How science works keywords

accurate

• A measurement in which there is very little spread about the mean value

• These lead to measurements being different to the true value, or what they should be.

• A measurement that is judged to be close to the true value

• These cause readings to differ from the true

  value by a consistent amount each time a measurement is made

anomaly

• A proposal intended to explain certain facts or observations

• Results that do not match the pattern seen in the other data collected or are well outside the range of other repeat readings

• A measurement in which there is very little spread about the mean value

• When the equipment hasn’t been used from the correct starting point

categoric variable

• A variable which may, in addition to the independent variable, affect the outcome of the investigation and therefore has to be kept constant or at least monitored.

• The variable for which the value is measured for each and every change in the independent variable

• Can have values (called a quantity) that can be given by measurement (eg mass, volume, temperature etc.)

• Variables that have values that are labels. For

  examples types of materials or favourite pizza topping

continuous variable

• A proposal intended to explain certain facts or observations

• Can have values (called a quantity) that can be given by measurement (eg mass, volume, temperature etc.)

• A measurement that is judged to be close to the true value

• Variables that have values that are labels. For examples types of materials or favourite pizza topping

control variable

• The variable for which values are changed or selected by the investigator

• The maximum and minimum values of the independent or dependent variables

• A variable which may, in addition to the independent variable, affect the outcome of the investigation and therefore has to be kept constant or at least monitored

• Variables that have values that are labels. For examples types of materials or favourite pizza topping

data

• The quantity between readings eg, labelling a graph for 100 metre distance would best be represented using 10s between each reading

• A measurement in which there is very little spread about the mean value

• Information, either qualitative or quantitative, that has been collected

• The maximum and minimum values of the independent or dependent variables

dependent variable

• The variable for which values are changed or selected by the investigator

• The variable for which the value is measured for each and every change in the independent variable

• A variable which may, in addition to the independent variable, affect the outcome of the investigation and therefore has to be kept constant or at least monitored

• Variables that have values that are labels. For examples types of materials or favourite pizza topping

errors

• These lead to measurements being different to the true value, or what they should be

• The maximum and minimum values of the independent or dependent variables

• A proposal intended to explain certain facts or observations

• Information, either qualitative or quantitative, that has been collected

hypothesis

• When the equipment hasn’t been used from the correct starting point

• These lead to measurements being different to the true value, or what they should be.

• A proposal intended to explain certain facts or observations

• A measurement in which there is very little spread about the mean value

independent variable

• The variable for which the value is measured for each and every change in the independent variable

• Variables that have values that are labels. For examples types of materials or favourite pizza topping

• The variable for which values are changed or selected by the investigator

• A variable which may, in addition to the independent variable, affect the outcome of the investigation and therefore has to be kept constant or at least monitored.