Vocab Word | Answer (from textbook) | Anchor/Helper Phrase |
inference | a logical interpretation based on prior knowledge and experience | an "educated guess" |
data | evidence; information gathered from observations | the results of an experiment (either numbers or descriptions) |
hypothesis | possible explanation for a set of observations or possible answer to a scientific question | a testable answer to a question |
spontaneous generation | the idea that living organisms can be generated from non-living tissue | Redi's experiment (with meat and flies) and Pasteur's experiment (with bacteria and flasks) disproved this theory |
controlled experiment | experiment in which only one variable is changed | everything is constant except one variable (independent) |
independent variable | factor in a controlled experiment that is deliberately changed; also called manipulated variable | the thing "I" (or the scientist) is changing in an experiment |
dependent variable | variable that is observed and that changes in response to the independent variable; also called the responding variable | the data; the thing in an experiment that is measured |
constants | part of an experiment that is kept the same in order to provide comparison between the control and experimental groups | constant = stays the same |
control group | group in an experiment that is exposed to the same conditions as the experimental group except for one independent variable | the group that is left alone ("normal") |
experimental group | group in an experiment that is exposed to the independent variable | the group you are changing something in |
conclusion | the statements made about the findings of a controlled experiment that help explain the results | what you found out from an experiment |
scientific journal | a collection of articles that outline the results of experiments and must be peer-reviewed before they are published | the best source of scientific info (peer-reviewed) |
theory | well-tested explanation that unifies a broad range of observations and hypotheses, and enables scientists to make accurate predictions about new situations | a VERY highly accepted scientific idea (NOT an educated guess) |
observation | process of noticing and describing events or processes in a careful, orderly way | using your senses to take in information from your surroundings |