AP Biology Practice 3 - Formulate Questions

Summary

In this AP Biology Science Practice video, Mr. Andersen emphasizes the importance of formulating effective scientific questions in the era of accessible data. He illustrates how to refine questions for deeper investigation, using examples like Google search queries and scientific experiments. The video guides students to ask higher-level questions that lead to discussions and further research, ultimately building a foundation for scientific inquiry and understanding.

Takeaways

• 🔍 The importance of formulating good questions in science has increased due to the abundance of information now easily accessible.
• 📚 In the past, being a good scientist often meant having a lot of knowledge, which was typically stored in libraries.
• 🚀 Students' ability to ask higher-level questions improves as they gain a deeper understanding of the subject matter.
• 🤔 The inability to formulate a good question can sometimes indicate a lack of understanding of the topic.
• 🔬 Questions like 'What scientific experiments allow us to know DNA is the genetic material?' help in understanding the basis of scientific knowledge.
• 🌐 Google searches are a form of asking questions, which can be used as an analogy to teach students how to ask better scientific questions.
• 🐦 Simple factual questions like 'What's the world's smallest living bird?' do not promote further discussion or investigation.
• 🌌 Unanswerable questions with current technology, such as 'Are we alone in the universe?', are not considered good scientific questions.
• 🍽 Value-laden questions like 'Are genetically modified foods good or bad?' are not suitable for scientific inquiry as they cannot be empirically measured.
• 🌱 Refining questions to focus on specific variables, such as 'What's the optimum carbon dioxide concentration for brassica rapa growth?', makes them more scientific and investigable.
• 🌡️ Good scientific questions involve clear independent and dependent variables, like 'What happens to photosynthesis at very high non-biological temperatures?'
• 🔬 AP Biology encourages students to ask, refine, and evaluate questions within the four big ideas of biology: evolution, free energy, information, and systems.
• 🌳 A phylogenetic tree is a tool that can be used to ask and answer questions about the relationships and characteristics of different species.
• 🧬 Questions about scientific experiments, such as Miller-Urey's, help in evaluating students' ability to understand and pose scientific inquiries.
• 📈 The ability to ask good questions is foundational for developing experimentation, data analysis, and using explanations and theories in scientific practice.

Q & A

What is the significance of formulating good questions in the field of science according to Mr. Andersen?

Formulating good questions is significant because it leads to further discussion and investigation, which is crucial in the sciences, especially now that data is readily available.

How has the accessibility of information changed over time according to the transcript?

In the past, information was primarily housed in libraries and required physical access. Nowadays, data is readily available at our fingertips, making the ability to ask good questions even more important.

What is the difference between a good scientific question and a simple fact-finding question?

A good scientific question leads to further discussion and investigation, whereas a simple fact-finding question often results in a quick factual answer without prompting further exploration.

Why is the question 'What's the world's smallest living bird?' not considered a great scientific question?

It's not a great scientific question because it seeks a quick factual answer and does not lead to further discussion or investigation.

What makes the question 'Are we alone in the universe?' not a good scientific question?

It's not a good scientific question because it is unanswerable with current technology, and it doesn't lead to empirical investigation or measurable outcomes.

Why is the question 'Are genetically modified foods good or bad?' not considered a good scientific question?

This question is not good because it adds value judgments ('good' or 'bad') which are subjective and cannot be measured empirically.

What is an example of a refined scientific question according to the transcript?

A refined scientific question from the transcript is 'What's the optimum carbon dioxide concentration for brassica rapa growth?' as it focuses on specific variables.

What is the importance of having both an independent and dependent variable in a scientific question?

Having both variables allows for a controlled experiment where the effect of the independent variable on the dependent variable can be measured and analyzed.

How does the transcript suggest using Google searches to improve question-asking skills?

The transcript suggests that since we often use Google to ask questions in our daily lives, we can reflect on how we phrase those questions to make them more scientific and investigative.

What is the role of a good question in the context of the four big ideas in AP Biology?

A good question in the context of the four big ideas in AP Biology should lead to further discussion and investigation, allowing students to delve deeper into topics such as evolution, free energy, information, and systems.

How does the transcript describe the process of refining a question in the context of a scientific experiment?

The transcript describes the process by using an example of algal growth in sterilized pond water, where the question is refined to understand the effect of adding different nutrients and how it relates to the concept of a limiting nutrient.

What is the purpose of evaluating scientific questions in the context of the Miller-Urey experiment as described in the transcript?

Evaluating scientific questions in the context of the Miller-Urey experiment helps to understand the original intent of the experiment, which was to show that molecules essential to life could have formed under early earth conditions.