Key Terms
Science
Knowledge covering general truths or laws, acquired and tested through the scientific method.
Natural sciences
Fields related to the physical world and its phenomena. Includes biology, astronomy, chemistry, physics, geology.
Life sciences
Study living things (biology). Physical sciences: study nonliving matter (astronomy, geology, physics, chemistry).
Biology
The study of life. Scope runs from individual atoms inside a single cell all the way up to entire ecosystems.
Inductive reasoning
Specific observations lead to a general conclusion.
Deductive reasoning
A general principle leads to a specific prediction.
Basic science (pure science)
Expands knowledge for its own sake; no immediate practical application required.
Applied science (technology)
Uses existing knowledge to solve real- world problems. Applied science depends on basic science to exist.
Steps in order
1. Observation 2.
Variable
Any part of the experiment that can change. Control: the group that receives no manipulation; everything else is identic
Theory
A tested and confirmed explanation; not a guess. Control: the unchanged comparison group in an experiment.
Peer review
Qualified colleagues evaluate a paper before publication. Ensures the work is original, significant, logical, and thorou
Abstract
A concise summary at the beginning of the paper.
Review articles
Summarize existing published research; do NOT present new original findings; do NOT follow IMRaD format.
Plagiarism
Using others' work or ideas without proper citation.