The Scientific Process (SP)
These courses will examine the role of scientific inquiry, including how the
relationships among hypotheses, theories, and predictions provide the context
for making observations and drawing conclusions. Students will execute and
analyze experiments, including the development of hypotheses, collection and
analysis of data, and drawing of conclusions as appropriate to the discipline.
Rationale
Scientific knowledge plays an important role both in shaping our society and
in facilitating a deeper understanding of our world. Knowledge gained from
these courses allows students to understand in more practical and concrete
ways their own physical makeup and the natural world around them. Knowledge
gained in these courses also provides students with the analytical skills
necessary to investigate and solve problems and enables students to apply
greater clarity and precision of thought to future endeavors. Since these
students will become voters, parents, teachers, and legislators, both students
and society in general will benefit from an educational experience that
includes exposure to the scientific process.
Goals
Graduates of the College should have knowledge of the scientific process and
an appreciation of its powers and limitations. They should have the ability to
design and implement experiments to further such knowledge.
Explain how the course meets the goals of The Scientific Process
requirement.
Course Criteria
A course must meet the following
criteria in order to be designated as fulfilling The Scientific Process
requirement.
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Courses must devote significant instruction to empirical data collection
and/or observational techniques and skills in the sciences, including the role
of data analysis and observation in the formulation and evaluation of
hypotheses and theories.
Explain how the course meets this criterion.
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Courses must involve students in the design, execution, and analysis of an
appropriate experiment(s).
Explain how the course meets this criterion.
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Courses must include instruction and practice in preparation of written
analysis or reports in a form appropriate to the discipline involved.
Explain how the course meets this criterion.
Learning Outcomes
Students will meet all of the following learning outcomes.
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Students will be able to explain the philosophical underpinnings of scientific
inquiry, including how the relationships among hypotheses, theories, and
predictions provide the context for making observations and drawing
conclusions.
Explain how the course meets this learning outcome.
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Students will be able to demonstrate competence in empirical data collection
and/or observational techniques and skills, including the formulation and
evaluation of hypotheses and/or theories.
Explain how the course meets this learning outcome.
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Students will be able to design methods to gather reliable empirical data in
order to accurately describe phenomena of interest, and where appropriate,
include in those methods the use of formal experimental protocols such as
replication, randomization, and controls.
Explain how the course meets this learning outcome.