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Scientific method
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Qualitative Observation | Using our 5 senses to get information about an object or event. |
| Quantitative Observation | Counting or using a measuring tool to get information about an object or event. |
| Inference | An explanation for what you have observed. |
| Prediction | A forecast about what will happen in the future. |
| Classification | Grouping things by what they have in common. |
| Observational Investigation | An experiment that is used to discover information about objects or events by using one or more of our 5 senses. |
| Experimental Investigation | An experiment that tests a hypothesis to see if changes in the independent variable affect the outcome (the dependent variable) |
| Variables | Things in an experiment that change or can be changed. |
| Independent Variable | He variable that I, the experimenter, change on purpose at the beginning of the experiment to see if it will affect anything. |
| Dependent Variable | The variable that changes or responds to what the scientist did. |
| Hypothesis | A prediction of how the IV will affect the DV. |
| Constants | Parts of the experiment that do NOT change. |
| Control | An experiment is done without testing the IV to see what the normal outcome is. |
| Repeated Trials | The number of times you do the experiment or the number of objects or organisms that are tested. |