Scientific Inquiry chapter 1

Question 1

Observations

Types of Investigation

Answer 1

looking for patterns and trends

Question 2

Controlled Experiments

Types of Investigations

Answer 2

‘fair tests’
to investigate relationships between variables- changing one variable while other variables kept the same

Question 3

Surveys

Types of Investigations

Answer 3

systematically collect, analyse, interpret info about a study
collect data from large number of subjects
- questionnaire / interview

Question 4

Trial and error

Types of Investigations

Answer 4

scientific research - systematic process
- one attempt to solve a problem followed by another
- each trial recorded

Question 5

Case Studies

Types of Investigations

Answer 5

in depth investigation of one particular person or situation
- can extend or help to confirm what is already known about the disease

Question 6

Longitudinal studies

Types of Investigations

Answer 6

• long period of time
• ‘prolonged case studies’
• years/decades

Question 7

Scientific method

Conducting investigations

Answer 7

1. recognise a problem, define a question
2. collect as much info as possible relating to the problem
3. propose a hypothesis
4. test the hypothesis - experiment
5. analyse and interpret the data collected from experiment
6. draw conclusions - hypothesis supported or not
7. report on the investigation

Question 8

Literature review

Conducting investigations

Answer 8

a survey of the material that has been written about the subject under consideration
- help researcher define problem
- find out what is already known
- assess research methods used by other researchers
- allow researchers to relate findings to what is already known

Question 9

Safety

Conducting Investigations

Answer 9

• no danger - participants or investigators
• safety risks minimised and controlled
• physical and psychological

Question 10

Ethics

Conducting Investigations

Answer 10

set of moral principles or values
- voluntary participation
- informed consent
- risk of harm (minimised and benefit assessed)
- confidentiality
- anonymity

Question 11

Independent variable

Conducting Investigations

Answer 11

deliberately changed to determine how it affects the results

Question 12

Dependent Variable

Conducting Investigations

Answer 12

what is measured
factor that changes due to the changes made to teh independent variable

Question 13

Controlled Variables

Conducting Investigations

Answer 13

factors kept the same with everything

Question 14

Repetition

Conducting Investigations

Answer 14

doing the same experiment many times

Question 15

Replication

Conducting Investigations

Answer 15

having a number of identical experiments running together or performing the experiment on a large number of subjects at the same time

Question 16

Validity

Conducting Investigations

Answer 16

when an experiment tests what it is supposed to test it has validity. if no it is invalid

Question 17

Accuracy

Conducting Investigations

Answer 17

refers to how close the data is to the exact value. is dependent on the equipment used, needs to be calibrated correctly

Question 18

Reliability

Conducting Investigations

Answer 18

the extent to which an experiment gives the same result each time it is performed. measuring instruments used in the experiment must also be reliable; they must give the same measurement each time they are used

Question 19

Quantitative data

conducting investigations

Answer 19

expressed in numbers

Question 20

Qualitative data

conducting investigations

Answer 20

observations that do not involve numbers or measurement

Question 21

Secondary data

Conducting investigations

Answer 21

been collected by someone other than the people who are using the data

Question 22

Errors and limitations in data

Conducting investigations

Answer 22

uncertainty in measurement- measurement error
confidence interval- indicate the reliability of data
confidence level

Question 23

Mean

conducting investigation

Answer 23

Add all divide by number of.

Question 24

Median

Conducting investigation

Answer 24

middle number

Question 25

Range | Conducting investigations

Answer 25

highest take lowest

Question 26

ratios | Conducting investigations

Answer 26

numerical statement e.g. 16:9

Question 27

rates | Conducting investigations

Answer 27

special kind of ratio, how long it takes to do something e.g. 10km in 30 min 1km per 3 min

Question 28

percentages | Conducting investigations

Answer 28

express how large one variable is in relation to another

Question 29

percentage change | Conducting investigations

Answer 29

= (new value-old value)/(old value) x100

Question 30

frequency | Conducting investigations

Answer 30

number of times an event occurs

Question 31

graphs- graphing | Conducting investigations

Answer 31

- title states 2 variables on graph - independent on horizontal axis - dependent on vertical axis - label each axis with one variable with units - use scale

Question 32

graphs | Conducting investigations

Answer 32

line graphs (continuous data) histograms (frequencies) column graphs and bar graphs (discrete)

Question 33

scientific report | Reporting on scientific investigations

Answer 33

- title of report and name of author/s - introduction (nature of problem investigated adn hypothesis) - materials and equipment, listing apparatus - method, describing exact method to carry out - results, -tables, graphs, diagrams, photographs - discussion (longest part)(comments about results, the way they relate to hypothesis, evaluation of investigation) - conclusion (summarising most important parts of discussion and stating whether or not the hypothesis was supported - further research - references - acknowledgements