SCIENTIFIC METHOD Science is not merely a collection of facts, concepts, and useful ideas about nature, or even the

systematic investigation of nature, although both are common definitions of science. Science is a method of investigating nature--a way of knowing about nature--that discovers reliable knowledge about it. In other words, science is a method of discovering reliable knowledge about nature. There are other methods of discovering and learning knowledge about nature (these other knowledge methods or systems will be discussed below in contradistinction to science), but science is the only method that results in the acquisition of reliable knowledge. Reliable knowledge is knowledge that has a high probability of being true because its veracity has been justified by a reliable method. knowledge is sometimes called justified true belief eliable to distinguish

reliable knowledge from belief that is false and un!ustified or even true but un!ustified. "very person has knowledge or beliefs, but not all of each person#s knowledge is reliably true and !ustified. In fact, most individuals believe in things that are untrue or un!ustified or both$ most people possess a lot of unreliable knowledge and, what#s worse, they act on that knowledge% &ther ways of knowing, and there are many in addition to science, are not reliable because their discovered knowledge is not justified. Science is a method that allows a person to possess, with the highest degree of certainty possible, reliable knowledge (!ustified true belief) about nature. The method used to !ustify scientific knowledge, and thus make it reliable, is called the s!ientifi! method 'hen one uses the scientific method to study or investigate nature or the universe, one is practicing scientific thinking. (ll scientists practice scientific thinking, of course, since they are actively studying nature and investigating the universe by using the scientific method. )ut scientific thinking is not reserved solely for scientists. (nyone can *think like a scientist* who learns the scientific method and, most importantly, applies its precepts, whether he or she is investigating nature or not. 'hen one

uses the methods and principles of scientific thinking in everyday life++ such as when studying history or literature, investigating societies or governments, seeking solutions to problems of economics or philosophy, or !ust trying to answer personal questions about oneself or the meaning of e,istence++one is said to be practicing !riti!al thinking" Critical thinking is thinking correctly for oneself that successfully leads to the most reliable answers to questions and solutions to problems. In other words, critical thinking gives you reliable knowledge about all aspects of your life and society, and is not restricted to the formal study of nature. Scientific thinking is identical in theory and practice, but the term would be used to describe the method that gives you reliable knowledge about the natural world. -learly, scientific and critical thinking are the same thing, but where one (scientific thinking) is always practiced by scientists, the other (critical thinking) is sometimes used by humans and sometimes not. Scientists must practice critical thinking to be successful, but the qualifications for success in other professions do not necessarily require the use of critical thinking, a fact that is the source of much confusion, discord, and unhappiness in our society. The scientific method has proven to be the most reliable and successful method of thinking in human history, and it is quite possible to use scientific thinking in other human endeavours.

IM#O$T%NCE OF THE SCIENTIFIC METHOD The scientific method attempts to minimi.e the influence of bias or pre!udice in the e,perimenter. "ven the best+intentioned scientists can#t escape bias. It results from personal beliefs, as well as cultural beliefs, which means any human filters information based on his or her own e,perience. /nfortunately, this filtering process can cause a scientist to prefer one outcome over another. 0or someone trying to solve a problem around the house, succumbing to these kinds of biases is not such a big

deal. )ut in the scientific community, where results have to be reviewed and duplicated, bias must be avoided at all costs. That#s the !ob of the scientific method. It provides an ob!ective, standardi.ed approach to conducting e,periments and, in doing so, improves their results. )y using a standardi.ed approach in their investigations, scientists can feel confident that they will stick to the facts and limit the influence of personal, preconceived notions. "ven with such a rigorous methodology in place, some scientists still make mistakes. 0or e,ample, they can mistake a hypothesis for an e,planation of a phenomenon without performing e,periments. &r they can fail to accurately account for errors, such as measurement errors. &r they can ignore data that does not support the hypothesis.

SCIENTIFIC S&I''S The history of science is in part the history of how scientists came to look at the world they study. Scientific e,perimentation and observation have come to be defined by the e,ercise of a process called the scientific method. The underlying skills and premises which govern the scientific method are referred to as science process skills. Science process skills can be divided into two classes$ the basic science process skills and the integrated science process skills. -lassification of science process skills (S1S). &bserving is the most basic skill, whereas e,perimenting is the uppermost process skill. (asi! s!ien!e )ro!ess skills refer to the following actions $ observation, communication, classification, measurement, inference, prediction and using number relationships. These basic skills are used in the e,periments of scientists and students, as well as into the everyday life of average person, to a degree. They allow everyone to conduct ob!ective investigation and to reach conclusions based on the results.

The first of the science process skills, obser*ation, involves noting the attributes of ob!ects and situations through the use of the senses. Classifi!ation goes one step further by grouping together ob!ects or situations based on shared attributes. Measurement involves e,pressing physical characteristics in quantitative ways. Communi!ation brings the

first three skills together to report to others what has been found by e,perimentation. Inferen!e and )redi!tion are the more sophisticated of the science process skills. )eyond simply seeing and reporting results, scientists must e,tract meaning from them. These skills can involve finding patterns in the results of a series of e,periments, and using e,perience to form new hypotheses. It is also essential for a scientist to be able to distinguish his ob!ective observations from his inferences and predictions. This is because scientific inquiry and study depend on ob!ectivity and an avoidance of hasty assumptions in e,perimentation. +sing number relationshi)s involves by applying and their mathematical relationships to make decisions. Integrated s!ien!e )ro!ess skills are !om)le, processes that combine two or more basic science processes. This means that the student requires the ability to think at a higher level because he needs to consider more than one thought simultaneously. Thus, basic science process skills are the precondition for integrated science process skills. Integrated science skills are necessary for carrying out e,periments. These integrated skills are to assess information, define operationally, e,periments (ll of the science process skills contribute to a larger purpose, namely problem solving. 1roblem solving is the reason for scientific inquiry, and forms the essence of it. ( typical e,periment wherein a scientist uses process skills and the scientific method will start with certain questions being asked. )ased on prior knowledge and e,perience, the scientist will make an educated guess as to the answer or outcome. This hypothesis will guide the design and e,ecution of an e,periment. &nce the e,perimental variables have been determined, they can be isolated and controlled. -onclusions drawn based on accurate data collection during the procedure can lead to the hypothesis being verified control variables, make hypotheses and conduct

or proven incorrect. ",perience will show a scientist that different conclusions can be drawn from the same set of observations, and still be correct.

IM#O$T%NCE OF THE SCIENTIFIC S&I''S Science educators are of the opinion that learning science process skills means 2learning how to learn3. -hildren learn through critical thinking and by using information creatively. They discover the learning method when making wise observations, organising and analysing facts and concepts, and assessing the e,periment results as well as by making inferences based on proof obtained. -hildren also learn to predict what would happen of the situation governing a natural phenomenon changes.

SCIENTIFIC %TTIT+DES %ND NO('E -%'+ES SCIENTIFIC ATTITUDES Scientific attitude is really a composite of a number of mental habits, or of tendencies to react consistently in certain ways to a novel or problematic situation. These habits or tendencies include accuracy, intellectual honesty, open+mindedness, suspended !udgment, criticalness, and a habit of looking for true cause and effect relationships. It is a cognitive concept4 scientific attitudes are normally associated with the mental processes of scientists. These habits are important in the everyday life and thinking, not only of the scientist, but of everyone. Scientific attitudes possess attributes thought to be either true or false and do not e,press an evaluative quality. To lessen the semantic

confusion, scientific attitudes may be better labelled as *scientific attributes*. The attributes of scientific attitude are rationality curiosity open mindedness aversion to superstitions ob!ectivity and intellectual honesty suspended !udgement

NOBLE VALUES Implicit in teaching science has been the teaching of a set of values. 5owever, its presence has remained unacknowledged because of assumptions made that its products are value+free and that work of science involves positive values. 6alaysian schools have introduced a set of noble values to be taught as a sub!ect called moral education while at the same time e,pecting all sub!ects, including the sciences to actively inculcate these noble values in their lessons. ( search for values related to science included studies from science education curriculums, studies by scientists and philosophers of science, feminist and Indian critics of science. moral These values and could be categori.ed values. into four some categories categories representing epistemological values, supporting values, societal and values power+oriented 'hile compliment each other, others are in contention. ( compassionate scientist should be a reality. The task for 6alaysian science educators is to find a way to raise awareness of these values. 5aving an interest and curiosity towards the environment. )eing honest and accurate in recording and validating data

)eing diligent and persevering )eing responsible about the safety of oneself, others, and the

environment. ealising that science is a means to understand nature (ppreciating and practising clean and healthy living. (ppreciating the balance of nature. )eing respectful and well+mannered. )eing thankful to 7od. Thinking rationally. )eing confident and independent.

IM#O$T%NCE OF SCIENTIFIC %TTIT+DES %ND NO('E -%'+ES

$EFE$ENCES