Title CDSGA Research Full E-Book 2025.pdf ✅

CHAPTER OUTLINE: Sources of Knowledge Other Aspects of Science The Nature of Research “Scientific Inquiry refers to the diverse ways in which scientists study the natural world and propose explanations based on the evidence derived from their work. Inquiry also refers to the activities of students in which they develop knowledge and understanding of scientific ideas, as well as an understanding of how scientists study the natural world.” - National Research Council THE FEATURES OF SCIENTIFIC INQUIRY • Enumerate the five major sources of knowledge and the strengths and weaknesses of each. • Explain the steps in scientific inquiry. • Give the assumptions that lie behind science. • State the attitudes of a scientist. • Enumerate the criteria that make theories useful in science. • Define research. • Enumerate the characteristics of research. LEARNING OUTCOMES:
2| C h a p t e r 1 : T h e F e a t u r e s o f S c i e n t i f i c I n q u i r y SOURCES OF KNOWLEDGE What are the five major sources of knowledge? What are the strengths and weaknesses of each source? 1. Experience Experience is the most common source of knowledge since all you have to do is to recall past personal experience and apply it to a present situation. Experiences of other people were passed from generation to generation and became an easy to access source of knowledge. Strength: It can be obtained easily. Weaknesses: Experiences differ according to situations and time, making them less reliable. 2. Authority This is knowledge that comes from people who are experts in their own field or area of specialization. It can also be obtained from books written by scholars believed to have an authority on the subject. Strength: It is a quick and easy source of knowledge. Weaknesses: Authorities can be wrong. Authorities disagree among themselves on issues, a sign that their statements are just opinions rather than facts. 3. Deductive Reasoning Deductive reasoning is a thinking process from general to specific knowledge by means of logical argument. What are the parts of a logical argument? a. Conclusion – This is the final statement b. Premises – These are the other statements that offer supporting evidence. c. Syllogism is one major type of deductive reasoning that consists of a major premise and a minor premise followed by a conclusion. In deductive reasoning, if the premises are true, the conclusion is necessarily true. Strengths: It provides a way to link theory and observation. It lets researchers deduce from existing theory what phenomena they should observe.