Unit 1 Exam Flashcards
What is Science?
Observations description and organization of organisms
What does science do?
Provides explanations for observable phenomena
Metacognition
awareness and understanding of one’s thought process
Examples of Metacognition
- beliefs about the learning process
- confidence in one’s ability to learn
- judgments about what one has learned
- deciding how to study/learn
- reflecting on the process
(e.g., awareness that you may have difficulty remembering people’s names in social situations, reminding yourself that you should try to remember the name of the person you just met)
Metacognition Planning
- what strategies will I use to study?
- how much time do I plan on studying? Over what period, and how long?
- which aspects of the course material should I spend more or less on, based on my current understanding of the material?
metacognition monitoring
- at what point am I following my plan for my studying for the exam? Do I know all the material?
- to what extent am I taking advantage of all the available learning support options?
- am I struggling with motivation to study? If so, do I remember why I am taking this course?
- Am I getting clarification on the material I am confused about? If not, how can I get clarification?
metacognition evaluation
- what about my exam prep worked well that I should remember to do next time?
- what did not work well that I should change or try to do differently in the future?
- what questions did I not answer correctly? What am I still confused about?
Evolution explains…
both the unity and diversity of life
diversity
Heritable changes occur as a result of natural selection.
unity
descent with modification
biology is an _______________ exercise of ____________ curiosity
organized
human
Science is based on __________ knowledge.
empirical
empirical knowledge
what can be demonstrated by observation and experience
Science is committed to ______________ and thinking of _____________ _____________
rationality
alternate explanations
Sciences emphasizes ________________
repeatability
Science is committed to _______________ and _______________
testability
experimentation
Science searches for ____________ principles operating in the ____________ __________
general
natural world
Science involves _________ and __________
creativity
ingenuity
Sciences often requires ______________
teamwork (cooperation)
Science is NOT
- democratic (based on votes - ideas are accepted or rejected based on evidence)
- what we would like to believe
- arguing in favor of a position
- personality and persuasiveness
- just collected lots of facts
- moral (principled, concerned with right or wrong, good or evil) - but scientists can be
Characteristics of a Fact in Science
- observation or idea that has been repeatedly confirmed
- can depend on context and ability of the observer to observe (new technologies or tools can change facts)
– (e.g., an atom is the smallest existing thing - new technology proves that atoms can be split, making the “splitting” the smallest thing in existence)
Characteristic of Law in Science
- descriptive empirical generalizations
– (e.g., when you start a new job, you meet a few employees of the new company and form an impression of the company as a whole) - states what happens under certain conditions of nature (not explanatory)
– (e.g., the law of gravity: an object will always fall towards earth due to the pull of gravity)
Hypothesis
- statements of what might be true
- tentative (done without confidence) explanation to account for observed phenomena
- testable (predictive) - a good hypothesis can always be proven wrong
(usually [but not always] an if… then… statement)
e.g., IF a person gets 7 hours of sleep, THEN they will feel less fatigue than if he sleeps less than 7 hours
e.g., consumption of sugary drinks every day leads to obesity
Theory
- the body of connected statements to explain an observation
- based on accumulated evidence and reasoning
- an explanation that has stood the test of time and is supported well by empirical evidence
- usually broader (more inclusive) than a hypothesis
- not just a hunch