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Introduction To Scientifi C Investigation Skills and Career Exploration
Introduction To Scientifi C Investigation Skills and Career Exploration
UNIT Introduction to
Scientific Investigation
Skills and Career
Exploration
GOALS
of the Science
Program
To relate science to
technology, society, and
the environment
To develop the skills,
strategies, and habits
of mind required for
scientific investigation
To understand the basic
concepts of science
SCIENCE AND
YOUR LIFE
The goals of science education include much more than just the acquisition of scientific
facts or knowledge. Your science program and this textbook are designed to help you
understand the role of science in your everyday life and the impact of science and
technology on society and the environment.
This introductory unit introduces the important scientific investigation skills that you will
develop as you study biology, chemistry, Earth and space science, and physics in the
following units.
In these four units, you will have many opportunities to learn through scientific inquiry.
Through these inquiries, you will develop, practise, and refine the essential scientific
investigation skills. These skills are useful not only in learning high school science but
also in your post-secondary education and in your everyday life. You will also have
opportunities to explore careers that are related to the various science topics.
The main purpose of learning science at this level is to make connections. As you
progress through this course, you will develop an understanding of how science,
technology, society, and the environment (STSE) are interrelated. You will connect
the STSE relationships to your everyday life experiences, and you will develop
scientific literacy.
3. Join another pair and share your lists. Eliminate duplicate examples and refine your
list. Share your list with the whole class. C A
CHAPTER 1
Living and
Working with
Science
KEY CONCEPTS
Science and technology Scientific inquiry can be All scientific inquiries rely
are an important part of conducted in different on careful recording of
our everyday lives. ways, depending on the accurate and repeated
question to be answered. observations.
Before Jonathan heads off to school, he checks the Jonathan uses the AQHI scale to help him
Air Quality Health Index (AQHI) online. The website, determine the air quality and his outdoor activities for
a service provided by the federal and provincial the day. The scale ranges from 1 to 10+. The lower
governments, provides an hourly update of the numbers indicate good air quality and low health risk,
current air quality conditions. The weather forecast while the higher numbers indicate poor air quality and
predicts that it’s going to be a very hot day at 36 °C high health risk.
with little wind. These are perfect conditions for a bad Smog and traffic-related pollution cause major air
smog day! quality problems in many large cities. A 2007 report
Jonathan is more aware of the air quality since his by the City of Toronto suggests that traffic-related air
first asthma attack a few years ago. On days when pollution causes about 440 premature deaths and
the smog is bad, he experiences shortness of breath, about 1700 hospitalizations per year in the city. The
wheezing, tiredness, and headaches. He has learned estimated direct and indirect costs related to these
how to cope on those days when the air quality premature deaths are about $2.2 billion.
is poor by staying inside and limiting his physical What is smog, and what causes it? Is everyone
activities. After the smog disappears, Jonathan’s affected by smog or just those people who are at
symptoms clear up, and he can enjoy his usual increased risk? Is climate change affecting our air
outdoor activities. quality? What can we do about it?
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 10+
GO TO NELSON SCIENCE
Before Reading
• Preview the Text: Scan headings, bolded words, diagrams,
photos, and captions.
• Identify how the text is organized.
• Think about what you already know about the topic.
• Set a Purpose for Reading: Change the title or heading into
a question to help you determine your purpose for reading.
During Reading
• Read to answer the question you set as your purpose.
• Make connections to what you already know.
• Confirm, reject, or change your thinking based on
new information.
• Ask questions.
• Pause from time to time to check your understanding.
• Identify main ideas.
• Make jot notes or use sticky notes to highlight key points.
After Reading
• Reflect on what you have learned.
• Check to see if you answered your purpose for reading
question.
• Summarize what you learned in a graphic organizer or
by remembering details about the text.
• Ask yourself how what you learned fits with what you
already knew about the topic.
2 19 110 15 15 75
3 11 40 16 12 55 (b)
x
4 15 65 17 14 70
No Correlation
5 14 60 18 17 65
6 20 140 19 12 55
7 18 100 20 16 80
y
8 11 50 21 15 145
9 18 95 22 13 60
10 18 90 23 16 55 (c)
x
11 13 50 24 10 40 Figure 2 (a) In a positive correlation,
variable y increases as variable x
12 19 100 25 17 95 increases. (b) In a negative correlation, y
13 10 50 decreases as x increases. (c) If there is
no correlation, there is no pattern.
120
expect, there is a positive correlation
between these two variables. As the length 100
of formal education increases, the average
80
annual salary also increases. However, not
everyone who has many years of formal 60
education earns a high salary. Likewise,
some people with little formal education 40
earn a high salary. Also, two people with 9 12 15 18 21
the same level of education could be Years of Formal Education
earning different salaries. Figure 3 This graph shows a positive correlation between education and salary by
plotting the data from Table 1.
A hypothesis or a prediction provides the framework for the investigation. experimental design a brief description
It identifies the variables and suggests which is the independent and which of the procedure in which the hypothesis
is tested
is the dependent variable. The hypothesis or prediction also suggests an
experimental design by which the hypothesis can be tested fairly. The
experimental design briefly describes the procedure. The value and success
of the investigation depend on whether the experiment is fair, so careful
planning at this stage is critical.
Planning the investigation involves
• identifying the independent and dependent variables
• determining how the changes in the variables will be measured
• specifying how to control the variables not being tested
• selecting the appropriate equipment and materials (Figure 7)
• anticipating and addressing safety concerns
• deciding on a format for recording observations
4.0
Global surface warming (°C)
3.0
2.0
Communicating
One of the important characteristics of scientific investigation is that
scientists share their information with the scientific community (Figure 12).
IN SUMMARY
• Observations of, and curiosity about, what we • A third type of inquiry is the correlational
see around us often lead to questions that trigger study, in which the researcher analyzes data to
scientific investigations. see if there is a relationship between a pair of
• One type of scientifi c inquiry is the controlled variables. The result may be a positive correlation,
experiment, in which the researcher keeps all a negative correlation, or no correlation.
but two variables constant, changes one (the The correlation could be strong or weak.
independent variable), and observes the other • Scientifi c investigation skills include initiating
(the dependent variable). and planning (asking a question and deciding
• A second type of inquiry is the observational on the best way to find an answer); performing
study, in which the researcher collects data by and recording (carrying out the procedure and
observing a situation without affecting it. making observations in an organized way);
analyzing and interpreting (searching for patterns
in the observations); and communicating
(sharing findings with others).
IN SUMMARY
• Scientifi c literacy helps people to understand • Specifi c scientifi c knowledge and skills are
and evaluate information relating to science and necessary for a wide range of careers.
technology in the world so that they make better • Canadians have made valuable contributions
decisions. to the development of science and technology
• A general understanding of science is necessary around the world.
to be an informed citizen.
1
LOOKING BACK
Science and technology Scientific inquiry can be All scientific inquiries rely on
are an important part of our conducted in different ways, careful recording of accurate
everyday lives. depending on the question and repeated observations.
to be answered.
• All individuals are affected by • Observations are information
science and technology every day • Observations often lead to obtained by using the senses or
of their lives. questions that initiate scientific equipment that extends the senses.
• Most people do not understand the inquiry. • Observations can be quantitative
science and technology that they • The type of scientific inquiry depends (involving measuring or counting) or
use in their everyday lives. on the nature of the question. qualitative (involving descriptions).
• Many major social issues, such • Controlled experiments can be used • All observations should be recorded
as climate change and pollution, to determine how an independent accurately.
have a science and technology variable affects a dependent variable. • Repeating observations can
connection. • A hypothesis is a possible answer eliminate errors and increase the
and explanation for a scientific value of the evidence.
question. Hypotheses can be
proposed at the beginning or the
end of a scientific inquiry.
Name:
Unit 10A Chapter 1 Quiz
Multiple Choice
Identify the choice that best completes the statement or answers the question.
1. An investigator is performing a controlled experiment to determine how the length of a wire affects the flow of electricity through
the wire, using wires of varying lengths and observing the effect, if any, on the electrical current in the wire. What is (are) the
independent variable(s) in this experiment?
a. wire length
b. electrical current in the wire
c. all of the above
d. none of the above
2. An investigator wants to determine how the concentration of reactants affects the rate of a chemical reaction by changing the
concentration and observing the effect, if any, on the reaction rate. Identify the dependent variable(s) in this experiment.
a. concentration of reactants
b. reaction rate
c. all of the above
d. none of the above
3. Which statement is true regarding a correlational study?
a. The investigator does not control any of the variables.
b. The independent variable is changed to determine what change, if any, occurs in the dependent variable.
c. The dependent variable is changed to determine what change, if any, occurs in the independent variable.
d. none of the above
4. Which of the following refers to an observational study?
a. It is an investigation in which the independent variable is purposely changed by the investigator.
b. It is a study in which an investigator tries to determine whether one variable is affecting another variable, without
controlling any of the variables.
c. It involves watching a phenomenon or subject without influencing it.
d. none of the above
5. If there is a positive correlation between annual salary and years of education, which of the following accurately describes the
relationship between these two variables?
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22/02/2016 Unit 10A Chapter 1 Quiz
a. As years of education increases, annual salary also increases.
b. As years of education increases, annual salary decreases.
c. The line of best fit through a scatter graph of these two variables has a negative slope.
d. There is no known relationship between these two variables.
6. How would you describe the relationship between the two variables shown on the following graph?
a. positive correlation
b. negative correlation
c. direct correlation
d. no correlation
7. In a correlational study, if most of the data collected falls near the line of best fit, which of the following is always a true
statement about the two variables?
a. They have a weak correlation.
b. They have a strong correlation.
c. They have a positive correlation.
d. They have no correlation.
8. In which of the following examples would you be most likely to make an accurate prediction of one variable based on the other
variable?
a. two variables with a weak positive correlation
b. two variables with a weak negative correlation
c. two variables with a strong negative correlation
d. two variables with no correlation
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22/02/2016 Unit 10A Chapter 1 Quiz
9. Which of the following choices correctly orders the steps involved with a scientific investigation?
a. plan, record, communicate, analyze
b. initiate, analyze, perform, communicate
c. plan, perform, analyze, communicate
d. plan, interpret, perform, communicate
10. Which of the following steps is performed during the initiating and planning phase of a scientific investigation?
a. Record observations carefully.
b. Specify how to control the variables not being tested.
c. Identify errors in measurements.
d. Plot graphs to show patterns and trends.
11. You use a prediction in place of a hypothesis when
a. you do not have a question to investigate
b. your scientific question is not testable
c. you have only qualitative data available
d. you do not have a scientific explanation
12. A brief description of the procedure for a scientific investigation is called a(n)
a. hypothesis
b. prediction
c. experimental design
d. variable
13. All of the following are part of the performing and recording phase of a scientific investigation, except
a. carefully following the procedures
b. modifying the procedures as necessary
c. being alert to safety concerns
d. selecting appropriate equipment and materials
14. Which of the following is an example of a quantitative variable?
a. hair colour
b. height
c. eye colour
d. odour
15. Which of the following is an example of a qualitative variable?
a. height
b. weight
c. colour
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22/02/2016 Unit 10A Chapter 1 Quiz
d. age
16. Which of the following formats is usually used to record quantitative data?
a. words
b. pictures
c. tables
d. sketches
17. Which of the following steps occurs during the analyze and interpret stage of scientific investigation?
a. identifying the independent and dependent variables
b. determining how the changes in the variables will be measured
c. anticipating and addressing safety concerns
d. identifying errors in measurements
18. The most common method for communicating with others about an investigation is
a. doing a presentation
b. writing a newspaper article
c. writing a lab report
d. creating a computer presentation
19. Scientific literacy is necessary for which of the following careers?
a. veterinary medicine
b. mathematics
c. art
d. all of the above
20. Scientific literacy
a. helps people understand and evaluate information relating to science and technology so that they can make better
decisions
b. gives people a general understanding of scientific knowledge necessary to be an informed citizen
c. provides people with specific knowledge and skills appropriate for a wide range of careers
d. does all of the above
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