§-Investigating Science syllabus

NSW · NESA← Investigating Science

Investigating Science syllabus, dot point by dot point

Every dot point in the NSW Investigating Science syllabus, in syllabus order, with a focused answer for each. Open any dot point for the answer, exam-style questions and links to related points.

Module 5: Scientific Investigations

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Inquiry Question 1: What initiates an investigation?

Develop and evaluate questions and hypotheses for scientific investigation

Inquiry Question 2: What type of methodology best suits a scientific investigation?

Conduct risk assessments and consider ethical issues, including the use of animals, plants and humans, in planning a scientific investigation

Plan investigations to ensure that they are valid and reliable, including the use of an appropriate experimental design with consideration of independent, dependent and controlled variables

Inquiry Question 3: How is the integrity of a scientific investigation judged?

Process, analyse and interpret quantitative and qualitative data, including identifying and accounting for sources of error and uncertainty

Plan, source and acknowledge primary and secondary data appropriate to the investigation

Evaluate scientific investigations and findings in terms of reliability, validity, accuracy and precision of data

Inquiry Question 4: What is the structure of an investigative report?

Communicate scientific understanding using suitable language and terminology, including the role of peer review and replication in confirming scientific findings

Module 6: Technologies

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Inquiry Question 1: How does technology contribute to scientific research and how do scientific advancements enhance technology?

Investigate how the development of a technology, for example wireless networking, has affected society and changed scientific practice

Investigate how technological developments have enhanced scientific research, including a research facility such as a nuclear reactor or synchrotron

Investigate how scientific knowledge has led to the development of a vaccine or therapeutic, including the contribution of Australian researchers

Investigate how technology has met a specifically Australian challenge, including the Royal Flying Doctor Service and its descendant telehealth

Investigate how scientific knowledge has led to the development of a technology, including a medical implant or assistive device

Inquiry Question 2: What is the impact of changing technology on the development of new ideas?

Investigate limitations of current scientific instrumentation and how these have constrained scientific inquiry, with reference to a specific field such as genetics or astronomy

Investigate how technology has influenced the development and acceptance of scientific ideas, including a case study of polymer banknotes or another Australian innovation

Module 7: Fact or Fallacy?

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Inquiry Question 1: How does science differ from pseudoscience and how is this related to authoritative scientific information?

Distinguish between scientific and pseudoscientific claims, identifying characteristics of each

Investigate how scientific consensus is established and how it has been challenged, using climate change as a case study

Investigate a pseudoscientific belief and evaluate the evidence for and against, including a complementary or alternative therapy

Inquiry Question 2: How do scientific claims become misinterpreted and how can scientific evidence be evaluated?

Identify common logical fallacies and cognitive biases that distort scientific claims, including ad hominem, appeals to authority and confirmation bias

Distinguish correlation from causation, identifying confounding variables and the criteria for establishing causation

Investigate a case where a scientific claim has been retracted, including the role of media in disseminating discredited claims

Evaluate the validity, reliability and accuracy of scientific evidence presented in claims, considering the hierarchy of evidence in medical research

Module 8: Science and Society

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Inquiry Question 1: How does society influence the focus of scientific research, and how does scientific research impact society?

Investigate how scientific evidence has shaped public policy in Australia, using case studies such as plain packaging, COVID-19 response, gun control or seatbelt laws

Investigate the relationship between Indigenous knowledge systems and Western science, including how they can complement each other

Investigate how international scientific bodies such as the IPCC translate science into policy advice, including the role of Australian contributions

Inquiry Question 2: Are there limits or boundaries to scientific research, and how are these determined?

Investigate how research ethics and the role of regulatory bodies, including the NHMRC, shape what scientific research can be conducted

Investigate the role of conflicts of interest in scientific research, including industry funding and the responsibilities of scientists to disclose

Inquiry Question 3: What are the responsibilities of scientists in regards to the communication and use of their research?

Investigate how scientific knowledge is communicated to the public, including the role of mass media, science journalists and expert bodies