Scientific Attitudes

• Scientific attitude


  The most important outcome of science teaching that enables us to think rationally. It is the combination of many qualities and virtues reflected through behavior and action.
• Scientific attitudes


  • Curiosity
  • Skepticism
  • Critical thinking
  • Objectivity
  • Open-mindedness
  • Intellectual honesty
  • Perseverance
• Curiosity


  A strong desire to know about something
• Cycle of learning


  1. Curious

  2. Explore and discover

  3. Experience joy of discovery

  4. Repeat to master

  5. Gain confidence
• Factors that constrain curiosity

  • Fear
  • Disapproval
  • Absence of caring and invested adults
• Skepticism


  The questioning or doubting attitude, asking how, what, who, where, when, and why?
• Critical thinking


  The ability to think clearly and rationally about what to do or what to believe. Includes identifying logical connections, constructing and evaluating arguments, detecting inconsistencies, solving problems systematically, identifying relevance and importance of ideas, and reflecting on justification of one's own beliefs and values.
• How to think critically

  1. Compare

  2. Contrast

  3. Analyze

  4. Categorize

  5. Evaluate
• Tips to develop critical thinking

  • Keep an intellectual journal
  • Deal with egocentrism
  • Get in touch with your emotions
• Objectivity


  Unbiased consideration of the pros and cons of things. Scientific objectivity means claims, methods, and results are not influenced by perspectives, value commitments, community bias or personal interests.
• Open-mindedness


  The willingness to search actively for evidence against one's favored beliefs, plans, and decisions
• Objective


  Choosing a phone by analyzing the specifications (details of parts) of prospected phones and investigating the specifications before buying the phone that you really need
• Scientific objectivity


  A characteristic of scientific claims, methods, and results where they are not influenced by perspectives, value commitments, community bias or personal interests
• Example of scientific objectivity

  • Claiming that a mongo plant watered with sugar solution grows healthier than one watered only with tap water, then conducting an experiment using the method suggested by other scientists instead of your own method, and finding that the mongo plants grow equally healthy regardless of the water used
• Open-mindedness


  The willingness to search actively for evidence against one's favored beliefs, plans, or goals, and to weigh such evidence fairly
• Open-minded person


  • Considers listening to the opinion of others
  • Accepts someone's argument or idea based on the validity of evidence
  • Can argue calmly and entertain other people's ideas without accepting them
• Example of an open-minded person


  • One who listens to their opponent in a debate to see if the information makes sense or if they can change their mind
• Intellectual honesty


  Acknowledging the works of others when conducting research, properly citing and quoting references to make research more credible
• Intellectual honesty in research

  • Acknowledging the works of others
  • Stating the truth about the results of one's findings, regardless if they are favorable or not
• Plagiarism


  • The representation or owning of someone else's work, research, or ideas without proper citation
  • Paraphrasing an author's ideas or quoting portions of others' work without proper citation
  • Submitting a paper written by another person or purchased from a commercial source
• Perseverance


  The continued effort to do or achieve something despite difficulties, failure, or opposition
• Example of perseverance


  • The Wright Brothers putting together countless hours and prototypes, only to have their plane crash multiple times, before finally getting one of their prototypes off the ground for 10 seconds
• Scientific attitudes


  • Objectivity
  • Intellectual honesty
  • Perseverance
  • Open-mindedness
  • Rational thinking
  • Inquisitive attitude
  • Weighing pros and cons