L1

• Steps in the process of scientific inquiry:

  • Making observations
  • Formulating a hypothesis
  • Testing the hypothesis
  • Drawing conclusions

  
• Flowchart depicting the public's perception of science:

  • Public wonders about something
  • They either do science or read science
  • Doing science may lead to a discovery
  • Reading science may result in learning something new
  • The public ends up more informed about science
• Flowchart describing the process of coming up with a new idea:

  • Person thinks of an idea
  • Realizes the idea is not original
  • Tries to come up with a new idea
  • Realizes they may never have an original idea and gives up

  
• Descriptive statistics of serum cholesterol levels in male and female turtles

  
• Observational Studies:

  • Compare variables measured from different conditions
  • Tend to be the first data collected
  • Rarely address cause/effect
  • Foundation of knowledge
• Comparative Studies:

  • Independent variable varies naturally within a system of interest
  • Allows to formally test hypotheses
  • More typically used in ecological or physiological studies
• Perturbation/Response Studies:

  • Utilizes natural conditions following large-scale disturbances
  • Almost best considered a special type of descriptive study
• Manipulative Experiments:

  • Impose treatment or treatments, then observe response
  • Independent variable is the predictor, dependent variable is the response
• Deductive Science/Modeling:

  • Specify values for variables or conditions
  • Use logic and math to predict outcomes
  • Parameters often derived following empirical studies
• Presenting Data:

  • Never report raw data
  • Present summaries of the data through descriptive statistics, tables, and figures
• Minimizing Experimental Artifacts and Error:

  • High degree of precision & accuracy
  • Effective controls
  • Absence of bias
• Artificially inflating sample size and replicates that aren't independent can lead to issues in statistical analysis
• Example of artificially inflating sample size: 3 measurements made on 5 plants
• Choosing an appropriate sample size is crucial and is often dictated by practical constraints like availability, time, and budget
• Randomization in experimental design involves assigning individuals to different treatment groups randomly to eliminate systemic sources of bias and ensure independence of data
• Features of a good research design include allowing estimation of random variation, treatment effects, high accuracy & precision, absence of bias, simplicity in execution & analysis
• Statistics provide a common language, help test hypotheses, determine if effects are real, and provide descriptive and inferential information about data
• Writing basics for scientists include understanding the topic, having a writing plan, writing to illuminate, not to impress, writing for the audience, making a statement and backing it up, distinguishing between fact and possibility, not plagiarizing, and revising work
• Revising writing basics involve sticking to the point, saying exactly what you mean, not making the reader backtrack, not making readers work too hard, being concise, and proofreading
• Polishing writing basics include underlining or italicizing species names, remembering that data is plural, minding appearances, keeping a copy of the final product, and not letting style and technology overshadow content
• In literature cited, avoid footnotes, use author-year format for in-text citations, be concise in citing references, and cite only sources you have read and feel confident discussing
• Descriptive statistics involve summary statistics, organization, and summarization of data, displayed as tables and figures
• The difference between a population and a sample in statistics:

  • Sample: group of individuals randomly selected from a larger group, described by statistics denoted by Latin letters
  • Population: all organisms comprising the group of interest, described by parameters denoted by Greek letters
• How to minimize error varitation

  • precision
  • accuracy
  • effective controls