Nature of

Science
Observations, Designing
Experiments, and
Checking Validity.
TheScientific
Method
 Observations are always
happening.
Were getting worse at observing
as technology increases.
How good of an observer are you?
Card Trick
Pay Attention
The Blue Looks Purple,
but keep counting =-)
An observation that An observation that
uses NUMBERS. uses DESCRIBING
This is more objective WORDS. This is more
and based on facts. subjective and based on
interpretation.
Common examples
are measuring, Common examples are
counting, and timing. color, smell,
appearance, texture.
 Temperature Fuzzy
at 102 Warm
degrees Looks
Fahrenheit unhappy
2 Eyes White fur, with
2 Ears brown around
Nose is 8 mm his eyes and
wide ears.
Quantitative Vs.
Qualitative
Research
Mrs. Davis voice registers at
75 decibels when she is
yelling. What type of
observation is this?
A. A
B. B

A. Quantitative Observation

B. Qualitative Observation

A. Quantitative Observation
Tested & Outcome
Variables
When designing an experiment, you
need to determine what youre
testing and what the outcome should
look like.
What you are The results of your
experimenting with. experiment.

INPUT OUTPUT
 Whats the tested variable?

Amount of exercise.
Whats the outcome variable?

Heart-rate
Identify Tested and
Outcome Variables in
each experiment.
 How can we support our evidence?
How can we prove to others we didnt
cheat?
 repetition replication

Repeating your own Repeating another

experiment many scientists
times to weed out experiment to weed
mistakes. out mistakes.
Ill check for
mistakes!
 repetition replication

Repeating your own Repeating another

experiment many scientists
times to weed out experiment to weed
mistakes. out mistakes.
Ill check for
mistakes!
 repetition replication

Repeating your own Repeating another

experiment many scientists
times to weed out experiment to weed
mistakes. out mistakes.
Ill check for
mistakes!
 repetition replication

Repeating your own Repeating another

experiment many scientists
times to weed out experiment to weed
mistakes. out mistakes.
Ill check for
mistakes!
 repetition replication

Repeating your own Repeating another

experiment many scientists
times to weed out experiment to weed
mistakes. out mistakes.
Ill check for
mistakes!
Sean is assigned to repeat his lab
partners experiment, just to
double check his work. What
type Repetition
A. of validity check is this?
B. Replication

B. Replication
Theory Vs Fact Vs
Hypothesis Vs Law
Scientific laws must An explanation of
be simple, true, observations or
universal, and events which have
absolute. been verified multiple
times by scientists.