ERIC Number: EJ1160259
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2017-Sep
Pages: 9
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0036-6811
EISSN: N/A
Scientific U-Turns: Eight Occasions When Science Changed Its Mind
Sosabowski, Michael Hal; Gard, Paul R.
School Science Review, v99 n366 p121-129 Sep 2017
The Scientific Method is the series of processes by which hypotheses, ideas and theories are shown to be true beyond a reasonable scientific doubt. Most science "fact" is expressed in terms of probabilities rather than certainties. Thus, by means of statistical calculations, researchers aim to determine whether an observed association between two events or characteristics may have occurred by chance (coincidence), whether they frequently occur together (correlation) or whether they occur together because one causes the other (causative relationship). In this article we review the Scientific Method and consider the statistical tests that are applied. We then focus on the occasions when science changes its mind and review eight such occurrences.
Descriptors: Scientific Methodology, Science Process Skills, Scientists, Change, Foreign Countries, Scientific Research, Health, Probability, Communicable Diseases, Health Behavior, Autism, Immunization Programs, Statistics, Hospitals, Drug Therapy, Hypertension
Association for Science Education. College Lane Hatfield, Herts, AL10 9AA, UK. Tel: +44-1-707-283000; Fax: +44-1-707-266532; e-mail: info@ase.org.uk; Web site: http://www.ase.org.uk
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Descriptive
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: United Kingdom (England)
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A