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The Combined Science: Synergy course contains eight topics, split into Life Science and Physical Sciences. But there's also a ninth topic. Unlike the others, it's not focused on learning content and mastering concepts. Instead, it's about how science works. It's incorporated within all the other topics, so you'll have mastered what it means to work scientifically by the end of your course. Working Scientifically is about the process and application of science. Knowing how to work scientifically is a valuable, transferable skill.
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Jetzt kostenlos anmeldenThe Combined Science: Synergy course contains eight topics, split into Life Science and Physical Sciences. But there's also a ninth topic. Unlike the others, it's not focused on learning content and mastering concepts. Instead, it's about how science works. It's incorporated within all the other topics, so you'll have mastered what it means to work scientifically by the end of your course. Working Scientifically is about the process and application of science. Knowing how to work scientifically is a valuable, transferable skill.
Working scientifically comprises all the activities that scientists do.
Working scientifically isn't about content and remembering facts. Instead, it's built into every other topic. It is about the application and process of science. The activities that follow this process and the skills which you will gain are as follows:
Research - compiling existing information to find new conclusions and ideas
This encompasses scientific thinking, and the following skills will be gained:
Understanding how scientific methods and theories are developed and how they change over time
Understanding the differences between models, predictions and explanations
Being aware of any limitations and ethical issues in scientific experimentation
Understanding the everyday applications of science, including the implications of new discoveries and how this may affect decision-making
Evaluating risks associated with science
Understanding the importance of peer review and communication
Designing, planning, and carrying out experiments - using the scientific method to establish facts through testing
Experimental skills and strategies are learned during this part of the scientific method; other skills that you will adopt are:
Understanding the scientific process, from a hypothesis to an established theory
Planning experiments to make observations, synthesise materials, test hypotheses or explore a theory
Applying knowledge of scientific techniques and apparatus
Being aware of experiment health and safety concerns
Using a range of appropriate sampling techniques
Recording accurate observations
Evaluating your experiment and suggest improvements for the future
For more information on the scientific method, check out our article on hypotheses and predictions.
Analysing and presenting data from their experiments - the use of statistics and appropriate charts
Evaluating your experiments and the data from this is an important skill any scientist should have; additional skills obtained are:
Presenting data by creating tables and plotting graphs
Translating data from numerical to graphical form
Analysing your data
Acknowledging the distribution and uncertainty of your data
Interpreting observations, trends and conclusions
Writing reasoned explanations for your results
Being objective - acknowledge errors, accuracy and precision
Communicating your findings
Writing reports - communicating their findings to the rest of the world
Learning the correct nomenclature (system of terms used in a particular science) is a valuable skill to have that will help with scientific communication; other skills are:
Using suitable scientific vocabulary
Understanding quantities and their determination
Using appropriate SI units and chemical nomenclature
Using prefixes, powers of ten, and orders of magnitude
Interconvert units
Using an appropriate amount of significant figures
SI is an abbreviation for the International System of Units. This standardised metric system is used around the world.
Incorporating scientific applications and processes into your studies can help you better understand science. Public knowledge of science is essential. It helps people make informed decisions about their health, purchases and habits. Furthermore, a deeper understanding will help you appreciate new scientific innovations and be aware of their limitations. Science doesn't come with guidelines, so any moral or ethical concerns must be considered before an experiment. Knowing how to work scientifically has benefits in the exam hall and outside of education.
Working scientifically is tightly woven into the Synergy course. Your exam papers will contain questions about the scientific process and experiments. Additionally, you'll need to interpret, analyse and present data. So, understanding the scientific method will help you get those extra marks during your exams!
The skills you pick up when studying science are transferable - they can be applied to various types of careers. Problem-solving, presentation and teamwork are essential skills in the workplace.
A few terms related to working scientifically often present a challenge for students.
These terms are similar but have an important distinction.
An experiment is reproducible if it is repeated by another person (or differing equipment or techniques) and the same results are obtained.
An experiment is repeatable if the original scientist repeats their investigation using the same equipment and techniques and obtains the same results.
To summarise, your experiment is repeatable if you carry it out again, but it's reproducible if someone else carries it out.
Mixing up reproducibility and repeatability could affect the experiment's precision. If the results of an investigation are not precise, the hypothesis may be rejected incorrectly.
A variable is any factor that can affect an experiment. There are three types of variables in science.
The independent variable is the factor that you change.
The dependent variable is the factor that you measure.
The control variables are the factors that you keep the same.
Every experiment has an independent variable, a dependent variable, and multiple control variables.
You are investigating how salt concentration affects osmosis. Identical chunks of potato are placed in salt water of various concentrations. After a fixed time, they are weighed to assess the effects of osmosis.
If you can't tell your variables apart, you might measure the wrong factor!
It's essential to keep your control variables the same. Otherwise, they may impact your results. Furthermore, it's important to know your variables when plotting a graph.
When plotting a suitable graph, the independent variable always goes on the x-axis.
Temperature is an important control variable that is often forgotten, unsplash.com
What is a scientific enquiry? Well, the term refers to the methods that scientists use to find answers to their questions. There are five different types of scientific enquiry.
| Scientific Enquiry | Definition | Example Question | Example Method |
| Observation Over Time | A material or organism is observed over a fixed period, and any changes are monitored. | How do shadows change during the day? | Measure the dimensions of a shadow every hour to see how they change over the course of a day. |
| Pattern Seeking | Scientists gather lots of data and then analyse it to find patterns. | Do taller people have longer noses? | Measure the heights and nose lengths of a large group of people. |
| Identifying, Grouping and Classifying | Materials or organisms are categorised and then analysed within these groups. | Does an animal's food preference affect its teeth? | Categorise animals into groups (herbivore, omnivore and carnivore) and study the teeth of these three groups. |
| Research | Sometimes your scientific question has already been answered. Information is available in books, journal articles and online. | Why is the sky blue? | Head to your local library or log onto the internet. |
| Comparative Testing | Scientists perform an experiment. A variable is changed to see how it affects another variable. | Do plants grow taller when they are kept in the dark? |
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Working scientifically comprises all the activities that scientists do. Understanding how to work scientifically will improve exam performance and provide transferable skills.
Students often mix up reproducibility and repeatability. Make sure that you know the difference.
There are three types of variables in science: independent variables (which are changed), dependent variables (which are measured) and control variables (which are kept the same).
A scientific enquiry refers to how a scientist answers a question. There are five types of scientific enquiry: observation over time, pattern-seeking, identifying/grouping/classifying, research and testing.
In Combined Science: Synergy, Working Scientifically is split into four sections. Each will provide you with the skills and knowledge to ace your exams!
1. Anne Marie Helmenstine, What Is a Variable in Science?, ThoughtCo, 2020
2. AQA, GCSE Biology: Required practical activities, 2015
3. AQA, GCSE Combined Science: Synergy Specification, 2019
4. AQA, Subject Specific Vocabulary, 2022
5. Diedre Ribbens, 10 real-world skills scientists bring to the workplace, ASBMB Today, 2017
6. St John Fisher Primary, Types of Scientific Enquiry, 2020
7. Steven J. Breckler, Public understanding of science, American Psychological Assocation, 2008
Thinking and working scientifically is a useful skill. It covers a variety of activities and will help you get extra marks during your exams.
The five main types of scientific enquiry are observation over time, pattern seeking, identifying/grouping/classifying, research, and comparative testing.
An experiment is reproducible if it is repeated by another person, and they obtain the same results. An experiment is repeatable if the original scientist carries out their experiment again, and they obtain the same results.
Working scientifically will help you achieve good grades in your exams. It will also provide transferable skills that are useful in later life.
No - scientific enquiry is the method that scientists use to answer their questions. Working scientifically comprises all the different activities that scientists do.
You can repeat your own experiment several times to determine repeatability. To determine reproducibility, let other people carry out your experiment.
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SIGNUP SIGNUPFlashcards in Working Scientifically107
Start learningAn experiment is considered repeatable. What does this mean?
If you were to perform the experiment again, you would get the same results.
What do valid results do?
Valid results answer the original question or prediction.
What is a variable?
A variable is a feature or quality that varies in an experiment.
This variable is changed by the researcher.
Independent variable
This unwanted variable is regulated to prevent it from influencing the results.
Control variable
Why are control groups used?
It can be difficult to regulate all control variables, especially in the field.
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