Skill 2.1. Scientific Inquiry

Science may be defined as a body of knowledge that is systematically derived from study, observations, and experimentation. Its goal is to identify and establish principles and theories that may be applied to solve problems. Pseudoscience, on the other hand, is a belief that is not warranted. There is no scientific methodology or application. 

Some of the more classic examples of pseudoscience include witchcraft, alien encounters or any topic that is explained by hearsay. 

Scientific theory and experimentation must be repeatable. It is also possible to be disproved and is capable of change. Science depends on communication, agreement, and disagreement among scientists. It is composed of theories, laws, and hypotheses. 

Science is limited by the available technology. An example of this would be the relationship of the discovery of the cell and the invention of the microscope. As our technology improves, more hypotheses will become theories and possibly laws. 

Science is also limited by the data that is able to be collected. Data may be interpreted differently on different occasions. Science limitations cause explanations to be changeable as new technologies emerge. 

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Assess yourself on your ability to apply the skills and strategies of scientific inquiry, objective observation, and research reporting. 

Scientific inquiry demands a number of skills. The National Committee on Science Education Standards and Assessment and the National Research Council, in addition to other organizations such as the National Science Teachers Association, have stressed the training and development of these skills. Science students must learn how to raise important questions, design the tools or experiments necessary to answer these questions, apply models in explaining the results and revise the model as needed, be alert to alternative explanations, and construct and analyze arguments for and against competing models. 

During this chemistry course, your skills of scientific inquiry will be assessed using the same specific set of criteria (Table 1.1). You will notice that all review questions are coded according to this chart. 

Skill 1.1 Recognize the assumptions, processes, purposes, requirements, and tools of scientific inquiry. 

The National Research Council (2000, p. 19) describes fundamental abilities needed for scientific inquiry. Displayed below are the skills necessary as of grades (which apply for the 5th and 6th graders of the study at hand due to their developmental age and cognitive learning abilities) ... 

In addition to helping students understand Newtonian mechanics, we also had the goal of helping students team about the processes of scientific inquiry. In our pilot studies, we found that there is an important sense in which children are not bom scientists. For example, they do not know what is meant by a scientific law, and they do not know how to design experiments. Thus, students need to learn scientific inquiry skills, and this objective formed one of the major foci of our curriculum. 

This model of learning skills instruction can be applied to the instruction of other high order skills like thinking skills, inquiry and problem-solving skills. This general model has the potential to enable teachers and educators to promote skills instruction that is integrated into scientific content. Thus, its application can lead to realization of the central goals of science education. 

These pointed questions, raised by the two civilians who were principally responsible for marshaling the scientific skills of the nation for World War II, deserved serious study. Probably the questions were asked without full knowledge of the numerous measures taken by the War Department during 1942 to improve the capacity of the Army for waging gas warfare. But they served as the occasion for a hasty War Department survey of what had been accomplished under the Porter proposals. Harvey Bundy, special assistant to Secretary Stimson, incorporated the inquiries in a memorandum to Mr. Stimson on 21 December. Three days later it was in General Porter s hands for comment and recommendation." ... 

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