The document discusses the significance of observation in scientific inquiry, emphasizing the role of the five senses in gathering data and making accurate observations. It differentiates between qualitative and quantitative observations, providing examples and stressing the importance of objectivity. Additionally, it highlights the need for training in observation skills to enhance scientific understanding.

1. SCIENTIFIC INQUIRY
TOPIC 2
Scientific Observation

2. 2
OBJECTIVES
Recognize observation as the most basic skill in
science
Identify the senses and their roles in observation
Identify types of observation
You should be able to:

3. 3
Observation

4. 4
OBSERVATION

5. WHY OBSERVATION?

6. • Scientists generally begin by making an observation.
• They explore and collect information with their
senses (smell, sight, sound, touch, and taste) and ask
a question that they would like to answer.
• Senses have big role in the observation
Observatio
n
SCIENTIFIC INQUIRY METHOD

8. The 5 sense organs in our body are EYES, TONGUE,
NOSE, EARS and SKIN. These sense organs help us
to see, taste, smell, hear and touch.

9. Eyes
• We see with our eyes.
Our eyes enables us to
see the world around us.
• Our eyes act like a
camera. They detect
moving images and colours
and sends it to the brain.
• The brain then tells us
what we see.

10. Nose
• We breathe through our
nose.
• We also smell different
things around us with the
help of our nose.
• The brain tells us whether
the smell is pleasant or not.
• The two holes in your nose
are called nostrils.

11. Skin
• The skin is the outer
covering of our body.
• It protects the internal
organs, bones and
muscles of our body.
• The skin helps us to feel
by the sense of touch.
• The skin is the largest
organ in the human
body.

12. Ears
• We hear with the help of
our ears.
• Sounds reach our ears as
vibrations.
• They receive different
kinds of sounds and send
messages to our brain.
• The brain tells us what we
hear and where the sound
comes from.

13. Tongue
• The tongue helps us to
speak and taste
things.
• There are taste buds
in the tongue, which
help us to decide
whether something is
salty, sour, sweet or
bitter.

14. What senses are you using to make these
observations?
• a green chalkboard
• a bell ring
• Smoke
• a sour lemon
• a smooth desktop
• sight
• hearing
• smell
• taste
• touch

15. Information gathered
from observations is
called evidence, or data.

16. Making and recording
observations is the
most basic skill in
science !!!

17. Make accurate objective observations to tell exactly what your senses tell you.
-Use measurement of some sort.
- Avoid opinions and being bias.
-No usage of words like cute, nice, hefty awesome etc

18. Accurate and Objective?
• Half the class was late.
• The friendliest people were there
first.
• Sixteen students were present for
roll call, and five other students
arrived afterward.
• not accurate
• not objective
• accurate and objective

19. Observations can be either qualitative or
quantitative
• Quantitative: include numbers and often using tools to
measure standard units.
• E.g: current weather is 36 degree, The needed amount of liquid
to be catalyst of an experiment is 15ml, 15% of students from
the overall no. of student enrolled are absent.
• Qualitative: reporting colors, smells, tastes, textures, or sounds.
• E.g: The smell is pungent, the surface textures are rough, the
sound is sometimes vibrated and sometime clear.

20. Which one... qualitative or quantitative?
• The classroom walls are yellow
• The classroom floor is shiny.
• There are 21 students in the room
• The chalkboard is 1 meter high and 2
meters wide.
• Qualitative
• Qualitative
• Quantitative
• Quantitative

21. List the five senses, then write observations you’ve
made today using your senses.
SENSES OBSERVATION QUALITATIVE OR
QUANTITATIVE

22. SENSES AND OBSERVATION
Observation or awareness is taken for granted as a natural
function; neither its accuracy nor deeper significance being
questioned.
If someone asks us: “Who is seeing through your eyes?,”
we promptly reply: “I am.”
Few stop to ask themselves further: “Who is seeing through ME?”
(Rose, 1979c, p. 5).

23. SENSES AND OBSERVATION
(Rose, 1979c, p. 5).
“We don’t see with our eyes, we only see with our
mind” (lecture, 1986).

24. It’s not only are our SENSES and NERVOUS
SYSTEMS receive and process information about our
experiences in the world but the MIND that is the real
recipient of this input
Mind
Nervous
Systems
Senses
SENSES AND OBSERVATION

25. Three Ways to MASTER the Art of OBSERVATION
LIST
THREE(3)
POINTS
THAT
YOU GET
FROM
THE
VIDEO

26. OBSERVATIONS
When I turn on a flashlight using the on/off switch, light
comes out of one end.
What makes light come out of a flashlight
when I turn it on?

27. LEARN THE ART OF OBSERVATION
The whole art of medicine is in observation… but to
educate
• the eye to see,
• the ear to hear and
• the finger to feel takes time, and to make a beginning,
to start a man on the right path, is all that you can do.
Source: William Osler. “The Hospital as a College” Aequanimitas. 1914:332

28. - END -