11.1.3: Using science literacy
- Page ID
- 261549
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\(\newcommand{\avec}{\mathbf a}\) \(\newcommand{\bvec}{\mathbf b}\) \(\newcommand{\cvec}{\mathbf c}\) \(\newcommand{\dvec}{\mathbf d}\) \(\newcommand{\dtil}{\widetilde{\mathbf d}}\) \(\newcommand{\evec}{\mathbf e}\) \(\newcommand{\fvec}{\mathbf f}\) \(\newcommand{\nvec}{\mathbf n}\) \(\newcommand{\pvec}{\mathbf p}\) \(\newcommand{\qvec}{\mathbf q}\) \(\newcommand{\svec}{\mathbf s}\) \(\newcommand{\tvec}{\mathbf t}\) \(\newcommand{\uvec}{\mathbf u}\) \(\newcommand{\vvec}{\mathbf v}\) \(\newcommand{\wvec}{\mathbf w}\) \(\newcommand{\xvec}{\mathbf x}\) \(\newcommand{\yvec}{\mathbf y}\) \(\newcommand{\zvec}{\mathbf z}\) \(\newcommand{\rvec}{\mathbf r}\) \(\newcommand{\mvec}{\mathbf m}\) \(\newcommand{\zerovec}{\mathbf 0}\) \(\newcommand{\onevec}{\mathbf 1}\) \(\newcommand{\real}{\mathbb R}\) \(\newcommand{\twovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\ctwovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\threevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cthreevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\mattwo}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{rr}#1 \amp #2 \\ #3 \amp #4 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\laspan}[1]{\text{Span}\{#1\}}\) \(\newcommand{\bcal}{\cal B}\) \(\newcommand{\ccal}{\cal C}\) \(\newcommand{\scal}{\cal S}\) \(\newcommand{\wcal}{\cal W}\) \(\newcommand{\ecal}{\cal E}\) \(\newcommand{\coords}[2]{\left\{#1\right\}_{#2}}\) \(\newcommand{\gray}[1]{\color{gray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\lgray}[1]{\color{lightgray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\rank}{\operatorname{rank}}\) \(\newcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\col}{\text{Col}}\) \(\renewcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\nul}{\text{Nul}}\) \(\newcommand{\var}{\text{Var}}\) \(\newcommand{\corr}{\text{corr}}\) \(\newcommand{\len}[1]{\left|#1\right|}\) \(\newcommand{\bbar}{\overline{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bhat}{\widehat{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bperp}{\bvec^\perp}\) \(\newcommand{\xhat}{\widehat{\xvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\vhat}{\widehat{\vvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\uhat}{\widehat{\uvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\what}{\widehat{\wvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\Sighat}{\widehat{\Sigma}}\) \(\newcommand{\lt}{<}\) \(\newcommand{\gt}{>}\) \(\newcommand{\amp}{&}\) \(\definecolor{fillinmathshade}{gray}{0.9}\)You don’t have to be a career scientist to be able to research issues that are important to you, but knowing where to look for reliable information and being able to evaluate that information, as well as being able to find additional or differing information is essential. Dr. Google can give you a lot of search results, and so can library databases for that matter, but you will need to use the information evaluation skills you learned in module 6 to help you decide what information is best for your purposes and how to apply that information.
So how would you use science literacy in your daily life? We already engage with scientific information on a regular basis, probably without realizing it, including the simplest things like checking the weather on apps on our devices, inflating our car or bicycle tires with air with the appropriate level of air pressure, or understanding information in the news or in conversations about the effects of climate change or COVID-19, or astronomical phenomenon such as eclipses and the Northern Lights.
You might also have experience with a larger issue where science literacy has come in handy. For example, perhaps you noticed there are more floods in your neighborhood every time there is a heavy rain than there were 10 years ago. You also observed that your basement and neighbors’ basements or basement apartments were flooding more often than before. You may have wondered why this was happening, and may have come up with some possible explanations. Based on your observations and what you know about conditions in different parts of the city, you thought about moving to another neighborhood where you would not experience flooding to the same degree. Rather than picking up and moving your entire household, you may have investigated the experiences of people who live in other parts of the city, which ultimately helped you to decide to move. Or you may have discovered that the city just needed to clear the storm drains!
Notice that the flooding scenario involves the scientific method, even if it’s not stated clearly in the description above:
- Observe: You noticed increased flooding
- Ask a question: You wondered why this was happening, and what you could do about it
- Hypothesize: You theorized that flooding isn’t as severe in other parts of the city, for various reasons such as elevation, proximity to a large body of water, or how well the local sewer system has been maintained
- Make a prediction based on the hypothesis: You considered moving based on the idea that there would be less flooding in other neighborhoods that were farther from a river or lake
- Test the prediction: You researched other peoples’ experiences and local weather data from the last 10 years, analyzed the evidence, and used it to make a decision to move, as well as where to move to.
How will you apply science literacy in your everyday life?