Science

Kayla Reed
7/13/08
IDST 4114
Prof. Augustine

Worksheet for Researching Disciplines

Name of Discipline: __ General Science____________________________

Discipline Subject Matter: The Study of Science and its Relationship with the Field of Education

Definition of Discipline Science: is a branch of knowledge or study dealing with a body of facts or truths systematically arranged and showing the operation of general laws.

Sub-Fields within a Discipline:
Biology: The science of life and of living organisms, including their structure, function, growth, origin, evolution, and distribution. It includes botany and zoology and all their subdivisions.
Chemistry: The science of the composition, structure, properties, and reactions of matter, especially of atomic and molecular systems.
Anatomy: The science of the shape and structure of organisms and their parts.
Physics: The science of matter and energy and of interactions between the two, grouped in traditional fields such as acoustics, optics, mechanics, thermodynamics, and electromagnetism, as well as in modern extensions including atomic and nuclear physics, cryogenics, solid-state physics, particle physics, and plasma physics.


Research Methods: One research method that people who study Science are experiments.

Key Concepts:
· Key Concept #1: One Key Concept of Science is that scientific knowledge is subject to observational or experimental test
· Key Concept #2: Another Key Concept in Science is the theory of motion presented by Sir Isaac Newton It consists of a set of mathematical laws describing the rigidly deterministic motion of objects under the action of forces against the backdrop of an absolute space and absolute time. Newtonian mechanics governed the way in which scientists described the physical world for more than two centuries, until it was overthrown by experimental and theoretical developments in the early part of the 20th Century.
· Key Concept #3: Quantum theory describes the behavior of matter on very small scales. The quantum world essentially comprises two distinct notions. One of these is that matter and energy are not smoothly distributed but are to be found in discrete packets called quanta. The other is that the behavior of these quanta is not predictable as in Newton's theory, but that only probabilities can be calculated.
Leading Theories:
· Leading Theory #1: The Theory of evolution says that all living things are related to one another through common ancestry from earlier forms that differed from the present forms. Exactly how evolution occurs is still a matter of debate, but that it occurs is a scientific fact. Biologists agree that all living things arose through a long history of changes shaped by physical and chemical processes that are still taking place. According to the theory, variability among individuals in a population of sexually reproducing organisms is produced by mutation and genetic recombination. The resulting genetic variability is subject to natural selection in the environment.
· Leading Theory #2: The Kinetic-Molecular Theory (KMT) states that matter is composed of tiny particles in constant motion. Through KMT, the processes of osmosis, diffusion and the concept of temperature can be explained. KMT is the basis of our knowledge of the movement of matter on a macroscopic level. The theory allows scientists to explain the behavior of matter in the different physical states that matter can exist. The theory also provides a thorough means of understanding the process of energy transfer between particles of matter.
· Leading Theory #3: Big bang theory assumes that the universe began from a singular state of infinite density and expanding from an explosive moment of creation. Fred Hoyle coined the term Big Bang. The Big Bang Theory is the dominant scientific theory about the origin of the universe. According to the Big Bang, the universe was created sometime between 10 billion and 20 billion years ago from a cosmic explosion that hurled matter and in all directions.
Key Books/Seminal Texts:
· Key Book/Seminal Text #1: “The Oxford Book of Modern Science Writing” by: Richard Dawkins
Why is it important? The Oxford Book of Modern Science Writing is important because it takes its readers through a breathtaking celebration of the finest writing by scientists, that includes new discoveries and experiments
· Key Book/Seminal Text #2: Life, the Science of Biology” by: David E. Sadava
Why is it important? The Science of Biology is important because it is the first introductory text to present biological concepts through the research that revealed them, Life covers the full range of topics with an integrated experimental focus that flows naturally from the narrative. This approach helps to bring the drama of classic and cutting-edge research to the classroom—but always in the context of reinforcing core ideas and the innovative scientific thinking behind them. Students will experience biology not just as a litany of facts or a highlight reel of experiments, but as a rich, coherent discipline.
· Key Book/Seminal Text #3: “Conceptual Physical Science” by: Paul G. Hewitt, John Suchocki, Leslie A. Hewitt
Why is it important? This book is important because provides a overview of the basics of science including: essential topics in physics, chemistry, earth science, and astronomy with optional quantitative analyses. Equilibrium and Linear Motion, Newton's Laws of Motion, Momentum and Energy,Gravity, Projectiles, and Satellites, Projectile and Satellite Motion,Temperature, Heat, and Thermodynamics, Heat Transfer and Change of Phase, Electrostatics and Electric Current, Magnetism and Electromagnetic Induction, Waves and Sound, Light, Atoms and the Periodic Table, The Atomic Nucleus, Elements of Chemistry, How Atoms Bond and Molecules Attract, Mixtures, How Chemicals React ,Two Types of Chemical Reactions, Organic Compounds, Rocks and Minerals, Geologic Time–Reading the Rock Record, Plate Tectonics and Earth’s Interior, Shaping Earth’s Surface, The Oceans, Atmosphere, and Climatic Effects, Driving Forces of Weather, The Solar System, The Stars, Cosmology

Key Thinkers and Practitioners:
Key Thinker #1: Charles Darwin (1809-1882) was an English naturalist, eminent as a collector and geologist, who proposed and provided scientific evidence that all species of life have evolved over time from common ancestors through the process he called natural selection
Key Thinker #2: Edwin Hubble (1889-1953) profoundly changed astronomers' understanding of the nature of the universe by demonstrating the existence of other galaxies besides the Milky Way. He also discovered that the degree of redshift observed in light coming from a galaxy increased in proportion to the distance of that galaxy from the Milky Way. This became known as Hubble's law, and would help establish that the universe is expanding.
Key Thinker #3: Albert Einstein (1879-1955) was a German-born theoretical physicist. He is best known for his theory of relativity and specifically mass–energy equivalence, E = mc 2.
Key Practitioner #1: : Enrico Fermi (1901-1954) was an Italian physicist most noted for his work on the development of the first nuclear reactor, and for his contributions to the development of quantum theory, nuclear and particle physics, and statistical mechanics.
Key Practitioner#2: Jonas Salk (1914-1995) was an American biologist and physician best known for the research and development of a killed-virus polio vaccine, the eponymous Salk vaccine.
Key Practitioner #3: Sir Alexander Fleming (1881-1955) was a Scottish biologist and pharmacologist. Fleming published many articles on bacteriology, immunology, and chemotherapy. His best-known achievements are the discovery of the enzyme lysozyme in 1922 and the discovery of the antibiotic substance penicillin from the fungus Penicillium notatum in 1928
Professional Academic Journals:
Academic Journal #1: Science: is the academic journal of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and is considered one of the world's most prestigious scientific journals. The peer-reviewed journal, first published in 1880 is circulated weekly and has a print subscriber base of around 130,000
Academic Journal #2: The American Political Science Review: (APSR) presents peer-reviewed research articles by political scientists of all subfields. APSR continues to be the foremost scholarly research journal of political science

Professional Academic Associations:
· Professional Academic Association #1: The American Association for the Advancement of Science (or AAAS) is an organization that promotes cooperation between scientists, defends scientific freedom, encourages scientific responsibility and supports scientific education and science outreach for the betterment of all humanity. It is the world's largest general scientific society, with nearly 120,000 individual and institutional members in 2007, and publisher of the well-known scientific journal Science. (http://www.aaas.org/)
· Professional Academic Association #2: The American Political Science Association: founded in 1903, is the leading professional organization for the study of political science and serves more than 15,000 members in over 80 countries. With a range of programs and services for individuals, departments and institutions, APSA brings together political scientists from all fields of inquiry, regions, and occupational endeavors within and outside academe in order to expand awareness and understanding of politics. (http://www.apsanet.org/)