Overview of science and scientific research

What is the primary goal of scientific research?

• Generating new questions and hypotheses

• Proving preconceived ideas

• Confirming personal beliefs

• Ignoring empirical evidence

What is a hypothesis?

• A proven scientific fact

• An educated guess or prediction that can be tested

• An untested belief

• A random assumption

Which of the following is a key characteristic of scientific theories?

• They are based on personal opinions

• They are unchangeable once established

• They are extensively tested and supported by evidence

• They only apply to specific cases

What is peer review in the context of scientific research?

• A process where researchers review their own work

• An evaluation of research by other experts in the field

• A competition between scientists

• A way to keep research findings secret

What is the scientific method?

• A set of fixed steps that every scientist must follow

• A flexible process used to investigate natural phenomena

• A way to avoid experimentation

• A method exclusive to certain scientific disciplines

What is the purpose of a literature review in scientific research?

• To summarize the researcher's opinions

• To provide a historical context for the study

• To showcase the researcher's writing skills

• To review existing research and identify gaps

Which of the following is a primary source of scientific information?

• A blog post by a science enthusiast

• A documentary on a scientific topic

• A research article published in a peer-reviewed journal

• A summary provided by a non-scientific magazine

What is a variable in the context of scientific research?

• A factor that can change in an experiment

• A constant value that never changes

• An unimportant aspect of an experiment

• A mathematical equation used in data analysis

What is the difference between a fact and a theory in science?

• There is no difference; they are synonymous.

• A theory is an undisputed truth, while a fact is a hypothesis.

• They both refer to subjective opinions of scientists.

• A fact is a proven statement, while a theory is a tentative explanation.

What is replication in scientific research?

• Copying someone else's work

• Repeating an experiment to confirm results

• Publishing the same research in multiple journals

• Ignoring the findings of previous studies