Interpreting Data:
Finding patterns or meaning not immediately apparent among sets of data that lead to the construction of inferences, predictions, and hypotheses. This process

• identifies a single pattern among objects within an experiment,
• uses accuracy to identify a single pattern among objects within an experiment, and
• uses accuracy to identify multiple patterns among objects.

Controlling Variables:
Identifying and selecting factors from variables which are to be held constant and those which are to be manipulated in order to carry out proposed investigation. This process involves managing

• one manipulative variable without holding others constant,
• several manipulative variables and holds at lease one variable constant, and
• several manipulative and constant variables at the same time.

Designing Experiments:
Planning data-gathering operations to determine results. This process involves

• collecting data through trial-and-error processes,
• testing questions and hypothesizing with an attempt to identify and control variables, and
• using organized, sequential plans to test hypotheses and to interpret results in measurable terms.

Inferring:
Providing explanations, reasons, or causes for events based on limited facts. Inferences are of questionable validity because they rely heavily on personal judgement. This process

• explains by making guesses
• explains using observable data, and
• explains using quantifiable observable data.

Defining Operationally:
Describing what works. This process

• explains how to measure variables in an experiment,
• states relationships between observed actions to explain phenomena, and
• explains relationships by generalizing to other events not observed.

Hypothesizing:
Tentatively accepting an explanation as basis for further investigation. Constructing generalizations that include all objects or events of the same class. The hypothesis must be tested if credibility is to be established. This process involves making

• statements based on opinions,
• statements based on simple sensory observations without explanations, and
• statements used to create concepts through explanations.

Formulating Models:
Describing or constructing physical, verbal, or mathematical explanations of systems and phenomena that cannot be observed directly. Models may be used in predicting outcomes and planned investigations. This process

• created one-dimensional explanations,
• creates multidimensional models, and
• creates scalar multidimensional explanations.