Bell Ringer:

1. Define Qualitative Observation and give

an example of one in this room.
2. Define Quantitative Observation and
give an example of one in this room
3. Define Inference and give example of
inference based upon an observation in
this room.
 Notes
Notes

Scientific Method
 How Scientists Work:
Solving the Problems
 Much of biology deals with solving
problems
 These problems can be environmental,
ecological, health related, etc.
 No matter what types of problems
are being studied, scientists use
the same problem-solving steps
called…
 The Scientific Method
 Scientific Method
Definition

 Scientific Method (Definition):

 A logical and systematic approach or
process to problem solving. 
 Purpose is to answer questions and solve
problems
Hypothesis – Possible explanation for a set of
observations or possible answer to a
question.
- Is only useful if it can be tested
- May be disproved by a single experiment
- “Educated Guess”

Theory - Well tested explanation that unifies a

broad range of observations
- May be revised or replaced
 Scientific Method
Listing the Steps
 Make an Observation
 State Problem
 Form a testable Hypothesis
 Design an experiment
 Collect and Analyze Data
 Draw Conclusions
 Communicate Results
***If possible, controlled experiments are designed to isolate and
test a single variable.
Variables in an Experiment
 Variables (Definition) - Factors that can be
changed
 Controlled Variables - all the variables that
remain constant
 Manipulated Variable - variable in an
experiment that a scientist purposely changes
 Responding Variable- the outcome or results,
factor in an experiment that may change because
of the manipulated variable….
what a scientist wants to observe
 Experimenting
 Let’s look at the text book example of
the Scientific Method using Françesco Redi’s
Experiment on Spontaneous Generation
 He was trying to disprove
the idea of Spontaneous
Generation

Francesco Redi (1668)

 Stating the Problem
 Redi’s Problem: People believed
that maggots grew out of raw meat.
 How do new living things come into
being?
 Spontaneous Generation: once a
commonly accepted theory
 Redi wanted to show what caused
the appearance of maggots on meat
 Belief based on prior
observations (inference)
 If a leaf lands on water it becomes a fish
 If a bale of hay is left in a barn it produced mice
 Muddy soil produces frogs
 Meat hung out in the market is the source of
maggots/flies
 Belief based on
prior observations
 Redi observed that maggots appeared on
meat a few days after flies were on meat
 No microscope = no way to see eggs
 But Redi believed that maggots came
from eggs that were laid by flies
 Forming a Hypothesis
Redi’s Hypothesis:
Flies produce maggots.

 How could he test this?

 Through a controlled experiment
 Redi’s Controlled
Experiment
 Redi used two groups of jars
 Jars that contained meat and no cover
 Jars that contained meat and gauze cover

Jars with meat

Uncovered jars

Covered jars
Control and Experimental
Groups
 Control group: used as a standard of
comparison
 Experimental group: the group containing
the factor (variable) that has been changed
(manipulated variable)
Two groups
of jars
Uncovered jars

Covered jars
 Variables in Redi’s
Experiment
 Controlled Variables: jars, type of meat,
location, temperature, time
 Manipulated Variables:
gauze covering
that keeps flies
away from meat
 Responding Variable:
 Maggots?
Let’s think about this.…
1. Which is the control group? Uncovered jars
2. Which is the experimental group?
Covered jars
Two groups of
Jars with meat
Uncovered jars

Covered jars
 Redi’s Experiment on Spontaneous Generation
OBSERVATIONS: Flies land on meat that is left uncovered. Later, maggots appear on the meat.
HYPOTHESIS: Flies produce maggots.
PROCEDURE
Uncovered jars Covered jars

Controlled Variables:
jars, type of meat,
location, temperature,
time
Several
days pass

Manipulated Variables:
gauze covering that
keeps flies away from
meat

Responding Variable:
whether maggots
appear Maggots appear No maggots appear

CONCLUSION: Maggots form only when flies come in contact with meat. Spontaneous
generation of maggots did not occur.
 Collect and Record Data
Data: observations and measurements
made in an experiment
Types of Recorded Data

 Quantitative - observations that

involve measurements/numbers;
i.e. 3 days, 12 maggots, 4 g, 13 sec,
8 liters
 Qualitative - observations that
do not involve numbers, are of a
descriptive nature
i.e. white maggots covered the meat,
leaves were all wilting
 Publish Results
 Communication is an
essential part of science
 Scientists report their
results in journals,
on the internet, or
at conferences
 This allows their
experiments to be
evaluated and repeated
 Scientists can build on previous
Redi’s experiment
on insects generation
work of other scientists
 Repeating the
Investigation
 Sometimes results are unexpected.
Repeat the experiment!
 John Needham challenged Redi’s experiment
and designed his own to show that
spontaneous generation CAN occur under
certain circumstances.

 Lazzaro Spallanzini
designed a slightly
different experiment
to improve on
Needham’s work
 Scientific Method
How Scientists Work
Solving the Problems
The reason scientific work is called
“RE-search” rather than just "search "
is because it is an ongoing process
that often times changes our view of
the natural world. It is subject to
modification in light of new evidence
and new ways of thinking.