A Beginner's Guide to Scientific Method , 4th Edition

✍ Scribed by Stephen S. Carey

• Publisher: Cengage Learning
• Year: 2011
• Tongue: English
• Leaves: 161
• Edition: 4th Edition
• Category: Library

✦ Synopsis

This concise yet comprehensive guide provides an introduction to the scientific method of inquiry. You will not only learn about the proper conduct of science but also how to recognize and question factors such as pseudoscience, untestable explanations and fallacies. Compact enough to be used as a supplementary book, yet comprehensive enough in its coverage to be used as a core book, this book assists users in using the scientific method to design and assess experiments.

✦ Table of Contents

Cover Page......Page 1
Title Page......Page 2
Copyright Page......Page 3
Preface......Page 7
EXERCISES......Page 8
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS......Page 9
Contents......Page 4
Just What is Science?......Page 12
Asking Why......Page 13
Scientific Method......Page 14
The Consequences of Science......Page 16
Scientific Method in Daily Life......Page 17
Exercises......Page 18
Making Accurate Observations......Page 20
Anomalous Phenomena......Page 29
Observing Anomalies......Page 32
The Burden of Proof......Page 34
Exercises......Page 36
Explanation, Theory, and Hypothesis......Page 40
Causation......Page 42
Correlation......Page 43
Causal Mechanisms......Page 47
Underlying Processes......Page 48
Laws......Page 49
Function......Page 50
The Interdependence of Explanatory Methods......Page 52
Rival Explanations and Occam’s Razor......Page 54
Explanation and Description......Page 55
Ultimate Explanations......Page 56
Concept Quiz......Page 58
Exercises......Page 59
The Basic Method......Page 67
Confirmation and Rejection......Page 69
Designing a Good Test......Page 70
Real-World Experiments......Page 73
How Not to Design a Test......Page 75
Conceptual Vagueness......Page 76
Testing Extraordinary Claims......Page 77
Predictive Clarity......Page 79
Bias and Expectation......Page 80
Concept Quiz......Page 82
Exercises......Page 83
Causal Studies......Page 91
Ruling Out Chance......Page 92
Multiple Causal Factors......Page 97
Randomized, Prospective, and Retrospective Causal Studies......Page 98
Reading Between the Lines......Page 104
Concept Quiz......Page 106
Exercises......Page 107
What is a Fallacy?......Page 119
False Anomalies......Page 121
Questionable Arguments by Elimination......Page 123
Illicit Causal Inferences......Page 124
Unsupported Analogies and Similarities......Page 127
Untestable Explanations and Predictions......Page 128
Empty Jargon......Page 130
Ad Hoc Rescues......Page 131
Exploiting Uncertainty......Page 132
Science and Pseudoscience......Page 134
Concept Quiz......Page 139
Exercises......Page 140
FURTHER READING......Page 151
C......Page 153
E......Page 154
M......Page 155
S......Page 156
W......Page 157

✦ Subjects

Общеобразовательные дисциплины;Основы исследовательской деятельности;