Science is the knowledge we gain through observation and experiment. It is an evolutionary form of knowledge, meaning that scientific methods and conclusions improve over time. Since science has until now given humankind many inventions and discoveries, this modern age of ours depends primarily on scientific knowledge and research.
This article will outline the reasons as to why science students should be more conceptual.
Science is a complete system of knowledge. It tends to gain knowledge about the natural world through observing and conducting experiments. In any system of knowledge, learners ought to know its nature, scope and fundamental concepts. Likewise, in science, nobody can understand topics of higher complexity without having the knowledge of basic concepts. For example, if you do not know what Newton's laws are, you cannot proceed to learn more detailed concepts about motion in physics. Therefore, a student studying science at any level, whether intermediate or graduation, is supposed to be well aware of the concepts of science and how they can be used for researching further.
Like the rest of the world, many students in Pakistan study science at different levels. But a question strikes every sensible person: why developed countries are still ahead of us in respect of scientific progress?
Why Science Students Should be More Conceptual?
One of the reasons why we are left behind in the race of scientific development is that our science students are quite weaker in basic concepts. Lack of knowledge about the fundamentals of the scientific method and research caused the decline of science in our country. Moreover, we have failed to do any remarkable invention and mark a significant discovery.This article will outline the reasons as to why science students should be more conceptual.
Why you Should clear your concepts?
1. Science is a Complete System of Knowledge
If you believe in science like I do, you believe that there are certain laws that are always obeyed
Says renowned scientist Stephen Hawking.
Science is a complete system of knowledge. It tends to gain knowledge about the natural world through observing and conducting experiments. In any system of knowledge, learners ought to know its nature, scope and fundamental concepts. Likewise, in science, nobody can understand topics of higher complexity without having the knowledge of basic concepts. For example, if you do not know what Newton's laws are, you cannot proceed to learn more detailed concepts about motion in physics. Therefore, a student studying science at any level, whether intermediate or graduation, is supposed to be well aware of the concepts of science and how they can be used for researching further.
2. Scientific Knowledge is Evolving
The treasure of scientific knowledge improves over time. Science stimulates and broadens your mind to research even better than previous researches. It is, hence, an evolutionary form of knowledge. However, concepts are of that much value in science that you cannot propose anything entirely new; a student of science always has to seek help from already available knowledge. It is to say that although science evolves the very basic concepts still remain the same. For proposing a new hypothesis, one has to know how to conceptualize things. This method of conceptualization can only be learned by understanding the already available concepts.3. Scientific Knowledge is Relative
Science describes the natural objects and phenomena relatively. It means that to define or describe a single natural happening, one has to depend on the concepts about other related objects. The relative nature of knowledge requires you to have know-how about the related fields of your study. The conceptual study for science students is necessary to the extent that without it you cannot understand even a single topic of science. FSc students are, therefore, advised to study philosophy of science as well. The phrase "philosophy of science" might seem new to you, but it's really an interesting discipline, which tends to analyze the nature of scientific knowledge. To evoke your interest in the philosophy of science, we are quoting a renowned British mathematician, Bertrand Russell here.
He says:
They understood the concepts given by previous scientists. This understanding guided their interest in proposing new concepts. Likewise, as a student of FSc, if you are doing the conceptual study, you will most likely to propose even better ideas than those given before. Therefore, the conceptual study in any branch of science is the first step to become a great scientist.
Physics is mathematical not because we know so much about the physical world, but because we know so little; it is only its mathematical properties that we can discover.
4. Concepts Give Birth to Concepts
As said earlier, scientific knowledge is evolving. To be a good scientist, bear it in your mind that your understanding of concepts must be broader and effective. The conceptual knowledge of yours will allow you to think with greater clarity about the things. Moreover, concepts give birth to concepts. Many renowned scientists, whom you study theories of, were once just learners. What exalted them to the level of being a scientist was their understanding of concepts.They understood the concepts given by previous scientists. This understanding guided their interest in proposing new concepts. Likewise, as a student of FSc, if you are doing the conceptual study, you will most likely to propose even better ideas than those given before. Therefore, the conceptual study in any branch of science is the first step to become a great scientist.
5. Concepts are Helpful in Exams
Apart from its intellectual benefits, the conceptual study of science is also very helpful in attempting the exams. Most of the students in FSc fail because they just try to memorize the topics and give no attention to the understanding of concepts. I have written a separate post on why FSc students fail in exams. All educational boards of Pakistan, particularly the Federal Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education (FBISE), designs question papers in a way that your concepts are to be checked. Most of the time, an examiner tries to check how well you have understood the concepts. It is for this reason that papers include conceptual questions besides just definitions. We are writing down some of the conceptual questions that can be asked in your final exams of physics XI:
- Describe the scope of physics, in science, technology, and society.
- Explain why all measurements contain some uncertainty.
- Differentiate between precision and accuracy.
- Is there absolute rest in this universe?
- Define and explain the angular acceleration.
- How periodic waves are produced?
The above state questions are of such a nature that they cannot be answered unless you are aware of the background concepts of each. In every question, your ability to answer is being tested; the examiner is asking you to prove that you have the correct understanding of all these topics. We will try to guide you as to what concepts would you need to smash these questions:
For the first question, you must know the nature of physics, its scope, and its impact on the fields of science and on society in general.
For the second question, you need to know how things are measured and how our measurements always entail chances of inaccuracy.
For the third question, you must be able to distinguish precision and accuracy.
For the fourth question, you are supposed to justify your point as to whether the universe is static or not. In this respect, you have to assert and prove that the universe is in constant movement.
For the fifth question, your concepts of angular acceleration must be clarified.
For the sixth question, you ought to know what periodic waves are, their significance, and particularly the full process of their production.
Therefore, your maximum focus on the conceptual study will help you gain good grades in any science exam.
For the second question, you need to know how things are measured and how our measurements always entail chances of inaccuracy.
For the third question, you must be able to distinguish precision and accuracy.
For the fourth question, you are supposed to justify your point as to whether the universe is static or not. In this respect, you have to assert and prove that the universe is in constant movement.
For the fifth question, your concepts of angular acceleration must be clarified.
For the sixth question, you ought to know what periodic waves are, their significance, and particularly the full process of their production.
Therefore, your maximum focus on the conceptual study will help you gain good grades in any science exam.
6. Conceptual Study of Science is an Edge
The conceptual study is not the only trick to gain good grades in FSc but it also paves the way for your success ahead. Every student of FSc wishes to continue his studies in any graduate degree of science - let it be BS in Physics, Chemistry, Biology or MBBS or BS in Mechanical, Civil or Chemical Engineering. In all these degree programs, you can only perform brilliantly if you have studied each and everything conceptually in FSc. It is because all these degrees are to extend your previous concepts which you learn in FSc.
Many students even fail to make use of their degrees after completing it. Only because they have not spent much time on the conceptual study. Therefore, do not take scientific study for granted. Always try to learn concepts with interest.
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