Standard 22- Parts of Scientific Investigation
SC.8.N.1.6
Understand that scientific investigations involve the collection of relevant empirical evidence; the use of logical reasoning; and the application of imagination in devising hypotheses, predictions, explanations, and models to make sense of the collected evidence.
Understand that scientific investigations involve the collection of relevant empirical evidence; the use of logical reasoning; and the application of imagination in devising hypotheses, predictions, explanations, and models to make sense of the collected evidence.
Vocabulary
Empirical evidence: data and information that is found by observations and experience, also through experimentation Logical reasoning: making predictions or reasoning through a scenario using past experiences and information to make your reason more probable Bias: Either intentional or not, all people have opinions about nearly everything. Often, we will only discuss facts or arguments that back up our opinions and leave other facts out Prediction: an idea or inference about what will happen in a future event or experiment explanation: A devised reason for something that occurs or something that may occur Model: a representation of an object, event or idea. Models are never as complex as the original object, event or idea |
Imagine that you are a prominent scientist. You want to study the impacts of runoff from roads on pond ecosystems. What kinds of skill do you need to have to successfully create an investigation that might show truthful results? How will you collect your data, how will you interpret it and will your models be sufficient to demonstrate the actual phenomenon? These are all pieces of the investigation puzzle that good scientists utilize on a daily basis. Let's use this scenario as our example as we learn about this standard.
To start, you are an environmental scientist, meaning that you have had many experiences and observations about the subject you want to study. This is empirical evidence. This evidence will guide your focus and inform you along the way. You also must employ logical reasoning. Many times, people (even scientists) are biased, meaning that they have an opinion about something. You, being an environmental scientist, might feel very strongly about the environment and quite negatively towards things that harm it. But, being a good scientist you know that you must try to put your emotions and opinions aside during the investigation. If you don't the results could be skewed towards your bias. Using logical reasoning helps filter out bias and use only clear thinking that will lead to an accurate study.
When designing an experiment or investigation, you will have to be creative, using your imagination to help you come up with the best way to test your hypothesis. Oh yeah, you will also need to come up with a hypothesis. For this investigation, you hypothesize that if runoff makes its way into the pond, the chemicals will cause organisms in the pond to become sick or even die. You can make this hypothesis because of your empirical evidence and logical reasoning. Once you run your investigation, keeping careful notes on all relevant (meaningful) data, you find that on days that it rains, more pollution from the road runs off into the pond. This raises toxic chemical levels and several days after the rain, organisms appear to be less healthy. You also see an increased number of dead fish and more lethargic amphibian life. Using your collected data, you explain what you observe by constructing a model. There are many types of models you could use, but to show this chain of events, you create a digital model that shows the pollution from the cars coating the road, then the rain falling and allowing the pollution to run off into the pond, and so on. Using this model, you can show other scientists and the public your findings.
No matter what kind of scientist you are, it is important to use all relevant data, to be imaginative and accurate when designing and collecting data for an investigation. In this way, we learn more about our universe, our environment and ourselves.
To start, you are an environmental scientist, meaning that you have had many experiences and observations about the subject you want to study. This is empirical evidence. This evidence will guide your focus and inform you along the way. You also must employ logical reasoning. Many times, people (even scientists) are biased, meaning that they have an opinion about something. You, being an environmental scientist, might feel very strongly about the environment and quite negatively towards things that harm it. But, being a good scientist you know that you must try to put your emotions and opinions aside during the investigation. If you don't the results could be skewed towards your bias. Using logical reasoning helps filter out bias and use only clear thinking that will lead to an accurate study.
When designing an experiment or investigation, you will have to be creative, using your imagination to help you come up with the best way to test your hypothesis. Oh yeah, you will also need to come up with a hypothesis. For this investigation, you hypothesize that if runoff makes its way into the pond, the chemicals will cause organisms in the pond to become sick or even die. You can make this hypothesis because of your empirical evidence and logical reasoning. Once you run your investigation, keeping careful notes on all relevant (meaningful) data, you find that on days that it rains, more pollution from the road runs off into the pond. This raises toxic chemical levels and several days after the rain, organisms appear to be less healthy. You also see an increased number of dead fish and more lethargic amphibian life. Using your collected data, you explain what you observe by constructing a model. There are many types of models you could use, but to show this chain of events, you create a digital model that shows the pollution from the cars coating the road, then the rain falling and allowing the pollution to run off into the pond, and so on. Using this model, you can show other scientists and the public your findings.
No matter what kind of scientist you are, it is important to use all relevant data, to be imaginative and accurate when designing and collecting data for an investigation. In this way, we learn more about our universe, our environment and ourselves.