Praxis 5435 Practice Test Questions and Answers

Scientific method a logical problem-solvingtechnique that requires reasoning, skepticism, and direction. It is used to discover the truth by confirming (or rejecting hypotheses, thoughts, and ideas. Null hypothesis states that the expected cause (ind. Var.) Has no effect on the outcome (dep. Var.) Hypothesis a rational explanation of a phenomenon that has not been proven; it is the starting point for scientific experimentation and is an empirically testable conjecture. Theory an explanation of a natural phenomenon supported by many observations and experiments; it is a scientifically supported explanation regarding a phenomenon at the current level of understanding, and may be used to make useful predictions. These are explanations that are in need of replication and verification by other knowledgeable scientists working in the same area. Fact something that is always true. In science, these are verifiable and are verified by repeated experiments conducted by different researchers who yield the same data. Scientific law a formal scientific statement that describes a phenomenon that has been scientifically proven to absolutely and invariably occur under given conditions. These are led to be true and universal statements of fact meant to describe phenomena Models simplified substitutes that make concepts or processes easier to visualize and understand. Scientific design a procedure to create a fair test of a hypothesis. A completely fair test is one that shows no bias or favoritism toward any variable, whether controlled or uncontrolled, within the experiment. Experimental design the blueprint of the procedure for a fair test of a hypothesis. This yields unbiased data from which a conclusion is drawn regarding the relationship between the independent and dependent variables. It is the logical and complete conceptual framework for an experiment and must be completed before the experiment begins. Problem statement a clear definition of the problem to be investigated. The hypothesis is based on this.