A Little Bit More
As the poster points out, in our everyday conversation we use all kinds of words that refer to quantities and times and sizes that are very general. But for the most part, this really doesn’t matter in our everyday world. Science, however is different and needs to pin down any kind of statement so that everyone knows exactly what is being said without misinterpretation.
Here are a few everyday words/phrases that make perfect sense to us in daily conversation but would never be acceptable in a scientific paper:
- I usually go to the grocery once a week
- I almost always take our dog for a walk
- Most of my friends are helpful any time I ask
- My mother hardly ever lets me watch TV
- Lots of people throw litter on the ground
You get the idea.
Activities
Science – Math – What Do You Mean?
Objectives: Understand the importance of using math as a precise language
Materials: Paper and pencil
I feel this is an especially valuable exercise for students (grades 4 and up) and even adults will gain “enlightenment” from this exercise. We use language to share information every day but even in our daily conversations, there are times when what we’re trying to convey is misinterpreted. This exercise should help to point out just how important it is to be precise – not as precise as scientists maybe, but more accurate now that you’ve thought about it. Older students (even college age) should find this exercise especially useful too.
- Have each student write numbers from 1 to 10 on a piece of paper
- For each of the 10 spaces, they will be asked to place a percentage they feel “best illustrates/documents” the meaning of a word presented by the instructor (no fair peeking on their neighbor’s paper) – see10 words below
- Once everyone has written their interpretation in a percentage for each of the 10 words, go back over each of the words in class to get an idea of what the students put on their papers. If you like, it will be interesting to put the range of answers (lowest and highest) on the blackboard and I think you’ll be surprised
Here are 10 words for which each student should write a percentage (not a range) they feel best illustrates each word. Example: If the word is Typically, a student might feel this represents about 85% of the time
- Many
- Usually
- Some
- Often
- Frequently
- Most
- Few
- Occasionally
- Almost never
- Rarely
It should be immediately obvious that not everyone has the same “understanding” of what these 10 words mean. I hope this provides a better understanding for all of your students why scientists would rather use math to document information rather than words that can be misinterpreted. This exercise may prompt some good discussion too.
Key Concepts
Scientific Method/Approach
Questions
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Posted by Judy Harris on March 10, 2006 at 09:37 PM
Q: i found a little baby turtle, look like just hatched and i would like to keep it what to do?
A: If you want to keep this turtle, you first need to find out exactly what kind you have so you'll know what it needs to live. You can either write back with a good description of what it looks like, its size, and the kind of habitat you found it in or you can go online to see if you can find a picture of it and then go from there. There are many kinds of turtles living in Louisiana so you'll need some careful looking to find out what you have. Once you know what you have you can begin to find out how that turtle lives and what it eats and how to care for it. Having a pet turtle can be lots of fun but only if you are able to properly care for it so it is healthy. Good luck to you.