Your Data's Got To be Good Flashcards
Why are the results of experiments done in laboratories usually ‘great’
A lab is the easiest place to control variables so they’re all kept constant.
This makes it easier to carry out a FAIR TEST
What do you do when you want to investigate something that cannot be investigated in a lab?
What do you do in them?
You conduct a scientific study
As many of the variables as possible are controlled, to make it a fair test
What makes something scientific and stops it being an opinion?
Evidence to support it
The ____ the sample size, the ____
The bigger the sample size, the better
Why is data based on larger samples better than data based on smaller samples?
A sample should be representative of the whole population (i.e. it should share as many of the various characteristics in the population as possible), which bigger samples can do better
Scientists have to be ____ when choosing big
Scientists have to be realistic when choosing big
Why might scientists not study everyoone in the UK for a study on how lifestyle people’s weight?
(2 reasons + substitute)
- It would take a long time
- It would cost a lot of money
So studying a thousand people is more realistic
Name the 2 factors that affect how trustworthy/ good the evidence is?
- The more variables controlled the better
- The bigger the smple size the better
Define ‘reliable’
The data can be repeated and reproduced by others
Define ‘valid’
The data is reliable and answers the original question
Why aren’t studies claiming that power lines cause children to develop cancer valid?
These studies don’t show a definite link (there could be other factors such as busy roads etc causing the cancer), so don’t answer the original question
Define ‘bias’
Showing favour towards one side of an argument
People who want to make a point sometimes ____ data in a ____ ____
People who want to make a point sometimes present data in a biased way
Give 4 examples of why people may want to present data in a biased way
- They want to keep the organisation or company funding the research happy
- Governments might want to persuade voters, other gov.s, journalists etc
- Companies might want to ‘big up’ their product. Or make impressive safety claims.
- Environmental campaigners might want to persuade people to behave differently
Should you take an investigation done by a team of highly-regarded scientists more seriously than one done y lesser-known scientists?
(Just because they are well-regarded)
No - important to look at it scientifically i.e. how valid and reliable the evidence is
