Bio Review N.1.1

Pseudoscience is a statement or belief that claims to be science but is actually not.

v Not testable

v Often uses anecdotal evidence (based on personal accounts, not research)

​Pseudoscience

1)Science is our knowledge of the natural world.

2)Science is the organized method to gain knowledge about the observable universe.

3)Uses Empirical Evidence (Research based evidence)

​Science

Science vs Pseudoscience

Criteria for Science

The following are the criteria to determine if something is science:

•Natural

•Testable (*** and PEER REVIEWED)

•Observable (observations based on 5 senses)

•Consistent

•Predictable

•Tentative (open to change w/ new evidence)

All criteria MUST be met to be SCIENCE

Categorize

Options (14)

changes with new evidence

no peer review

peer reviewed

only selects for favorable discoveries (good things)

testable/verifiable

unable to be tested

accurate measurements

"ball park" results

anecdotal evidence

based on personal experience

uses empirical evidence

researched based/repeatable

seeks to falsify

seeks confirmations

Sort the following into the appropriate categories.

Science

Pseudoscience

Multiple Choice

What is peer review?

• Polling random people to see if they agree with your experiment or not

• Asking your friends for help conducting an experiment

• Sharing the results of your experiment with others so they can examine and validate your conclusion

• None of the above

Multiple Choice

What is the difference between science and pseudoscience?

• Pseudoscience is more widely accepted in the scientific community than science.
• The main difference between science and pseudoscience is the reliance on empirical evidence and rigorous testing in science, whereas pseudoscience often lacks these elements.
• Science relies on anecdotal evidence, while pseudoscience relies on empirical evidence.
• Science and pseudoscience both follow the same research methods.

Open Ended

What does it mean to be bias towards something?

What makes something a reliable source? Can you trust it?

​Characteristics of Reliability

​Credible	​Accurate	​Reliable	​Date	​Sources
What is the source?​	​Is there evidence to support the claim?	​Is it unbiased or motivated?	​Is there current/recent data?	​Who did the research? Is it peer reviewed?

Multiple Choice

You are trying to figure out how to balance the pH in your fish tank when you clean it.

 

Example A: Ice Spice posted a TikTok that said adding a can of soda to your fish tank water helps with pH balancing.

 

Example B: Dr. Fishyface from the American Fisheries Society who has a doctorate in aquatic ecosystem studies said to use some crushed coral in the bottom of the tank to improve pH balance.

Which is a more CREDIBLE source?

• A

• B

Multiple Choice

You are trying to figure out how to cool down your house the quickest.

 

Example A: This source cites 4 studies that all state closing your blinds and curtains can help cool your house down quicker.

 

Example B: This source says that one person from Arkansas said that eating flaming hot Cheetos in July will help cool your house down quicker.

Which provides more accurate/specific data?

• A

• B

Multiple Choice

You want to know if using plastic straws really saves the turtles.

 

Example A: The CEO of a straw company posted that straws are amazing for the environment and don’t have any negative impact at all and you should definitely use more plastic straws – specifically from their brand.

 

Example B: An ecologist from Eckerd College ran an experiment with 6 different trials that all indicated that the waste produced from plastic straws is bad for the turtles.

Which source is unbiased?

• A

• B

Multiple Choice

You want to know how many iPhone users there are in the US.

 

Example A: A 2024 post from Business Insider said that there are about 136 million iPhone users in the US.

 

Example B: A 2009 blog post from a tech YouTuber said that there are about 28 million iPhone users in the US.

Which is more up to date information and a reliable source?

• A

• B

​Experimental Design

​A controlled experiment as two groups-
An experimental group- where the tested variable (IV) is applied AND
A control group- that does NOT have the IV applied and is used
as a baseline comparison

Multiple Choice

What is a control group?

• A group during an experiment that does not receive the experimental treatment

• A group during an experiment that does receive the experimental treatment

• A group in which the hypothesis does not apply

• All of the things in an experiment that are kept the same.

Multiple Choice

The variable directly changed or manipulated by the experimenter.

• Dependent variable

• Independent variable

• Control Group

• Experimental Constant

Multiple Choice

The variable that is often measured at the end of an experiment

• Independent variable

• Dependent variable

Match

Match the following

• Experimental Group

• Independant Variable

• Dependent Variable

• Control Group

The group that receives the variable being tested and then can be used as a standard of comparison

Factor in an experiment that a scientist purposely changes.

Factor in an Experiment that a scientist observes in response to the independent variable

Group that does not receive the variable being tested and can be used as a standard of comparison

• The group that receives the variable being tested and then can be used as a standard of comparison

• Factor in an experiment that a scientist purposely changes.

• Factor in an Experiment that a scientist observes in response to the independent variable

• Group that does not receive the variable being tested and can be used as a standard of comparison

Match

Match the following

• Variable shown on the X-axis of a graph

• Variable shown on the Y axis of a graph

• Variable in an experiment that a scientist purposely keeps the same.

Independant

Dependant

Constants or Controlled Variables

• Independant

• Dependant

• Constants or Controlled Variables

Multiple Choice

Sabrina wants to test which brand of popcorn pops the most kernels. She picked a Giant Eagle brand, Orville Redenbacher, and PopSecret. All three bags started with the same number of kernels. She popped each for 3 minutes in the same microwave, and then counted the number of kernels left over. What is her independent variable?

• Number of kernels left over

• Brand of popcorn

• Number of kernels before popping

• Length of time cooking

Multiple Choice

Kira wants to test which type of soda creates the biggest foam explosion when adding a Mentos candy. She chose Sprite, Coke, and Mountain Dew. One at a time, she added a single Mentos candy and measured the height of the foam eruption. Mountain Dew created a foam eruption of 7 inches. Coke and Sprite tied at 5 inches. What is her dependent variable?

• Brand of soda

• Number of mentos candies used

• Heigh of the foam eruption

• Temperature of soda