Biology Reference
In-Depth Information
CHAPTER
2
Application of the Scientific Method
t
o Skeletal Biolog
y
Elizabeth A. DiGangi, Megan K. Moore
It may seem obvious, but having an understanding of the scientific method before under-
taking a research project is the most important preliminary step. Many new graduate
students have a vague idea of where their interests lie and an even vaguer understanding
of the steps of the scientific method. This chapter is therefore designed as a review, as discus-
sing every aspect is beyond the scope of treatment here. The reader searching for additional
information should refer to the many different volumes that cover the subject in detail,
several of which are referenced herein. This chapter therefore will first outline what science
is and is not and in the process, demonstrate how different areas of science (e.g., anthro-
pology, medicine, chemistry, and so on) are connected to each other. Following this will be
an introduction to the scientific method with a subsequent section exploring how researchers
develop ideas. The chapter concludes with a case study to illustrate some of the points made.
INTRODUCTION TO SCIENCE
Science is the overall discipline that explores the natural world. It is divided into several
major divisions: the natural or physical sciences (e.g., chemistry, computer science), the life
sciences (e.g., biology, microbiology), the health sciences (e.g., medicine, pharmacology),
and the social sciences (e.g., anthropology, psychology). The natural world includes the
Earth, plants, animals, planets, atoms, elements, fossils, mountains, bacteria, DNA, human
bones, things we have created using naturally occurring components (e.g., plastic, glass),
and so on. In other words, the natural world consists of physical things
d
things that are
tangible or that can be physically measured or observed in some way. Science investigates
the natural world through inquiry, which is the search for unknown information. Scientists
pose questions about the natural world when they come across phenomena that seem to
pose a problem in some way. For example, “Can we see the effects of chronic obesity and
anorexia on the skeleton?” is a question resulting from the problem of expanding the biolog-
ical profile to include body mass estimation; and “Can we differentiate the effects of
