Key Science Skills

• Key science skills (KSSs)

  The set of capabilities that VCE Biology students must learn to design, conduct, analyse, and report valid experiments
• Opinion


  The personal belief or viewpoint of an individual which typically has not been verified as fact
• Controlled experiment


  An investigation into the effect of an independent variable on a dependent variable, while keeping all other factors constant
• Reliable


  Describes an experiment, tool, or measurement that produces similar results when repeated and reproduced
• Bias


  An inclination to favour a particular position or outcome
• Error


  Differences between observed values and the true value
• Country


  An area that is traditionally owned and looked after by an Aboriginal language group or community, or by certain people within that group. The term may indicate more than simply a geographical area – it is also a concept that can encompass the spiritual meaning and feelings of deep connection and attachment associated with that area
• Hypothesis


  A testable statement that describes how experimenters expect the dependent variable to change as the independent variable changes
• Research question


  A testable, achievable, and specific question that an investigation sets out to answer
• Aim


  The objective of an investigation or experiment
• Dependent variable (DV)


  The factor/s measured in the experiment that are changed when the IV is manipulated
• Independent variable (IV)


  The factor/s that is/are manipulated in an experiment
• Controlled variable


  A factor that is kept constant throughout the experiment. Also known as a constant variable
• Uncontrolled variable


  A factor that is not kept constant or accounted for throughout the experiment. Also known as an extraneous variable
• Methodology


  The strategy or overarching framework followed in a scientific investigation
• Method


  The steps followed in a scientific investigation
• Repeatable


  An experiment/ measurement in which scientists, using the methods they designed, can obtain the same result multiple times
• Reproducible


  An experiment/ measurement in which a group of scientists, using methods designed by others, can obtain the same results as another group's experiment
• Valid


  A measurement or experiment that actually tests what it claims to be testing
• Experimental group


  A group of individuals/samples in which the independent variable is manipulated. Also known as the treatment group
• Control group


  A group of individuals/samples that are not exposed to the independent variable. Also known as an experimental control, control treatment, or the control
• Placebo


  A substance that has no active ingredients or side effects
• Replication


  The process of running your test/experiment multiple times
• Precise


  Two or more measurements that closely align with each other
• Replicates


  Multiple measurements that are exposed to the same level of the IV, are very close in value, and are close to the 'true' value of the quantity being measured
• Outlier


  A reading that varies drastically from other results
• Random error


  Variation in results caused by uncontrollable conditions between replicates, resulting in a less precise spread of readings. Can be reduced using more replicates or refining the measurement process
• Accurate


  How close a measurement is to the true value
• True value


  The value that would be obtained by a perfect measurement without the influence of errors
• Population


  A set of similar objects or individuals that are studied in a scientific investigation
• Sample


  A subset of the larger population being studied
• Representative


  A sample that accurately reflects the characteristics of the larger population
• Unbiased


  A sample or measurement that is unaffected by a scientist's expectations
• Personal error


  Mistakes or miscalculations due to human fault. Can be eliminated by performing the experiment again correctly
• Systematic error


  Errors which cause results to differ by a consistent amount each time, typically due to faulty equipment or calibration, resulting in a less accurate result. Can be reduced by calibrating and maintaining instruments
• Uncertainty


  A quantification of the error associated with a measurement, often represented by the symbol '±' after a reading
• Ethics


  A field of knowledge that helps individuals exercise moral judgment and determine what is right and wrong
• Sterile


  Surgically clean and free from contamination by microorganisms. Also known as aseptic
• Primary data


  Results collected from experiments, interviews, or surveys undertaken by the researcher
• Raw data


  Results that have not been processed, manipulated, or formatted for use