"Understanding Science," a Web site funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF), offers a window to a better understanding about how dynamic and creative the scientific process really is.
"Understanding Science" Web site, University of California Museum of Paleontology
Not Just a Guy in a White Coat
News story originally written on February 26, 2009
Do you know what science is? Do you know what science isn’t?
The process of doing science is often described with five steps: Ask a question, form a possible reason why something is happening, do an experiment, collect data, and draw a conclusion. But science is much more than those steps. It’s dynamic and creative. That’s what a new web site called Understanding Science explains.
Instead of the five-step process, the web site explains how science works with an interactive chart. Head to the site and learn about how and why scientists are able to explore and discovery new things about our world and the Universe. Learn about the many ways that ideas are tested out and how scientists work in teams to analyze data and share ideas. There are many possible benefits and outcomes that result from making science happen.
The Web site shares what science is and how it works using real-life examples from the world of scientific research. The site even offers a chance to consider whether activities like astrology are, or are not, science.
Understanding Science is for the general public and educators.
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