Misconceptions about science

Teaching resources :

Misconceptions about science
This section explains and corrects some common misconceptions about science and how it works. You can explore the following sections. Misinterpretations of the scientific process Science is a collection of facts. Science is complete. There is a single Scientific Method that all scientists follow. The process of science is purely analytic anddoes not involve creativity. When scientists analyze a problem, they must use either inductive or deductive reasoning. Experiments are a necessary part of the scientific process. Without an experiment, a study is not rigorous or scientific. "Hard" sciences are more rigorous and scientific than "soft" sciences. Scientific ideas are absolute and unchanging. Because scientific ideas are tentative andsubject to change, they can't be trusted. Scientists' observations directly tell them how things work (i.e., knowledge is "read off" nature, not built). Science proves ideas. Science can only disprove ideas. If evidence supports a hypothesis, it is upgraded to a theory. If the theory then garners even more support, it may be upgraded to a law. Scientific ideas are judged democratically based onpopularity. The job of a scientist is to find support for his or her hypotheses. Scientists are judged on the basis of how many correct hypotheses they propose (i.e., good scientists are the ones who are "right" most often). Investigations that don't reach a firm conclusion are useless and unpublishable. Scientists are completely objective in their evaluation of scientific ideas and evidence.Science is pure. Scientists work without considering the applications of their ideas. Misunderstandings of the limits of science Science contradicts the existence of God. Science and technology can solve all our problems. Misleading stereotypes of scientists Science is a solitary pursuit.
undsci.berkeley.edu/teaching/misconceptions.php#b1 Unfortunately, many textbooks promulgate misconceptions aboutthe nature and process of science. Use this list to review your textbook, and then discuss any misrepresentations with students. You can highlight misconceptions about science that are promulgated in the media by starting a bulletin board that highlights examples of misconceptions found in the popular press — for example, misuses of the word theory, implications that scientists always use "thescientific method," or that experimental science is more rigorous than nonexperimental science. Use word lists to combat misconceptions about science Correcting misconceptions Educational research Coming soon! Add your suggestions! Guide to Understanding Science 101 Conceptual framework Teaching tools Tips and strategies

Science is done by "old, white men."

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Science is done by "old, whitemen." Scientists are atheists. Vocabulary mix-ups Fact Law Observation Hypothesis Theory Falsifiable Uncertainty Error Prediction Belief/believe Roadblocks to learning science Science is boring. Science isn't important in my life. I am not good at science.

misconceptions about science that stem from vocabulary mix-ups. Find out how in this article distributed with permission from ScienceScope.

Misinterpretations of the scientific process MISCONCEPTION: Science is a collection of facts. CORRECTION: Because science classes sometimes revolve around dense textbooks, it's easy to think that's all there is to science: facts in a textbook. But that's only part of the picture. Science is a body of knowledge that one can learn about in textbooks, but it is also a process. Science is anexciting and dynamic process for discovering how the world works and building that knowledge into powerful and coherent frameworks. To learn more about the process of science, visit our section on How science works. MISCONCEPTION: Science is complete. CORRECTION: Since much of what is taught in introductory science courses is knowledge that was constructed in the 19th and 20th centuries, it's easy...