1. Asking Scientific Questions
BIOL 260
Fall 2016

2. If the process of science begins with a question, what characterizes a good scientific question?

3. What are the goals of a scientific question?
Describe
Predict
Increase understanding

4. Characteristics of a good scientific question
Are testable.
An experiment can be designed to find the answer
Have a hypothesis that is falsifiable.
Are not biased.
Has a real answer.

5. Weak Questions Too broad Narrowly focused on collecting a fact
Vague comparisons
Why?

6. Thought Processes (to form strong questions)
Analogy:
Induction:
Deduction:
Intuition:
Serendipity:
Analogy: compare similar situations
Induction infer general from particular
Deduction: infer particular from general
Intuition: helpful for forming questions (but not for analysis)
Serendipity: unexpected observation

7. What kind of question are you asking?
1) Define or measure a specific fact or gather facts about a specific phenomenon. 2) Match facts and theory. 3) Evaluate and compare two theories, models, or hypotheses. 4) Prove that a certain method is more effective than other methods.

8. Designing an Experiment
Choose an answerable question
Choose type and amount of data
Choose data analysis

9. Experimental Design Include Controls
Understand variation between experimental conditions
Be aware of bias
Anticipate types of error
Bias: sampling or psychological
Error: systematic, unsystematic, personal errors, mistakes

10. Hypothesis or clear goal
Controls
Careful unbiased observations
Accurate documentation
Systematic analysis
Analyze variability and certainty

11. Honey Bees What do we know? Where do they live?
Bees collect pollen and nectar from plants
Store food in the form of honey
Temperate climates
Not active during winter
Live in hives
Sometimes hives are maintained by bee keepers
Urban bee keeping rapidly growing

12. Does urbanization of bee keeping affect the diet of honey bees?
Methods: Measured the sugar isotope signature (increase in n δ13C = human sugar) in different bee populations in Raleigh-Durham area.
Results:

13. Why did the chicken cross the road?

14. How does this actually happen in research?