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Inquiry in the Natural Sciences_HONS1133:Inquiry in the Social Sciences_HONS1131: Natural Sciences

course guide for honors course examining climate change from the social and natural sciences perspectives

Bitmoji image of female character sitting behind a lab desk with various chemistry flasks    What is Natural Science?

nat·u·ral sci·ence
/ˈˌnaCH(ə)rəl ˈsīəns/
noun
noun: natural science; plural noun: natural sciences
a branch of science that deals with the physical world, e.g. physics, chemistry, geology, biology.
the branch of knowledge that deals with the study of the physical world.

*Definition from Oxford Dictionary Online

 

Definition of natural science from merriam-webster.com
: any of the sciences (such as physics, chemistry, or biology) that deal with matter, energy, and their interrelations and transformations or with objectively measurable phenomena

Careers in Natural Sciences

  • Biological Technicians
  • Environmental Economists
  • Environmental Restoration Planners
  • Environmental Sciences and Protection Technicians, Including Health
  • Farm and Home Management Advisors
  • Forest and Conservation Technicians
  • Geographers
  • Industrial Ecologists
  • Materials Scientists
  • Middle School Teachers
  • Natural Sciences Manager
  • Park Naturalists
  • Precision Agriculture Technicians
  • Quality Control Analysts
  • Remote Sensing Scientists and Technologists
  • Secondary School Teachers
  • Soil and Water Conservationists
  • Sustainability Specialists

This list does not even tap the tip of the iceberg! You can also focus on the variety of skill sets that are learned when studying the Natural Sciences. These include: 

  • Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
  • Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
  • Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
  • Science - Using scientific rules and methods to solve problems.
  • Operation Monitoring - Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
  • Active Learning - Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
  • Complex Problem Solving - Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
  • Monitoring - Monitoring/Assessing the performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
  • Quality Control Analysis - Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.
  • Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.

Reading Scientific Literature

Parts of a Scholarly Article

Abstract

  • Just a summary of the article
  • Use the Abstract to quickly get an idea of what will be covered in the article

Thesis Statement/Introduction

  • Describes the problem the author is trying to solve
  • The thesis statement (or exact question being answered) will be in the Introduction
  • The Introduction will give a brief break down of the question, and what the author hopes to find.

Materials/Methods

  • Explanation of how the study was conducted and what was involved
  • Methods section will answer "what did the author do?"  & "who/what was it done to?"

Results

  • explains the outcome of the study
  • this section will answer "what happened?" or "what did the author find?"

Discussion/Conclusion

  • author compares findings to previous research, talks about any limitations, and suggests related areas to be studied
  • This section will interpret the results, suggest what comes next, and any reason the author feels the methods did not yield expected results.

References

  • contains all the articles, other works, the author cited in their article
  • Reference sections are a GREAT place to look for additional articles for your own papers!
Subjects: Biology