Title: Scientific Reasoning - Planning Descriptive and Comparative Investigations | Texas Gateway
Headings: Scientific Reasoning - Planning Descriptive and Comparative Investigations
Scientific Reasoning - Planning Descriptive and Comparative Investigations
Descriptive Vs. Comparative Investigations
Making Observations
Reset
Making Inferences
Asking Well-Defined Questions

Content: Classification of leaves is an example of a descriptive investigation. Observing animal behavior in nature is another example. Descriptive investigations use careful observations and measurements to develop findings. Science journals, science logs, and field notebooks are some of the tools scientists use to gather information for descriptive investigations. Comparative investigations involve collecting data on different organisms/objects/features, or collecting data under different conditions (e.g., times of year, temperatures, locations) to make a comparison. In comparative investigations, scientists look for patterns or trends by comparing similarities and differences over time and under various circumstances. Identifying the boiling points of three different liquids, and using a hand lens to observe the external anatomy of 2 different insects are examples of comparative investigations. Descriptive Investigations
Comparative Investigations
Observations made about an organism, substance, reaction, or biological process
Collect quantitative and/or qualitative data
Include the following parts of scientific inquiry
Observations
Scientific Question
Procedure
Data, Graphs, Analysis
Conclusion
Example: How does an amoebae move? Comparing the effect of a variable on two or more groups
Includes all the parts of an experiment except the control group
Include the following parts of scientific inquiry
Observations
Scientific Question
Hypothesis
Procedure
Variables: