Scientific Inquiry & Understanding Flashcards

A line of best fit on a scatter plot is drawn to:

Answer: Show the general trend while minimizing the distance from all data points

A line of best fit represents the overall trend of the data and minimizes residual distances from individual points.

An outlier in a dataset should be:

Answer: Investigated to determine whether it results from error or a genuine observation

Outliers may indicate experimental error or a significant finding, so they must be investigated rather than automatically discarded.

Which of the following is an example of qualitative data?

Answer: The color change observed during a chemical reaction

Qualitative data describes non-numerical characteristics such as color, texture, or appearance.

A placebo is used in medical trials to:

Answer: Control for the psychological effect of receiving treatment

Placebos control for the placebo effect, ensuring observed results are due to the treatment rather than participant expectations.

When a scientist states a result is 'statistically significant,' it means:

Answer: The result is unlikely to have occurred by chance alone

Statistical significance indicates that the probability of the result occurring by random chance is below an accepted threshold (commonly p < 0.05).

A double-blind study is designed so that:

Answer: Both the researchers and participants are unaware of who receives the treatment

In a double-blind study, neither the participants nor the researchers assessing outcomes know the group assignments, reducing bias.

Which type of graph is most appropriate for displaying the proportion of different categories in a whole dataset?

Answer: Pie chart

Pie charts display parts of a whole and are ideal for showing percentage or proportional breakdowns of categorical data.