A scientist reads relevant literature and designs her experiment. She repeats her experiment several times and collects an entire set of data every time. As compared to a single data set, the multiple data sets lead her to modified conclusions. How is skepticism important to the progress of science in this scenario?
Answer
A
It led her to incorporate new technology into the design of the experiment.
B
It led to the collection of the first data set.
C
It led to the collection of several complete data sets.
D
It helped with reading papers prior to the investigation.
Explanation
Scientific skepticism encourages a scientist to question whether a result is reliable rather than accepting one set of data as conclusive. By repeating the experiment and collecting several complete data sets, she could compare results and revise her conclusions based on stronger evidence. Thus, skepticism led to the collection of several complete data sets.
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