Scientific Habits of Mind

Science is more than a mere collection of facts or ideas; it is a unique way of knowing that implies a particular manner of thinking and acting on the world. Scientific habits of mind describe the essential thinking skills which serve as tools for both formal and informal learning in science and for life-long participation in society. The four major Habits of Mind are Problem Solving, Reasoning, Communication, and Making Connections.

Problem Solving

Problem solving is a broad term encompassing many kinds of scientific inquiry. In some cases scientists ask questions, make accurate observations, collect and interpret data, and draw conclusions from their data. For example, an animal behaviorist can find out about how a particular organism reacts to stimuli by setting up a controlled experiment and making deductions from the results. This process, called experimenting, is sometimes considered the dominant way by which scientists find out about the natural world. Whether this is true or not (and this often depends on the particular scientific discipline), experimenting is certainly one of the most important aspects of scientific problem solving. Experimenting is most often recursive in nature; it is not a one-time activity. In a word, scientists often perform an experiment and get inconclusive results or even discover errors in their procedures, which then lead them to try again, to attempt to get more accurate, reliable, or valid data upon which to base conclusions. This process is not dissimilar to how students learn how to play safely in their own neighborhood.

Yet other types of scientific inquiry are based on the processes of observation and inference. Naturalists often identify new species of plants and animals not through experimentation, but rather through the power of observation. Theoretical physicists often create and build models, and using their powers of inference to learn about physical systems. Likewise, paleontologist can make inferences about the environment of an ancient organism based on associated plant fossils. In each of these cases, however, scientists are solving problems by applying scientific problem-solving techniques.

Reasoning

Reasoning is closely related to problem solving, and stresses the use of data and logic to draw conclusions, create interpretations, and make decisions. Reasoning is used in all aspects of science. As field geologists observe a rock outcrop, they must decide whether the outcrop is a significant aspect of the field map being produced. To do so, they must reason from both textbook and practical knowledge as well as their experience. Likewise, animal behaviorists use reasoning throughout their experiments. Is the procedure accurate? Does the data look reasonable? Are there any variables left uncontrolled? Without applying reasoning abilities, no scientist (or intelligent being for that matter!) could accomplish much.

Communication

Communication involves the sharing of data, observations, results, and interpretations via graphic representations and the written and spoken word. No one scientist can know or understand everything. Thus communication becomes a critical habit of mind for sharing information. Scientists communicate orally in person, by using the phone and other technology, and by attending professional meetings at which their work can be shared. They also communicate through journals, magazines, books, and other print materials. Recently, communication has become increasingly technological. Scientists create, share, and use large databases; they communicate using their computers and through interactive television. Regardless of the medium, however, regular and accurate communication is a key component of scientific advancement.

Making Connections

Making connections emphasizes how ideas in science are related to each other and to other experiences in the formal educational setting and most importantly to everyday life experiences. The traditional disciplines of biology, chemistry, physics, and earth science are divisions created by scientists that allow for in-depth focus on a particular aspect of science. Yet these divisions by their very nature limit thinking. Making connections also implies the use of universal scientific process skills, laboratory techniques, and reasoning not only within all scientific disciplines but in other fields as well. Scientifically literate individuals can apply these skills in many situations and often apply scientific processes to solve daily problems. This habit of mind is also particularly important in solving real-world problems that overlap traditional scientific boundaries. For example, architectural engineers attempting to achieve the best acoustical qualities when designing an auditorium must understand the physics of sound. Likewise, someone trying to improve the quality of paint for use by artists must know about how the human eye and brain interact to perceive color. These connections to other disciplines are critical to most successful science in today's world.