Bio 156 EXAM 1 Study Questions - 2026-2027 | Biology Practice Guide
ESSAY: essay
1. Create a carefully worded and precise RQ
-Define, describe, clarify (any unclear words/phrases)
-Ask other researchers
2. Review the "Literature"" to explore the RQ
-Primary literature: published reports of original scientific
research, peer reviewed journals
-Secondary literature: everything else
3. Create multiple HYPOTHESES and make list of
POSSIBLE answers to RQ
-Hypothesis: one of many possible answers to the RQ
-Is it VALID: does it make sense
-Is it TESTABLE: can it be used to generate PREDICTIONS
(deductions) about CMW world
4. Generate PREDICTIONS from your hypothesis. Be
SPECIFIC
-The deduction formula
-IF (my H is true), THEN what should I observe in the real
world
5. Do EXPERIMENTS test your PREDICTIONS
-Establish clear & repeatable EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN
-consider RQ, hypothesis, the variables
-IV: deliberately change, "set up"
-DV: observe
-Controlled variable: all possible variables that mi
What is Science? Science is a tool used to answer certain questions about the natural world
When/Where does SCIENCE/SCIENTIFIC METHOD Works best when...
"work" best? We are asking questions and expecting answers in concrete material "CMW"
How can you make sure that your RESEARCH QUESTION -Define
is clear and precise? -Describe
-Clarify any unclear words or phrases
-Ask other researchers
Why is PEER COMMUNICATION [step 7] mentioned in -Peer communication should actually be in EVERY STEP
step 1 of the H-D Scientific Method? -Science is a social activity
, Bio 156 EXAM 1 Study Questions - 2026-2027 | Biology Practice Guide
What exactly is a hypothesis? -A hypothesis is one of many possible answers to the research question
Describe 2 properties of a GOOD/USEFUL hypothesis. -Valid: does it makes sense
-Testable: can be used to make predictions about the CMW
List two ways that a HYPOTHESIS and a PREDICTION are -HYPOTHESIS
different -general
-sound like an answer to a question
-PREDICTIONS
-specific
-sound like a research question
What is the difference between a HYPOTHESIS and a -Theory: a well tested hypothesis that has never made a false prediction, (and has
THEORY? only made true predictions)
-Hypothesis: only ONE possible answer
How do we decide if a HYPOTHESIS gets to "stay on the -IF a hypothesis is VALID and TESTABLE it is kept on the list
list of possible answers" or gets thrown off the list?
-IF a hypothesis is making TRUE PREDICTIONS, THEN we keep it on the list of
possible answers to the RQ.
IF it makes a FALSE prediction, it gets thrown off the list.
Define Independent variable (IV) -the variable that is deliberately created/"set up" by the researcher
Define Dependent variable (DV) -the variable that is measured
-usually difficult to create it
-can only observe it
What very important MOLECULE is in the H2O
Centigrade/Celsius temperature scale associated with?
MATCH the Metric Prefix with its corresponding value: __b__Giga a. x 1,000
__e__centi b. x 1 billion
____Giga a. x 1,000 __d__micro c. x 10
____centi b. x 1 billion __c__deka d. x 0.000001(one-millionth)
____micro c. x 10 __a__kilo e x 0.01 (0ne-hundredth)
____deka d x0.000001(one-millionth)
____kilo e x 0.01 (0ne-hundredth)
ESSAY: essay
1. Create a carefully worded and precise RQ
-Define, describe, clarify (any unclear words/phrases)
-Ask other researchers
2. Review the "Literature"" to explore the RQ
-Primary literature: published reports of original scientific
research, peer reviewed journals
-Secondary literature: everything else
3. Create multiple HYPOTHESES and make list of
POSSIBLE answers to RQ
-Hypothesis: one of many possible answers to the RQ
-Is it VALID: does it make sense
-Is it TESTABLE: can it be used to generate PREDICTIONS
(deductions) about CMW world
4. Generate PREDICTIONS from your hypothesis. Be
SPECIFIC
-The deduction formula
-IF (my H is true), THEN what should I observe in the real
world
5. Do EXPERIMENTS test your PREDICTIONS
-Establish clear & repeatable EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN
-consider RQ, hypothesis, the variables
-IV: deliberately change, "set up"
-DV: observe
-Controlled variable: all possible variables that mi
What is Science? Science is a tool used to answer certain questions about the natural world
When/Where does SCIENCE/SCIENTIFIC METHOD Works best when...
"work" best? We are asking questions and expecting answers in concrete material "CMW"
How can you make sure that your RESEARCH QUESTION -Define
is clear and precise? -Describe
-Clarify any unclear words or phrases
-Ask other researchers
Why is PEER COMMUNICATION [step 7] mentioned in -Peer communication should actually be in EVERY STEP
step 1 of the H-D Scientific Method? -Science is a social activity
, Bio 156 EXAM 1 Study Questions - 2026-2027 | Biology Practice Guide
What exactly is a hypothesis? -A hypothesis is one of many possible answers to the research question
Describe 2 properties of a GOOD/USEFUL hypothesis. -Valid: does it makes sense
-Testable: can be used to make predictions about the CMW
List two ways that a HYPOTHESIS and a PREDICTION are -HYPOTHESIS
different -general
-sound like an answer to a question
-PREDICTIONS
-specific
-sound like a research question
What is the difference between a HYPOTHESIS and a -Theory: a well tested hypothesis that has never made a false prediction, (and has
THEORY? only made true predictions)
-Hypothesis: only ONE possible answer
How do we decide if a HYPOTHESIS gets to "stay on the -IF a hypothesis is VALID and TESTABLE it is kept on the list
list of possible answers" or gets thrown off the list?
-IF a hypothesis is making TRUE PREDICTIONS, THEN we keep it on the list of
possible answers to the RQ.
IF it makes a FALSE prediction, it gets thrown off the list.
Define Independent variable (IV) -the variable that is deliberately created/"set up" by the researcher
Define Dependent variable (DV) -the variable that is measured
-usually difficult to create it
-can only observe it
What very important MOLECULE is in the H2O
Centigrade/Celsius temperature scale associated with?
MATCH the Metric Prefix with its corresponding value: __b__Giga a. x 1,000
__e__centi b. x 1 billion
____Giga a. x 1,000 __d__micro c. x 10
____centi b. x 1 billion __c__deka d. x 0.000001(one-millionth)
____micro c. x 10 __a__kilo e x 0.01 (0ne-hundredth)
____deka d x0.000001(one-millionth)
____kilo e x 0.01 (0ne-hundredth)
