Science

 Latin word “scientia” which means “knowledge”.

 Systematized body of knowledge based on experimentation, research, and facts.
 It is the description, understanding, and prediction of physical phenomena through the
use and generation of verifiable theories, laws, and principles. (Ballena, et.al 2004)

Definitions of Science (Serafica, et.al., 2018)

1. Science as an Idea
- It includes ideas, theories, and all available systematic explanations and observations
about the natural and physical world.

2. Science as an Intellectual Activity

- It encompasses a systematic and practical study of the natural and physical world.
This involves the systematic observation and experimentation.

3. Science as a body of Knowledge

- “School Science”
It is a subject or a discipline, a field of study, or of a body of knowledge that deals with the
process of learning about the natural and physical world.

4. Science as a personal and social activity

- This explains that science is both knowledge and activities done by human beings to
develop better understanding of the world around them.
-It is a means to improve life and survive in life, it is interwoven with people's lives.

Branches of Science

1. Social Science

 Deals with human beings and their interaction with each other
 E.g. History, Psychology, Demography, Sociology

2. Abstract Science
 Abstract ideas
 Employs mental faculties
 E.g. Math, Computer Science, Logic, etc.

3. Natural Science
 Study of nature
 It could be either Pure or Applied

3A. Physical Science

 Physics, Chemistry and Earth Science (Geology, Astronomy, Meteorology, etc)

3B. Biological Science

 Life Science
 Study of living things
 E.g. Biology, Medicine, Genetics, etc.
Technology
o It is the use of scientific knowledge and/or empirical knowhow for the production,
improvement, and distribution of goods and services, as well as the satisfaction of other
material needs.
o The core activity of technology is technological innovation that seeks to transform the
prototype inventions of Research and Development into a commercial product or
process.

Society
o A group of people joined together for a common purpose or by a common interest. They
come to learn and perform behavior expected of them.
o The society makes use of science to come up with better technology in order for its
people to live in accordance with their necessities.
o Science and technology can either yield a positive or negative result to human survival.

Science, Technology and Society

o Refers to the study of science and technology in society.

Scientific Method
 Principles and procedures for the systematic pursuit of knowledge involving the
recognition and formulation of a problem, the collection of data through observation
and experiment, and the formulation and testing of hypothesis. (Miriam-Webster
dictionary)
 Series of processes that people can use to gather knowledge about the world around
them, improve that knowledge, and, through gaining knowledge, attempt to explain
why and/or how things occur. The exact steps vary from source to source, but the
general procedure is the same: acquiring knowledge through observation and testing.
(Biologydictionary.net)

Scientific Method Steps

(Biologydictionary.net)

1. Making an observation
 Before hypotheses can be made or experiments can be done, one must first notice and
think about some sort of phenomena occurring.

2. Asking a question
 “Why/how is it occurring?”
 “Why/how does it happen this way?”
 Sometimes this step is listed first in the scientific method, with making observation (and
researching the phenomena in question) listed as second.

3. Forming a hypothesis
 Hypothesis is an “educated guess” to explain the phenomena occurring based on prior
observations.
 It answers the question posed in the previous step.

4. Performing an experiment.
 After forming a hypothesis, an experiment must be set up and performed to test the
hypothesis.
 An experiment must have an independent variable and a dependent variable.
 Independent variable is manipulated by the person doing the experiment.
  Dependent variable is the thing being measured (and which may be affected by the
dependent variable.)
 All other variables must be controlled so that they do not affect the outcome.
 During an experiment, data is collected.
 Data is a set of values, it may be quantitative (measured in numbers) or qualitative (a
description or yes/no answer.)

5. Analyzing data
 Research experiments are usually analyzed with statistical software to determine the
relationships among the data.
 In the case of simpler experiment, one would look at the data and see how they
correlate with the change in the independent variable.

6. Forming a Conclusion
 The last step of the scientific method.
 If the data support the hypothesis, then the hypothesis may be the explanation for the
phenomena.
 Multiple trials must be done to confirm the results, and it is also important to make sure
that the sample size – the number of observations made – is big enough so that the date
is not skewed by just few observations.
 If the data do not support the hypothesis, then more observations should be done, a new
hypothesis formed and the Scientific Method is used all over again.
 When a conclusion is made, the research can be presented to others to inform them of
the finding and receive input regarding the validity of the conclusion drawn from the
research.