Gene

Mathematics education

Guanine

Engineering

Ecology

Biology

Set (abstract data type)

Computer science

Code (set theory)

Management science

Nirenberg and Matthaei experiment

Genetics

Thymine

Test (biology)

Psychology

Source code

Nucleotide

Programming language

Engineering ethics

Science education

The American Biology Teacher

Bonner (2005) argued for the existence of two scientific methods, which he referred to as ‘‘method A’’ and ‘‘method B.’’ He described method A as the traditional approach, in which hypotheses guide the generation of predictions and the design of experiments to test them; hypotheses are supported or contradicted by comparing predicted results with observed results. In method B, hypotheses are generated only after collecting experimental data and serve to explain the data. In Bonner's view, recognizing that at least two scientific methods exist is relevant to teachers because many students lack the background knowledge needed to generate interesting hypotheses to test –– via method A. However, students can ask questions that can be answered through experimentation –– via method B. Thus, pedagogical progress can still be made.In support of the existence and usefulness of method B, Bonner (2005) cited the Nobel Prize––winning research that Marshall Nirenberg conducted in the early 1960s. According to Bonner, Nirenberg's research followed method B and asked this descriptive question: ‘‘What amino acid does UUU code for?’’ At that time, biologists thought that the DNA code consisted of four letters (adenine –– A, guanine –– G, cytocine –– C, and thymine –– T). They also thought that the DNA code was first translated into an RNA code, also with four letters, but with uracil –– U substituting for thymine –– T. Hence, an RNA code consisting of combinations of A's, G's, C's, and U's somehow coded for the production of proteins by somehow stringing the 20 or so amino acids together. According to Bonner's interpretation of Nirenberg's research, there were 20 possible answers to his descriptive question (e.g., UUU codes for valine, UUU codes for serine, UUU codes for phenylalanine, and so on). In Bonner's view, Nirenberg harbored no hypotheses and advanced no predictions …

How Many Scientific Methods Exist?