Scientific Methodology

noun agreement or harmony; conformity

preposition in accordance with (in agreement with)

• The contract was executed in accordance with the agreed terms and conditions.
• Let's make sure we do everything in accordance with the rules.
• We gotta do this thing in accordance with the boss's orders.
• The dancers moved in perfect accordance with the music, creating a mesmerizing performance.

noun a record or statement of financial transactions

verb to explain or justify something

preposition used to indicate the cause or reason for something

• In order to complete the financial report, we need to account for all expenses incurred during the project.
• Make sure you account for all the snacks you ate from the pantry.
• I didn't account for how much money I would spend on concert tickets.
• The scientist needed to account for the variable factors in the experiment to ensure accurate results.

verb to give reasons or cite evidence in support of an idea, action, or theory, typically with the aim of persuading others to share one's view

• The lawyers will argue their case in court tomorrow.
• I heard Sarah and Tom arguing about politics at the party last night.
• Why are you always arguing with me about everything?
• The two sides of my conscience constantly argue over what is right and wrong.

verb to take or begin to have power or responsibility

adjective used to describe something that is accepted as true without proof

• The scientist assumed that the results of the experiment would support her hypothesis.
• I just assumed you would be coming to the party tonight.
• Don't assume things, just ask if you're not sure.
• She assumed the role of team leader with ease.

adverb modifying a verb, adjective, or other adverb to indicate time, place, manner, or degree

preposition a word that shows the relationship between a noun (or pronoun) and other words in a sentence

• The results of the two studies were at variance with each other.
• Their opinions were at variance so they couldn't agree on a solution.
• Their tastes in music were totally at variance - they couldn't agree on a single song.
• Their paths in life were at variance, leading them in different directions.

verb to be supported or confirmed by evidence or facts

• The data presented in the report has been carefully analyzed and the conclusions have been borne out by further research.
• I told you the movie was going to be good, and my prediction was borne out when we watched it.
• I knew my team was going to win the game, and my confidence was borne out when they scored the winning goal.
• Her suspicions about her friend's intentions were borne out when she discovered the truth about their betrayal.

noun a person or thing that gives rise to an action, phenomenon, or condition

verb to make something happen; to bring about a result or effect

• The primary cause of the issue was a lack of proper communication within the team.
• The cause of the problem was that nobody was paying attention.
• The cause of all the drama was just a bunch of gossip.
• His reckless driving was the cause of his own downfall.

noun a consideration or estimate of the similarities or dissimilarities between two things or people

adjective relating to the act of comparing or the process of being compared

• The report includes a detailed comparison of the two financial quarters.
• I made a quick comparison between the two laptops before making a decision.
• I did a side-by-side comparison of the two phones to see which one is better.
• In the grand comparison of life, material possessions hold little value.

verb to establish the truth or correctness of something

adjective having been verified or made certain

• The company confirmed the new partnership agreement.
• I confirmed with my friend that we are still meeting for lunch tomorrow.
• I double-checked and my suspicions were confirmed.
• The results of the experiment confirmed our hypothesis.

noun a statement or assertion that is the opposite of another statement

verb to assert the opposite of a statement or belief

• The witness's testimony seemed to contradict the evidence presented by the prosecution.
• She always seems to contradict herself whenever we have a discussion.
• I can't believe he contradicted his own statement just to impress his friends.
• Her actions contradict her words, showing a lack of sincerity.

noun A word that represents a person, place, thing, or idea. In this case, 'thought' is a noun that refers to a mental process or idea.

adjective A word that describes or modifies a noun. In this case, 'deep' is an adjective that describes the intensity or profoundness of the thought.

• After much deep thought, the philosopher came to a profound conclusion about the nature of existence.
• I was lost in deep thought when suddenly my friend snapped me out of it by asking if I wanted to grab lunch.
• I was in some deep thought about my future career path, but then I got distracted by cat videos on the internet.
• As she stared out into the horizon, her mind was in deep thought, pondering the mysteries of the universe.

adjective a word that describes or modifies a noun or pronoun, in this case, 'definitive' describes something that is authoritative or conclusive

• The committee reached a definitive conclusion after reviewing all the evidence.
• I think we can finally say that this is the definitive answer to our question.
• That movie is the definitive best of the year, hands down.
• Her smile was the definitive sunshine on a cloudy day.

verb to obtain or receive from a source or origin

• Scientists derive conclusions from carefully conducted experiments.
• We can derive some useful information from this data.
• I'm trying to derive some fun out of this boring situation.
• She was able to derive strength from her past experiences.

verb to be unlike or dissimilar; to vary in opinion or belief

• The two theories differ in their approach to solving the problem.
• Their opinions differ on which movie is the best.
• Me and my friends always differ on where to eat for dinner.
• Their personalities couldn't be more different, they differ like night and day.

noun a fact or argument that proves something to be false or incorrect

• The scientist presented solid evidence as a disproof of the previous theory.
• She totally shut down his argument with that disproof.
• He dropped the mic with that disproof!
• Her disproof was like a wrecking ball to his argument.

noun the branch of philosophy that deals with the nature, origin, and scope of knowledge

• Epistemology is the branch of philosophy concerned with the nature and scope of knowledge.
• I find epistemology to be a fascinating subject because it deals with how we know what we know.
• Epistemology is like trying to figure out how we can be sure about stuff.
• Exploring epistemology is like diving deep into the ocean of knowledge to understand its depths.

noun the quality of being accurate, precise, or correct

• The scientist emphasized the importance of measuring with exactness in order to obtain accurate results.
• Make sure you follow the recipe with exactness if you want the dish to turn out right.
• She nailed the dance routine with such exactness, it was like she was born to perform.
• His attention to detail and exactness in his work set him apart from his colleagues.

noun the act of dividing something into two equal parts

verb the action of dividing something into two equal parts

• The company announced a halving of its workforce in order to cut costs.
• I heard they're halving the prices at the store next week.
• We're halving the workload for the project so it's more manageable.
• The artist's halving of colors in the painting created a striking visual effect.

noun a statement, result, or decision that is inconclusive

adjective not leading to a definite conclusion; not conclusive

• The results of the experiment were inconclusive, requiring further analysis.
• The test didn't give a clear answer, it was inconclusive.
• The whole situation was a bit of a mess, totally inconclusive.
• Her emotions were a whirlwind, leaving her thoughts inconclusive.

noun the quality of being infallible; inability to make errors

• The doctrine of papal infallibility states that the Pope is incapable of error when speaking ex cathedra.
• Some people mistakenly believe in the infallibility of their favorite celebrities.
• Don't trust him too much, he's not infallible.
• She held onto the belief in the infallibility of love, despite her past heartbreaks.

adjective a word that describes or modifies a noun or pronoun, in this case 'preclusive' describes something that prevents or excludes something else

• The preclusive nature of the evidence rendered any further discussion unnecessary.
• Her preclusive attitude towards new ideas often hindered collaboration in the team.
• Don't be so preclusive, give it a chance!
• The looming deadline acted as a preclusive force, pushing us to work faster.

noun evidence or argument establishing a fact or the truth of a statement

verb to demonstrate the truth or existence of something by providing evidence or argument

• The scientist presented irrefutable proof of his groundbreaking discovery.
• I need some proof that you actually did your homework.
• She showed me the receipts as proof that she was telling the truth.
• His success in the competition was the ultimate proof of his dedication and hard work.

verb to demonstrate or establish the truth or accuracy of something

• The research study proved that there is a direct correlation between exercise and mental health.
• She proved everyone wrong by finishing the marathon despite her injury.
• He proved he's got skills on the basketball court.
• Her dedication to the project proved to be the key to its success.

noun a belief or theory that opinions and actions should be based on reason and knowledge rather than on religious belief or emotional response

• Rationalism is a philosophical belief that reason is the primary source of knowledge and truth.
• Some people believe in rationalism, which means they rely on logic and reason to understand the world.
• Rationalism is all about using your brain to figure things out.
• In a world full of chaos, rationalism serves as a guiding light to make sense of things.

adjective characterized by or involving reduction; serving to simplify or make something seem less complex or complicated

• The scientist argued that the reductive approach oversimplified the complexity of the issue.
• Don't be so reductive in your thinking, there's more to it than that.
• Stop being so basic, you're being too reductive.
• Her reductive view of relationships as purely transactional was limiting her ability to connect with others.

verb to eliminate or exclude something as a possibility

preposition used together to indicate the action of eliminating or excluding something

• In order to make an accurate diagnosis, we must rule out all other possible causes of the symptoms.
• Before jumping to conclusions, let's rule out any other explanations for what happened.
• I wouldn't rule out the possibility of us winning the game tonight.
• Don't rule out the idea of starting your own business just because it seems challenging at first.

noun the act of supposing

• The experiment was based on the supposition that all variables would remain constant.
• I made the supposition that she would be late, and I was right.
• I'm working off the supposition that we'll get free food at the event.
• His whole argument was built on the shaky supposition that everyone would agree with him.

adjective describing something that has not been altered or influenced in a negative way

• The data from the experiment remained uncorrupted throughout the entire process.
• The file is still uncorrupted, so we can use it for our presentation.
• I made sure to keep the original document uncorrupted by any changes.
• Her uncorrupted spirit shone brightly in a world filled with deceit.

adjective describing something that has not been proven or supported by evidence

• The claim made by the witness was deemed unsubstantiated by the court.
• I heard an unsubstantiated rumor about the new project at work.
• Don't believe everything you hear, it's probably just unsubstantiated gossip.
• Her dreams of becoming a famous singer were ultimately unsubstantiated.

noun a word that represents a person, place, thing, or idea

verb a word that expresses an action or state of being

preposition a word that shows the relationship between a noun or pronoun and other words in a sentence

• The company's growth strategy accounts for its recent success in the market.
• Her dedication to studying hard accounts for her good grades.
• His smooth talking accounts for why he always gets what he wants.
• The missing piece of the puzzle finally accounts for the whole picture.

noun a method or approach that is created or adapted for a specific purpose or situation, often without consideration for long-term implications or consequences

• The company's decision-making process was plagued by ad hocism, resulting in inefficiency and inconsistency.
• We need to stop the ad hocism and come up with a solid plan for the project.
• Let's ditch the ad hocism and get our act together.
• Ad hocism is like trying to build a house without a blueprint - it's chaotic and ineffective.

noun a Latin phrase meaning 'argument from ignorance', a logical fallacy where a proposition is assumed to be true because it has not been proven false

adverb in a way that relates to the logical fallacy of argument from ignorance

• The argumentum ad ignorantiam fallacy occurs when someone claims something is true simply because it hasn't been proven false.
• Don't fall for the ad ignorantiam fallacy - just because we don't know something doesn't mean it's automatically true.
• People who use ad ignorantiam arguments are basically saying 'I don't know, therefore I'm right.'
• She relied on ad ignorantiam to defend her position, refusing to consider any evidence to the contrary.

verb to allow or permit

preposition a word used before a noun or pronoun to show its relationship with other words in a sentence

• The policy admitted of no exceptions.
• The rules admitted of some flexibility.
• The plan admitted of a few workarounds.
• Her argument admitted of no rebuttal.