Advanced Higher Biology Unit 3.1

What does the scientific method aim to avoid?

• Independent confirmation

• Biases affecting conclusions

• Errors in data recording

• Conflicting data

What is the first step in the scientific method?

• Designing an experiment

• Making observations

• Analyzing data

• Formulating a hypothesis

What is a testable hypothesis?

• One that can be tested through an experiment

• One that is based on previous theories

• One that can be disproven

• One that can be proven true

What should be done if reliable and valid results cannot be gained from an experimental design?

• Discard the hypothesis

• Publish the results

• Redesign the experiment

• Accept the null hypothesis

What does the null hypothesis propose?

• There is a significant effect

• The experiment is invalid

• The hypothesis is proven

• There is no statistically significant effect

What is the purpose of the Journal of Negative Findings?

• To publish successful experiments

• To publish findings that support the hypothesis

• To publish results that do not support the hypothesis

• To publish theoretical papers

What is the significance of conflicting data between different labs?

• It invalidates the experiment

• It leads to further experimentation

• It is ignored

• It proves the hypothesis

What is the role of independent confirmation in scientific research?

• To formulate hypotheses

• To design experiments

• To validate results

• To analyze data

What should be considered if an experiment shows a significant preference for a certain outcome?

• The experiment is conclusive

• The hypothesis is proven

• The null hypothesis is accepted

• Further investigation is needed

What is the importance of publishing negative findings?

• To avoid biases

• To confirm the hypothesis

• To prove the null hypothesis

• To save money on repeated experiments