Year 9 Science · Unit 4 · Lesson 3

How Science Is Verified: Hypothesis Testing and Peer Review

Foundation Worksheet

Name

Date

Class

Learning Goals

Recall the cycle that builds trusted scientific knowledge: hypothesis, test, evidence, revise.
State what peer review and replication are and why each one matters.
Use key vocabulary: hypothesis, peer review, replication, retraction, established finding.

Warm Up

Match the term to its meaning

Draw a line from each term on the left to its correct meaning on the right.

Term

Hypothesis Peer review Replication Retraction Established finding

Meaning

Other teams repeating a study to check the same result appears A result supported by many studies over time, not just one A clear, testable prediction that evidence can support or challenge Withdrawing a published study because a serious error was found Independent experts checking a study before it is published

Your Turn

Fill the gap

Choose the correct word from the word bank to complete each sentence. Two words will not be used.

hypothesis evidence revise peer review replication retraction established opinion

Scientific knowledge is built by a repeating cycle. A scientist starts with a , which is a clear, testable prediction. They test it and collect through a fair investigation. They then their thinking, keeping what the data support. Before a study is published, independent experts check it in a process called . When other teams repeat a study to see if the same result appears, this is called . A result that is supported by many studies over time becomes an finding.

Order the Cycle

Number the steps 1 to 4

The cycle that builds trusted knowledge is shown out of order. Write 1, 2, 3 or 4 in each box to put the steps in the correct order.

Collect evidence (data) through a fair investigation [ ] Revise the idea, keeping what the data support [ ] Start with a clear, testable hypothesis [ ] Test the hypothesis [ ]

Show What You Know

1. What is a hypothesis? Write one example of a hypothesis.

Recall 2 marks

2. What is peer review, and why does it matter before a study is published?

Recall 2 marks

3. Why is one single study usually not enough to make a finding trusted science?

Recall 2 marks

Wrap Up

In one sentence, what was the main idea of this lesson?