg.

Consumer: Someone who uses a product or piece of knowledge.

Validity: Describes how well a test measures the traits it was intended to measure. While reliability is necessary, it alone is not sufficient. For a test to be reliable, it also needs to be valid. For example, if your scale is off by 5 lbs, it reads your weight every day with an excess of 5lbs. The scale is reliable because it consistently reports the same weight every day, but it is not valid because it adds 5lbs to your true weight. It is not a valid measure of your weight.

Data Table: A display of information from an investigation.

Line Graph: Used to show how data changes over time. The data is connected by a rising or falling line.

Bar Graph: Uses bars to compare results that are totals, such as time, width, distance, temperature, height and length.

Circle Graph: Used to show percentage or fractions of the whole. Also called pie charts.