Derek Morton

Anthropology 1020

Melissa Shaefer

April 11, 2018

Signature Assignment Reflection

1. The scientific method is a strategy or procedure that has been developed within the scientific

community to test different theories and issues that exist within humanity. The scientific

method uses various steps to address issues, hypothesize, test, analyze, and draw conclusions

based on the data that is collected. Data- also known as empirical evidence- is the information

that is collected from testing the hypothesis. This data can come in different forms from

information that is collected from experimentation and observation.

2. Strengths and weaknesses of Natural Selection Lab Report and Analysis of Scientific Research

a. Natural Selection Lab

i. Strengths of this Lab include the information that I received from participating

in this activity. Being able to see how the different beaks affected the ability to

survive or thrive helped me to grasp the concept of how natural selection

affects populations. The work that I did helped me to visualize the concepts that

were taught. The graphs and data tables that are included are clear and concise.

I feel that the conclusion is also strong. It wraps all of the information and the

results into one easy-to-understand paragraph. As for the weaknesses, I feel like

there could have been more detailed information given about the background

of the project and a greater explanation of what evolution is and how it affects

different populations.
 ii. I feel that one of the strengths in the Analysis of Scientific Research includes

putting the difficult, hard-to-understand information into terms that are more

easily digested and understood by the reader. The argument at hand was that of

where Australopithecus afarensis belongs in the line of hominid evolution. Many

dispute afarensis is a common ancestor, and others claim that it can’t be a

hominoid because of its small brain and lack of tool development. It was

concluded, however, that afarensis is indeed a hominoid. One of the

weaknesses that could be improved in my opinion is going more in depth. I

found this assignment to be a little more difficult. The language and terminology

were a bit hard to decipher and interpret, and some of the details were omitted.

3. Throughout the semester, this class has helped me to see how the scientific method is used

within the field of physical anthropology. As mentioned above, the scientific method is

comprised of various steps and procedures to help scientists to test and analyze data that is

tested on a certain hypothesis. The first step includes coming up with a question that needs to

be answered. We could use, for example, the question of why does ice melt in the sun? After we

have identified the question we must create a hypothesis based on what we believe the answer

or explanation to be, i.e. the ice melts because the heat from the sun causes its temperature to

rise above 32* Fahrenheit. After creating a hypothesis, we must test our hypothesis using an

experiment or observation. We could measure the ambient temperature and the physical state

of the ice, for example. We collect the data for analyzation after the experiment. If we

determined that the ice does melt because of increased temperature, then we have drawn a

conclusion and we can publish our results. Simply put, the steps in the scientific method include

creating a question, creating a hypothesis, testing the hypothesis, analyzing data, drawing

conclusions, and making the information known.

4. The scientific method can be used in a variety of diverse ways and applications, not just

experimenting on scientific matters. I first thought of using it to hypothesize and analyze how a

workplace can become more productive. For example, one could make a hypothesis or theory as

to what can be changed to improve workflow. As experiments and data are performed and

collected, a conclusion can be drawn, and changes can be made. The scientific method can be

applied to just about anything that requires a problem to be solved.

5. The theory of evolution is the idea that organisms adapt and evolve through natural selection in

both the micro and macro levels. As organisms evolve, both their physical features and behavior

changes. Different evolutionary forces include natural selection, the founder’s effect, and

genetic drift. Different evolutionary patterns include branching, where one parent species gives

way to different sub-species. Another type is speciation, where an entirely new species is

created or derived from another.

6. The study of evolution has used the scientific method to determine many things. While it is

difficult to determine how everything has changed and evolved over millions of years, it is

relatively easy to use the scientific method when looking at microevolutionary patterns. In the

example of Darwin’s finches, we could look at how natural selection affected the birds.

Scientists could ask the question why certain birds had a higher survival rate than others. They

could then make the hypothesis that different shaped beaks are better suited for obtaining

food. As they experiment and observe, they can collect and analyze data. From that point, they

can make a solid conclusion based off of the results. For an example using human studies, we

could use the example of Australopithecus afarensis. It was first unclear whether this specimen

should have been classified as an earlier hominoid or not. The scientists hypothesized that it was

indeed an early member, so they conducted more research. As they tested the teeth and
 skeletal remains, they found that- despite having a small brain and not using any tools-

Australopithecus afarensis is indeed an early hominoid.

7. One question that I still have about the theory of human evolution concerns the line of derived

ancestors that we as Homo sapiens have. For example, who came before us, and before the

previous? I would like to see a clearly defined timeline of the history of human ancestors. To

find reliable answers, I could use the many resources that are given through the library system

at SLCC. Looking for peer-reviewed articles is always a very reliable source of information that is

valid and safe to use.