General biologyLesson 2 of 2 in the course Introduction to Biology

Scientific Inquiry: Reasoning, Experiments, and Research Communication

5 flashcards · 5 quiz questions · 5 match pairs · 5 fill-in sentences · English

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Summary

Science is a systematic way of learning about the natural world. This lesson introduces what science can investigate, how scientific disciplines relate to one another, and how scientists use observation and reasoning to build knowledge.

The word science comes from the Latin scientia, meaning “knowledge.” Science is knowledge about the natural world, especially material phenomena involving matter and energy that can be observed and measured. Biology is the scientific study of life.

All flashcards

Hypothesis
A proposed explanation for an event that can be tested.
Prediction
An expected, observable outcome derived from a proposed explanation.
Basic science
Research that expands knowledge without requiring an immediate practical application.
Applied science
Research that uses scientific knowledge to address practical problems.
Peer review
Evaluation of research by qualified scientists, often before publication.

Quiz questions

  1. What does it mean for a scientific hypothesis to be falsifiable?Answer: Some possible evidence could show that the hypothesis is incorrect.
  2. In an experiment, what is the role of a control group?Answer: It provides a comparison condition that does not receive the experimental treatment.
  3. What is a primary purpose of peer review for a scientific paper?Answer: To have qualified scientists assess the work before publication.
  4. Which description best characterizes basic science?Answer: It seeks to expand knowledge without requiring an immediate application.
  5. What do researchers commonly do in data research, or in silico research?Answer: Use computational and statistical methods to analyze large collections of data.

Based on Concepts of Biology by Samantha Fowler, Rebecca Roush, James Wise (OpenStax), licensed CC BY 4.0. Adapted into a summary, flashcards and quizzes.

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