I have no idea what this means

[colemanwk]

The impact of science and how the scientific methods used in physical sciences and natural sciences as a whole. My professor is not very well fluent in English. All I need is a good interpretation of what this means. I have to write an 8 to 10 page report on this. Whatever the best interpretation is I will go with.

[Acme]

The impact of science and how the scientific methods used in physical sciences and natural sciences as a whole. My professor is not very well fluent in English. All I need is a good interpretation of what this means. I have to write an 8 to 10 page report on this. Whatever the best interpretation is I will go with.

It strikes me as asking for a report on how science has historically affected and influenced humans and the environment. You might use all positive examples, all negative examples, a mix of positive and negative examples, give positive and negative influences for each example, or just report facts without value judgments.

 

So a sample example: The teachings of Aristotle helped set the foundations of the scientific method as we know it today. He taught [something specific found in research] which led to [something else specific found in research] and these things resulted in [your conclusion from overall research].

 

So for an 8 to 10 page report you might choose 8 to 10 similar topics and write a page on each. Besides biographical subjects you might also cover specific technologies such as the wheel or nuclear power.

 

Good luck.

[barfbag]

I'd shorten that to read, "How has Scientific Method affected Science".

 

The "Scientific Method" is a well documented process for helping in establishing scientific fact.

 

See Wikipedia

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientific_method

 

Advances in all science (especially chemistry) now had a foothold into structure and gives our science roots.

 

Elements of it include: Forming a question, hypothesis, predictions, testing, observation.

 

I think to disagree with above poster as The Scientific Method did not exist (to our knowledge) whenever the wheel was developed.

 

The scientific Method is the outline of an experiment.

 

First Part: You form a question... Today we wonder if plants produce oxygen with sunlight.

Second Part: We Hypothesize... Maybe plants don't need sunlight to create oxygen.

Third Part: Predictions... We predict oxygen will come from a plant kept in dark with no sun.

fourth part: Testing... We place plant in airtight container with no access to light and we measure the Oxygen levels constantly.

Fifth Part: Analysis... The plant failed to produce oxygen while in the dark. This experiment failed using the Scientific Method.

 

Results must be repeatable.

 

 

So....

 

Anyways. I had to say this, hope it helps. Pick almost any experiments of the past 100 years as your topics

[colemanwk]

See that's the problem I'm having. His wording is highly open to interpretation because he just isn't very good at English. I could easily agree with both of you based off of what he gave me.

[Ophiolite]

So, tell him what your interpretation is and in broad outline what you intend to write and ask him if that will meet his requirement. Asking questions is a proven technique for acquiring answers.

[studiot]

Hello colemanwk, and welcome.

 

Ophiolite has given good advice, +1, you should be able to discuss this with your professor, I'm sure he will be happy to expand on his title.

 

Yes I agree that the English is unclear for a number of reasons.

But then you have not told us the context of the Question. That is in what subject, module or course is it set?

 

This is very important because of the wording.

 

Firstly you have stated methods in the plural. So I wonder if this is about the so called scientific method, or even any particular method since the meat of the question is about the impact not necessarily the method itself.

So for instance if this essay is for social history or ethics what about the ethics of the scientific methods employed by tha Nazis or Stalinist Russia?

Or perhaps you wish to go much further back in history.

The ancient Greeks were great scientists, but poor technologists and never built arches or great aqueducts for instance.

By contrast the Romans were poor scientists but great technologists, who applied the scientific knowledge of the Greeks.

 

Or perhaps you could discuss the change from religous based 'science' to observation based science in the renaissance.

Names like Galileo and Copernicus come to mind.

 

One final thougt, Cambridge University pioneered the term 'Natural Sciences' by which they mean the physical sciences.

 

https://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en-GB&source=hp&q=cambridge+natural+science+tripos&gbv=2&oq=cambridge+natural+science+tripos&gs_l=heirloom-hp.3..0j0i22i30l4.5109.18844.0.19344.32.19.0.13.13.0.219.2498.1j16j2.19.0....0...1ac.1.34.heirloom-hp..0.32.2981.tJ79Z5X69Dg

 

So you should clarify this with your professor. He may mean what is termed the 'life sciences'.

 

[jackwilson]

Oh its a good conversation going on here. Thanks for sharing the wiki link here.

[barfbag]

@ Opening Poster,

 

It would be fun if you gave us an update after the assignment is over and let us know what the intended meaning turned out to be.

 

I'm curious now.

 

Cheers.

 

[colemanwk]

To studiot: I am not exaggerating when I say he isn't great at English. This is actually a huge understatement and is the only reason why I have not inquired myself. I know this sounds messed up but he is so bad that I am not terribly worried about getting a bad grade because I have used his lack of English to my advantage previously. I came here to get opinions from those who are more knowledgeable than myself in this area so as to present this in front of the class without looking stupid.

Also this is just basic physical science so i do think the best approach would be a combination of the first two users thoughts on this. Also, my original post was his exact wording.

[studiot]

Thanks for the reply, presume your essay is now long sent in.

 

I wouldn't recommend playing politics with what is really your future knowledge base.

OK so your prof has poor English, but there are a great many very, very clever foreigners so better politics would be to find a way to get the best out of him. You would gain more this way in the long run.

 

Go well in your studies.