| Term | Definition |
|---|
| observing | using one or more senses to gather information |
| quantitative observations | observations that deal with numbers or amounts |
| qualitative observations | observations that deal with descriptions that cannot be expressed in numbers |
| inferring | when you explain or interpret what you observe; based on what you already know |
| predicting | making a forecast of what will happen in the future based on past experience or evidence |
| classifying | the process of grouping together items that are alike in some way |
| making models | creating representations of complex objects or processes |
| scientific attitudes | curiosity, honesty, open-mindedness and skepticism, and creativity |
| scientific inquiry | The ongoing process of discovery in science; the diverse ways in which scientist study the natural world and propose explanations based on evidence they gather. |
| hypothesis | a possible explanation for a set of observations or answer to a scientific question; must be testable |
| variables | factors that can change in an experiment |
| manipulated variables | conditions in an experiment that is purposely changed; also known as the independent variable |
| responding variable | factor in an experiment that a scientist wants to observe, which may change in response to the manipulated variable; also known as a dependent variable |
| controlled experiment | An experiment in which only one variable is manipulated at a time. |
| operational definition | a statement that describes how to measure a particular variable or define a particular term |
| data | facts, figures, and other evidence gathered through observations |
| graph | Visual display of information or data |
| conclusion | a summary of the results of the experiment and a statement of how the results relate to the hypothesis |
| communicating | The sharing of ideas and experimental findings with others through writing and speaking |
| scientific theories | a well tested explanation for a wide range of observations or experimental results |
| scientific laws | a statement that describes what scientists expect to happen every time under a particular set of conditions |
| scientific literacy | means that you understand basic scientific terms and principles well enough that you can evaluate information, make personal decisions, and take part in public affairs |
| branches of science | Earth and Space Science, Life Science, and Physical Science |
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