Intro to Natural Science Mid Term Study
Guide
Steps in the scientific method - ANS1. Make an observation and describe it
2. Form a question
3. Make a prediction and create a hypothesis
4. Plan and conduct experiment to test hypothesis
5. Gather data and analyze results
6. Draw Conclusions
What is scientific explanation - ANShow or why something is the case. They are often identified
with causes.
What are two basic ways theories differ from hypotheses? - ANSOne difference is that a
hypothesis can be anything from a vague hunch to a finely detailed, though speculative, account
of how or why something has come to be the case where a theory may be a well-developed,
well-confirmed body of explanatory material. Another difference is that a hypothesis will typically
offer an explanation for a limited range of phenomena, single event, or fact, ahwere theories
tend to be more general structures capable of explaining a much wider variety of phenomena.
How does the claim that to sorts of events are correlated differ from the claim they are related to
cause and effect? - ANSA correlation is nothing more than a comparison between a pair of
characteristics within a population. Correlation is seldom an all-or-nothing matter. A perfect
correlation between two characteristics would require a one-to-one correspondence between
changes in the two. The fact that two things are correlated does not indicate that the two are
causally linked.
What is the difference between a proximate and remote cause? - ANSA proximate cause is an
event which is closest to or immediately responsible for causing some observed result where a
remote cause is when something happens later due to a proximate cause
Cause and effect - ANSEffects can be the result of a combination of causes, both cause and
effect can be about groups rather than individuals, and effects may result from several distinct
causes
Causal mechanism - ANSnothing more than a series of proximate causes that intervene
between a remote cause and its effect.
underlying processes - ANSdo not attempt to "fill in the gap" between cause and effect by
positing intervening causes. They redescribe phenomena at a basic level.
, Laws - ANSThere are 2 types of laws. The first is called a convention which is created and often
enforced to regulate human behavior. The second is scientific laws, which are generalized
descriptions of regularities that have been found to occur in some area of nature.
function - ANSwhen we explain our behavior by reference to what we hope to achieve and they
often make reference to the purpose(s) of that which is being explained.
What is occams razor and how does it apply to competing explanations - ANSOccam's Razor is
given competing explanations, any of which would, if true, explain a given puzzle, we should
initially opt for the explanation that contains the least number of puzzling notions.
What does theory laden mean? - ANSloaded with theory and refers to observations of
perceptions.
what is the relationship between predicted outcome and the claim being tested in a scientific
experiment - ANSIn order to guess on the predicted outcome of an experiment you first need a
claim, or hypothesis, as to what you want to experiment. Once that is set you can predict the
outcome and see if you were right in the end.
what are the two ways an experimental outcome can be compromised and how do they differ -
ANSThe way to minimize the possibility of a false confirmation is to set up experimental
conditions that control for extraneous factors. It is a general rule to ask if anything has been
overlooked that might lead to the predicted outcome.
what is the difference between experimental group and control group - ANSAn experimental
group is the subject to the suspected cause. The control groups provide an effective counter to
the nagging possibility that some unknown explanatory factor may have been overlooked,
something that may account for a successful outcome even if the explanation is wrong.
what problems do conceptually vague claims and predictions pose when we are designing
experiments? - ANSThe vaguer the claim that harder it will be to rule out the possibility of a
false rejection. Conceptual vagueness can make it difficult to rule out the possibility of a false
confirmation as well. Experiments designed to investigate conceptually vague notions are
sometimes said to be hypothesis generating rather than hypothesis testing since much of the
point is to generate new and more refined hypotheses for further investigation.
what special precautions should be taken in designing a good test for an extraordinary ability -
ANSTo eliminate the possibility of a false confirmation we need experimental conditions under
which nothing could explain our subjects success other than another reason. To rule out a
possibility of false rejection we need to come up with a set of conditions under which nothing
could explain the outcome.
Guide
Steps in the scientific method - ANS1. Make an observation and describe it
2. Form a question
3. Make a prediction and create a hypothesis
4. Plan and conduct experiment to test hypothesis
5. Gather data and analyze results
6. Draw Conclusions
What is scientific explanation - ANShow or why something is the case. They are often identified
with causes.
What are two basic ways theories differ from hypotheses? - ANSOne difference is that a
hypothesis can be anything from a vague hunch to a finely detailed, though speculative, account
of how or why something has come to be the case where a theory may be a well-developed,
well-confirmed body of explanatory material. Another difference is that a hypothesis will typically
offer an explanation for a limited range of phenomena, single event, or fact, ahwere theories
tend to be more general structures capable of explaining a much wider variety of phenomena.
How does the claim that to sorts of events are correlated differ from the claim they are related to
cause and effect? - ANSA correlation is nothing more than a comparison between a pair of
characteristics within a population. Correlation is seldom an all-or-nothing matter. A perfect
correlation between two characteristics would require a one-to-one correspondence between
changes in the two. The fact that two things are correlated does not indicate that the two are
causally linked.
What is the difference between a proximate and remote cause? - ANSA proximate cause is an
event which is closest to or immediately responsible for causing some observed result where a
remote cause is when something happens later due to a proximate cause
Cause and effect - ANSEffects can be the result of a combination of causes, both cause and
effect can be about groups rather than individuals, and effects may result from several distinct
causes
Causal mechanism - ANSnothing more than a series of proximate causes that intervene
between a remote cause and its effect.
underlying processes - ANSdo not attempt to "fill in the gap" between cause and effect by
positing intervening causes. They redescribe phenomena at a basic level.
, Laws - ANSThere are 2 types of laws. The first is called a convention which is created and often
enforced to regulate human behavior. The second is scientific laws, which are generalized
descriptions of regularities that have been found to occur in some area of nature.
function - ANSwhen we explain our behavior by reference to what we hope to achieve and they
often make reference to the purpose(s) of that which is being explained.
What is occams razor and how does it apply to competing explanations - ANSOccam's Razor is
given competing explanations, any of which would, if true, explain a given puzzle, we should
initially opt for the explanation that contains the least number of puzzling notions.
What does theory laden mean? - ANSloaded with theory and refers to observations of
perceptions.
what is the relationship between predicted outcome and the claim being tested in a scientific
experiment - ANSIn order to guess on the predicted outcome of an experiment you first need a
claim, or hypothesis, as to what you want to experiment. Once that is set you can predict the
outcome and see if you were right in the end.
what are the two ways an experimental outcome can be compromised and how do they differ -
ANSThe way to minimize the possibility of a false confirmation is to set up experimental
conditions that control for extraneous factors. It is a general rule to ask if anything has been
overlooked that might lead to the predicted outcome.
what is the difference between experimental group and control group - ANSAn experimental
group is the subject to the suspected cause. The control groups provide an effective counter to
the nagging possibility that some unknown explanatory factor may have been overlooked,
something that may account for a successful outcome even if the explanation is wrong.
what problems do conceptually vague claims and predictions pose when we are designing
experiments? - ANSThe vaguer the claim that harder it will be to rule out the possibility of a
false rejection. Conceptual vagueness can make it difficult to rule out the possibility of a false
confirmation as well. Experiments designed to investigate conceptually vague notions are
sometimes said to be hypothesis generating rather than hypothesis testing since much of the
point is to generate new and more refined hypotheses for further investigation.
what special precautions should be taken in designing a good test for an extraordinary ability -
ANSTo eliminate the possibility of a false confirmation we need experimental conditions under
which nothing could explain our subjects success other than another reason. To rule out a
possibility of false rejection we need to come up with a set of conditions under which nothing
could explain the outcome.
