A Beginner's Guide to Scientific Method
by Carey, StephenEdition: 4th
Format: Paperback
Pub. Date: 2011-01-01
Publisher(s): Cengage Learning
Other versions by this Author
-
Complimentary 7-Day eTextbook Access - Read more
When you rent or buy this book, you will receive complimentary 7-day online access to the eTextbook version from your PC, Mac, tablet, or smartphone. Feature not included on Marketplace Items.
List Price: $96.95
Buy New
Usually ships in 2 to 3 business days.
$96.47
Rent Textbook
Select for Price
Rent Digital
$58.99*
Used Textbook
We're Sorry
Sold Out
How Marketplace Works:
- This item is offered by an independent seller and not shipped from our warehouse
- Item details like edition and cover design may differ from our description; see seller's comments before ordering.
- Sellers much confirm and ship within two business days; otherwise, the order will be cancelled and refunded.
- Marketplace purchases cannot be returned to eCampus.com. Contact the seller directly for inquiries; if no response within two days, contact customer service.
- Additional shipping costs apply to Marketplace purchases. Review shipping costs at checkout.
Summary
This concise yet comprehensive guide provides an introduction to the scientific method of inquiry. You will not only learn about the proper conduct of science but also how to recognize and question factors such as pseudoscience, untestable explanations and fallacies. Compact enough to be used as a supplementary book, yet comprehensive enough in its coverage to be used as a core book, this book assists users in using the scientific method to design and assess experiments.
Table of Contents
| Preface | |
| Science | |
| Just What is Science? | |
| Asking Why | |
| Scientific Method | |
| The Consequences of Science | |
| Scientific Method in Daily Life | |
| Things to Come | |
| Exercises | |
| Observation | |
| Making Accurate Observations | |
| Anomalous Phenomena | |
| Observing Anomalies | |
| The Burden of Proof | |
| Concept Quiz | |
| Exercises | |
| Explanation | |
| Explanation, Theory and Hypothesis | |
| Causation | |
| Correlation | |
| Causal Mechanisms | |
| Underlying Processes | |
| Laws | |
| Function | |
| The Interdependence of Explanatory Methods | |
| Rival Explanations and Ockham's Razor | |
| Explanation and Description | |
| Ultimate Explanations | |
| Concept Quiz | |
| Exercises | |
| Experimentation | |
| The Basic Method | |
| Confirmation and Rejection | |
| Designing a Good TeSt. Real World Experiments | |
| How Not to Design a TeSt. Conceptual Vagueness | |
| Testing Extraordinary Claims | |
| Predictive Clarity | |
| Bias and Expectation | |
| Concept Quiz | |
| Exercises | |
| Establishing Causal Links | |
| Causal Studies | |
| Ruling Out Chance | |
| Multiple Causal Factors | |
| Randomized, Prospective and Retrospective Studies | |
| Reading Between the Lines | |
| Concept Quiz | |
| Exercises | |
| Fallacies In The Name Of Science | |
| What is a Fallacy? | |
| False Anomalies | |
| Questionable Arguments by Elimination | |
| Illicit Causal Inferences | |
| Unsupported Analogies and Similarities | |
| Untestable Explanations and Predictions | |
| Empty Jargon | |
| Ad Hoc Rescues | |
| Exploiting Uncertainty | |
| Science and Pseudoscience | |
| Concept Quiz | |
| Exercises | |
| Further Reading | |
| Index | |
| Table of Contents provided by Publisher. All Rights Reserved. |
An electronic version of this book is available through VitalSource.
This book is viewable on PC, Mac, iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch, and most smartphones.
By purchasing, you will be able to view this book online, as well as download it, for the chosen number of days.
Digital License
You are licensing a digital product for a set duration. Durations are set forth in the product description, with "Lifetime" typically meaning five (5) years of online access and permanent download to a supported device. All licenses are non-transferable.
More details can be found here.
A downloadable version of this book is available through the eCampus Reader or compatible Adobe readers.
Applications are available on iOS, Android, PC, Mac, and Windows Mobile platforms.
Please view the compatibility matrix prior to purchase.