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.

Outlines

00:00

🔍 The Importance of Asking Good Scientific Questions

In this paragraph, Mr. Andersen introduces the concept of formulating questions that not only seek answers but also stimulate discussion and further investigation. He contrasts the old method of gathering knowledge from libraries with the modern ease of accessing data online, emphasizing the necessity of asking good questions in the sciences. He notes a transition in his students' abilities to ask higher-level questions as they gain understanding. The paragraph also explores the idea of refining questions to make them more scientifically valuable, using examples of Google searches to illustrate the difference between good and not-so-good questions. Mr. Andersen suggests that a good scientific question should lead to measurable outcomes and further exploration, rather than just a quick fact.

05:04

🌿 Developing and Evaluating Scientific Questions

This paragraph delves deeper into the process of developing scientific questions, using a phylogenetic tree of life as an example. Mr. Andersen encourages the viewer to pose questions that can be answered based on the tree or related knowledge. He then discusses the refinement of questions, using an example from an AP practice test that involves predicting algal growth in response to the addition of different nutrients. The paragraph concludes with the evaluation of scientific questions, exemplified by the Miller-Urey experiment, which aimed to demonstrate the formation of life's essential molecules under early Earth conditions. Mr. Andersen stresses the importance of questions in the scientific process, as they lead to experimentation, data analysis, and the development of explanations and theories.

Keywords

💡Scientific Questions

Scientific questions are inquiries that aim to explore or understand phenomena within a scientific context. They are crucial for driving scientific inquiry and research. In the video, the importance of formulating good scientific questions is emphasized as a key skill for a scientist, especially in the age of information where knowledge is easily accessible. An example from the script is the discussion on how to ask higher-level questions that lead to further investigation rather than just seeking facts.

💡Data Availability

Data availability refers to the ease with which information can be accessed and used. The script highlights the contrast between the past, where data was limited and often found in libraries, and the present, where data is readily available at our fingertips through the internet. This shift has made the ability to ask good questions even more important in the scientific process.

💡Genetic Material

Genetic material is the substance in an organism's cells that carries genetic information, such as DNA or RNA. The script uses the question of DNA being the genetic material instead of proteins as an example of a scientific inquiry that can be answered through experiments, illustrating how scientific questions can lead to a deeper understanding of biological concepts.

💡Google Search

A Google search is the act of using the Google search engine to look up information on the internet. In the context of the video, it is mentioned as a metaphor for how we ask questions in our daily lives, and how the quality of those questions can affect the depth of the information we receive, relating to the broader theme of questioning in scientific exploration.

💡GMOs (Genetically Modified Organisms)

GMOs are organisms whose genetic material has been altered using genetic engineering techniques for various purposes, such as improving crop resistance to pests or environmental conditions. The script discusses the question of whether genetically modified foods are good or bad, highlighting the complexity of scientific questions and the need for precise language to avoid value judgments.

💡Plant Growth Factors

Plant growth factors are the various conditions and elements that influence the growth and development of plants, such as light, water, nutrients, and carbon dioxide. The script uses the example of asking about factors affecting plant growth to illustrate how a scientific question can be refined to focus on specific variables, leading to more meaningful investigations.

💡Optimum Conditions

Optimum conditions refer to the most favorable set of circumstances for a particular process or activity to occur. In the script, the concept is used to refine the question about plant growth, focusing on the ideal carbon dioxide concentration for the growth of a specific plant, brassica rapa, to demonstrate how precise questions can guide scientific experiments.

💡Photosynthesis

Photosynthesis is the process by which green plants and some other organisms convert light energy into chemical energy stored in glucose or other molecules. The script poses a question about the effect of high non-biological temperatures on photosynthesis, using it as an example of a scientific question that can lead to experimental design and investigation.

💡Phylogenetic Tree

A phylogenetic tree is a branching diagram that shows the inferred evolutionary relationships among various species or other entities based on their genetic differences. The script uses the phylogenetic tree of life to demonstrate how one can ask and answer questions about the relationships between different domains of life, such as Eukarya, Archaea, and Bacteria.

💡Limiting Nutrient

A limiting nutrient is a substance that is required for growth and reproduction but is present in quantities insufficient to support the maximum rate of those processes. In the script, the concept is used to explain the outcome of an experiment where adding phosphate to pond water increased algal growth, whereas adding nitrate would not have the same effect, as it was not the limiting nutrient.

💡Scientific Evaluation

Scientific evaluation involves assessing the validity, significance, and implications of scientific questions and findings. The script discusses the ability to evaluate scientific questions as a critical skill, using the Miller-Urey experiment as an example to illustrate how understanding the purpose behind an experiment can help in evaluating the questions it aimed to answer.

Highlights

The importance of formulating good questions in the era of easily accessible information.

The transition in students' abilities to ask higher level questions as they gain understanding.

The analogy of Google searches to the process of asking scientific questions.

The distinction between factual questions and those that lead to further discussion or investigation.

The example of an unanswerable question: 'Are we alone in the universe?'

The critique of value-laden questions in scientific inquiry, such as 'Are genetically modified foods good or bad?'

The process of refining scientific questions to focus on measurable variables.

The example of a refined question: 'What's the optimum carbon dioxide concentration for brassica rapa growth?'

The role of literature searches in understanding what has been done before in scientific research.

The example of a good AP Biology question: 'What happens to photosynthesis at very high non-biological temperatures?'

The importance of identifying independent and dependent variables in scientific questions.

The application of the ability to ask questions to the four big ideas in AP Biology.

Examples of questions that can be derived from a phylogenetic tree.

The necessity to refine questions to improve the chances of correct predictions in scientific experiments.

The use of a hypothetical scenario to explain the concept of a limiting nutrient in scientific inquiry.

Evaluating scientific questions based on historical experiments, such as the Miller-Urey experiment.

The domino effect of good questioning leading to further scientific practices like experimentation and data analysis.

Transcripts

Hi. It's Mr. Andersen and welcome to AP Biology Science Practice 3. This is

on formulating questions that guide both discussion and further investigations. It used to be

if you were a good scientist it meant that you had a lot of knowledge because there wasn't

a lot of knowledge out there available to everyone. It was housed in libraries. And

even when I was a little kid, if I wanted to find an answer to a question, I literally

had to drive to the library. Get a book. And then look it up in a book. But now since we

have data really available at our fingertips, our ability to formulate and ask good questions

is super important. Especially in the sciences. And I find a transition in my students. Once

they really start to get it, they start to ask higher and higher level questions. And

if you really don't understand it, sometimes you can't even formulate a good question to

ask. And so what kind of questions am I talking about? You should be able to answer questions

when I say, how do we know what we know? In other words I could say, "What scientific

experiments allow us to know that DNA rather than proteins is the genetic material?" And

then you should be able to answer, this is how we know what we know. And so I was trying

to think about how do I get students to get better and better at asking questions? When

do they do that in their lives? And then it came to me that we constantly do that. Because

if you ever type something in Google, you're really asking a question. And so let's look

at a few questions and then we'll kind of judge which ones are good and which ones are

not so good. So let's say you were to type this in. What's the world's smallest living

bird? Well that's an okay question. And Google is going to give you a quick response. I think

it's some form of humming bird. But it's not a great scientific AP Biology question. Because

you quickly get a fact right back to you. It doesn't lead to further discussion or investigation.

Well let's try this one. "Are we alone in the universe?" Well that's a pretty profound

question. If you were to Google that I would imagine you would get lots of answers but

none of them are really going to be right. It's an unanswerable question with the technology

that we have today. So that's not a great question. What about this one. "Are genetically

modified foods good or bad?" Well we're adding value at this point. So what does it mean

to be good? Or what does it mean to be bad? And so that's not really a good scientific

question as well. Once we started adding value to it we can't measure that empirically. So

it's not a great question. Let's go to another one. What about this. "What factors effect

plant growth?" Well now we're getting closer. This is really something that we can measure.

But since I just said factors in there, there's so many things that could effect plant growth.

Number one what type of plant are we really talking about? How will we measuring that

plant growth? And so I could refine that question. What's the optimum carbon dioxide concentration

for brassica rapa growth? And now really I'm paring it down to one independent variable

and then one dependent variable. And so we're getting to a good question that could lead

to fact finding. It could lead to future investigations. And so here's a good example of a question

that AP suggests. "What happens to photosynthesis at vary high non-biological temperatures?"

And so what are we looking at here? We're looking at two things. We've got an independent

variable which is clearly the temperature that we could change. And then we're looking

at a dependent variable which is photosynthesis. And so we do a photosynthesis lab, remember,

where we're looking at the leaf chads float. And so we could change the temperature and

see how that effects it. Before that though we could look at a literature search. We could

actually get through some of the scientific journals and see what, you know, has this

been done before? And what did they find? We could go on a fact finding mission. Google

searches where we find more information and it could lead to experimental design. And

so a good question is going to lead to further discussion and then further investigation.

And they want you to be able to do that in each of the four big ideas. And so here's

some examples they give. So let's say we're looking at evolution. If I were to give you

a phylogenetic tree, you should be able to be able to ask and answer a bunch of questions

based on that. Or what about free energy? You could say, you know, where are the molecules

going to move? This looks like facilitated diffusion. Or we could even pose questions

about, you know, what happens if I change one of these proteins and the function of

a protein? As we get to information there's lots of questions that could be posed about,

you know, genetic problems. So in this pedigree you could try to determine what the inheritance

pattern is. And then we could get even to ethical questions when we're saying if you

know that you have the gene, are you likely to have kids or would you have kids? And then

when we get to systems, interactive systems like, this is a food web. You could ask questions

about, you know, what happens if we change one part of this food web? Or if we were to

decrease the amount of producers, how's that going to effect the consumers? And so you

really have to be able to do three things. You have to be able to come up with questions

or pose questions. You have to be able to refine those questions. And then you have

to be able to evaluate questions that are asked. And you're going to do this on a test

which is asking you questions. And so it's kind of tricky to ask your, to judge your

questioning ability using questions. But this is kind of how they'll get at it. And so first

of all you have to be able to pose scientific questions. And so if I were to give you this,

which is a phylogenetic tree of life. You can see you have the three domains. Eukarya,

Archaea and Bacteria. Could you come up with three good questions that you could answer

either from this tree or from information you know about this tree. So what are some

questions? With each of these remember you can phase the video and take a shot at this.

Well I might ask this question right away. Which of these are more related to eukarya?

Is it the archaea or the bacteria? That would be an okay question. Another question might

be, "What characteristics of archaea and bacteria and eukarya allowed scientists to produce

such a tree?" And then remember this implies that we had one last universal common ancestor

that would be right down here. So what are some shared characteristics of that? And so

those are pretty good questions. Kind of questions at getting how do we know what we know? In

other words how did we come up with a phylogenetic tree like this? The next thing you need to

be able to do is refine questions. So this is a question from a practice test from the

AP College Board that gets at this. And so let me kind of talk you through it. Basically

we have figure 1 up here which shows algal growth of a species in sterilized pond water

over time. So you can see it's increasing and stabilizing. If phosphate is added right

here, then we see the following growth. And so we see an increase in algal growth as well.

And so the question they're asking is, which of the following would be the best prediction

of algal growth if nitrate, rather than phosphate is added? And then they give you four tries

at this. Or four different guesses that you could make. And trust me, when I looked at

this question the first time, I missed this question as well. So take a second to lock

in your answer. And the right question or the right answer is C, right here. Nothing

should happen when you add nitrate. And so when I thought, Oh, I thought this was going

to be it right away. And then as I thought about it a little more deeply, I realized

what we were looking at here is a limiting nutrient. And so basically what happened is

when you added phosphate, that was the one nutrient that these algae were needing. And

so they took off. They didn't need nitrate at this point. So if you would have given

them nitrate, it wouldn't have helped them. Let me put that in context that might help

you. So let's say you're going to the movies. Now I've changed the question. So through

time this is your ability to go watch a movie. If I were to say I gave you your car keys

at point A, we'll say right here. That allowed you to go see the movies. Which of the following

would be the best prediction with, if instead of me giving you car keys, I would have given

you additional money. Well the right answer would be this one, the same one as here. Because

you really didn't need the money to get to the movies. What you needed was to have your

car keys so you could drive to the movies. And so again we're looking at a question that

is then being refined. So they're asking you a question and then you're actually having

to say, let's take that to another level. And finally you have to be able to evaluate

scientific questions. And so this is Stanley Miller. Miller-Urey's famous experiment. They

were attempting to model early earth conditions. Remember they put all of the gases and added

some energy that kind of simulated what early life on our planet was. And we could make

some of the building blocks of life. And so here, in order for them to test your ability

to evaluate scientific questions, they're saying which of these are the questions, or

was the question, that Miller was trying to answer. So you could pause and take a stab

at this one. There right answer is C. He was trying to show that the molecules essential

to life today could have formed under early earth conditions. And so this is how they're

going to get at your ability to ask questions on the AP exam. But questions are very important.

It's almost like dominoes. Because, if you're good at asking questions, that's going to

directly lead to practice 4 which is developing experimentation, then data analysis, then

using explanations and theories. And so the next three science practices are built on

your ability to ask questions. And so I hope that was helpful.