The definitions below will assist you in completing your assignments for SCI:214, STEM & the Scientific Mindset course.

Audience: The people who will be taking in what you are sharing. Your reader(s), your viewer(s), your listener(s).  

Bias: Showing preference, positive or negative, for an individual, group, or belief. This can be unconscious, or you may be aware of it (University of Pittsburgh, 2024).    

Citizen science: Public collaboration and or participation in the research process (National Geographic, n.d.).  

Civic engagement: Actions taken by an individual or a group to identify and address issues of public concern in order to improve their community (American Psychological Association, 2009).  

Collaboration: When individuals or groups work together to accomplish a common goal.  

Culture: A set of unspoken rules and customs shared among a group of people passed from generation to generation, shaping values, beliefs, and behaviors (Southern New Hampshire University [SNHU], 2024). 

Data: Information, like facts, numbers, and statistics, is collected for analysis or research. 

Data science: The use of statistics, math, and computing to extract knowledge and insights from data to solve real-world problems (Syracuse University, 2025). 

Data set: A collection of data.  

Data trend: A pattern found in a data set. 

Environmental justice: The effort to ensure that all people have equitable access to a healthy, sustainable, and resilient environment, and protection from environmental and health hazards (University of Michigan, 2026).  

Ethics: A set of guidelines based on morals and principles that govern personal and professional behavior.  

Equity: Equal access and opportunities, along with the elimination of barriers, prevent some groups from fully participating. It is an acknowledgment that historically underserved and underrepresented populations deserve fairness and justice to remedy systemic conditions that limit their opportunity and access (SNHU, 2024). 

Information gap: An area in existing research that has not been addressed.  

Rationale: Something that is based on sound logic and reason, or your reason for doing something.  

Relevance: Connected to the topic or appropriate for the situation.  

Reliability: The ability of a test, device, or tool to routinely or consistently produce the same results (McLeod, 2023).  

Scientific Community: Any network of scientists who collaborate with the purpose of advancing scientific knowledge.  

Social Justice: It is a concept in which equity or justice is achieved across every aspect of society, rather than only in some or for some people, and affords individuals and groups fair treatment (SNHU, 2024). 

STEM: The collaborative and applied study of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics, with the goal of increasing critical thinking skills. This means they are taught together in hands-on scenarios to help students apply their skills in the real world.  

Validity: If a test, device, or tool accurately measures what it is supposed to measure (e.g., does the scale accurately measure weight?) (McLeod, 2023).  

American Psychological Association. (2009). Civic engagement. https://www.apa.org/education-career/undergrad/civic-engagement  

McLeod, S. (2023). Validity in psychology research: Types and examples. Simply Psychology. https://www.simplypsychology.org/validity.html   

National Geographic. (n.d.). Citizen science. Retrieved on March 20, 2026, from https://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/citizen-science-article/  

Southern New Hampshire University. (2024). Key terms defined. https://libguides.snhu.edu/diversity/keyterms 

Syracuse University. (2025). What is data science? Definition, tools, techniques, & more. https://ischool.syracuse.edu/what-is-data-science/

University of Michigan. (2026). Environmental justice factsheet. https://css.umich.edu/publications/factsheets/sustainability-indicators/environmental-justice-factsheet  

University of Pittsburgh. (2024). Diversity, equity, and inclusion glossary. https://www.diversity.pitt.edu/education/diversity-equity-and-inclusion-glossary 

Virginia Department of Education. (2022). Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). https://www.doe.virginia.gov/teaching-learning-assessment/instruction/science-technology-engineering-mathematics  

Please note: Some formatting elements have been changed for accessibility purposes. Always refer to the APA Publication Manual for full formatting guidelines.