class notes biomedical science: foundations of life

Scientific Method
Systematic Approach
 observation
 hypothesis
 prediction
 experimentation
 conclusion

deductive reasoning- general principles to make the specific predictions.

inductive reasoning- specific observations to develop general conclusions.

Scientific Method
 begins with a question.
 observation=question
 hypothesis-possible explanation, allows predictions, must be tested, can be changed and
refined.
 prediction- based on hypothesis, provides a way to test hypothesis, hypothesis must be
rejected if experiment produces results inconsistent with predictions.
 experiments-test hypothesis, only one variable at a time, includes control.
 conclusion

Variables
 factors that can be controlled changed or measured.
 independent variable- the one condition you change.
 dependent variable- variable in measure or observe, dependent on the state of
independent.
 control variable- a variable that stays the same.