Science: Inquiry Practices and Core Content
The Science domain assesses scientific inquiry and core content in life, physical, and earth-space science. Items often present an experiment, data table, or graph and ask you to identify variables, interpret results, or apply a concept.
Core rules and concepts
- In an experiment, the independent variable is changed by the researcher; the dependent variable is measured; constants stay the same; a control group provides a baseline.
- An observation is information from the senses or instruments; an inference is an explanation based on evidence.
- Life science: food chains and webs show energy flow from producers to consumers; adaptations help organisms survive; cells are basic units of life.
- Physical science: matter has properties such as mass, volume, density, and state; forces change motion; energy forms include kinetic, potential, light, heat, and sound.
- Earth-space science: the rock cycle, plate tectonics, weather versus climate, and moon phases are common topics.
Worked example
A student gives identical plants different amounts of light and measures height after three weeks. Identify the variables. Reasoning: The amount of light is changed, so it is the independent variable. Height is measured, so it is the dependent variable. Plant type, soil, water, and container size are constants.
Traps that cost marks
Confusing a control group with a constant; labeling an inference as an observation; ignoring units on a data table; assuming correlation proves causation; and choosing a conclusion stronger than the data support.
Key points
Identify what was changed, measured, and held constant before answering.