SOS 101 Lecture Notes - Lecture 4: Falsifiability, Testability
Document Summary
Hypothesis: an empirical statement, derived from a theory or model, which can be matched with or evaluated against data (measurements: testability: does the hypothesis make a claim that has empirical (observable, measurable) implications. Falsifiability: can the claim be refuted or shown to be false when matched with data. Variable: a property or characteristic or feature of a system or object or process which can be measured and which varies in some way. Measurement: assignment of a value to a variable. Qualitative (categorical: blond, brown, red, black (hair color, o, a, b, ab (for blood type) Quantitative (numerical: discrete: counted, 6, 6. 5, 7 (shoe size, continuous: measured, 120. 3, 145. 1, 161. 7 (weight) Data: a set of measurements (values) for a variable: data is collected for variables corresponding to a unit of observation, manner of collection must be transparent. Unit of observation: the unit (or entity of thing or phenomenon or process) which is observed or measured.
