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Re: Scientific Method
Posted by:
J L Mazerat (IP Logged)
Date: April 27, 2022 08:37AM
I believe you have a point. I think one of the problems is the way 921 explains the scientific method. The document makes assumptions as to a person’s understanding of different terms. The document tends to talk above the audience and he’s trying to reach. This results in persons using the document not truly understanding what is being said in the document. As an example of this it is assumed that the reader would know the meaning behind the term’s hypothesis, empirical data, inductive reasoning, deductive reasoning, among others. Where in the document are these terms defined or explained?
Simple definitions such as saying inductive reasoning is a method of drawing conclusions by going from the specific to the general. Then give an explanation to go with the definition such as "Penguins are birds. Penguins can't fly. Therefore, all birds can't fly", "All spiders have eight legs. A tarantula is a spider. Therefore, tarantulas have eight legs." Deductive reasoning example, “All numbers ending in 0 or 5 are divisible by 5. The number 35 ends with a 5, so it must be divisible by 5.” Hypothesis example, “Drinking sugary drinks daily leads to being overweight.” Empirical data example, “Everyday people make decisions based on knowledge gained that is based on observations. It is cold outside, traffic is busy in the morning, and we are hungry. Empirical data is derived from these simple observations.
Jim Mazerat
Forensic Investigations Group