Nature of Science Introduction Introduction

Science.

Did you just think of a nerd, clad in a lab coat, tinkering with beakers filled with colorful substances while jotting down notes in a notebook?

Guess what—there's more to science than lab coats and beakers. We're going to explore how our studious friend got to this lab, surrounded by glassware and bubbling solutions. Here's a hint: it all started with a measly observation. This was followed by a question, and the rest is, well, the scientific method.

The scientific method is like a jungle, and while most savvy scientists may not look like Tarzan, they've all got the tools they need to navigate all of the twists and turns their experiments might throw at them.

Are you a little jealous? You want those tools, too? No problem.

We're going to equip you with evidence-collecting powers that will help minimize any errors you might encounter. We'll show you how to tame all of the numbers your experiment spews at you and corral them into an awesome graph. Then we'll teach you how to make that graph fetch you a donut. Just kidding; we really want a donut, though.

Once you're a master grapher, we'll show you how to understand what the numbers are trying to tell you. Yes, we speak fluent Graph-ese, and you will too. Then we'll get into the details on sharing your results with the world. Nope, you're not out of the jungle yet. The peer review process is a jungle in itself, but we'll get you through it.

Of course, navigating this jungle isn't going to be a walk in the park. We'll show you how to handle ethical issues with the greatest of ease, why scientific models are a scientist's BFF, and how technology has helped us understand more of the natural world than we ever thought we could. GPS won't get you out of this jungle, but knowing how science works will. Grab your goggles and some bug spray, 'cause we're goin' in.