The iterative process of scientific research – from the collection of observations, review of prior research, analysis of data, modeling of various scenarios, and communication of findings – is important to convey in order to demystify the process of science and provide a context for how the research is relevant in our everyday lives. Because so few people know an active scientist (let alone a climate scientist), and many researchers do not communicate their research to non-technical audiences, it is important to help learners understand some of the basics of the work of climate scientists. These concepts are not unique to climate science; all areas of scientific research share common themes such as:

• How data is collected through a wide range of tools and techniques.
• How data is rigorously checked for quality and accuracy, and what scientists mean by "uncertainty" in the data they collect.
• How models are developed and fine-tuned, with outputs from various models to increase the accuracy of the models.
• Why "peer review" publications are such an important part of the scientific research process, even though these articles are usually very technical and often hard to understand by a non-expert.

An area of common confusion that educators, students and the public have is that climate scientists disagree as to whether or not climate change is happening, or if it is happening, whether or not humans are the primary cause. There are a variety of reasons for this, but the bottom line is the vast majority (~97.4%) of scientists who study climate and publish in peer-review journals do agree that human activity is altering the natural greenhouse effect and causing the planet to warm (see the article by Doran and Zimmerman in the references section). A related confusion is that most people don't understand how climate scientists know what they know, and this partially is because scientists aren't always good at communicating their research to non-technical audiences, and partially due to the way science is communicated in the media.

Another hurdle is the overall perception that science is overly challenging and that scientific understanding is out of reach for the general public. Thus, educators can take deliberate steps to illuminate how science works and how scientific research is relevant to society.

Source: Climate Literacy & Energy Awareness Network

The most direct method to overcome students' misunderstanding or phobia of science is to immerse them directly in an interesting and tangible scientific question. The process of engaging in science can be accessible to all grade levels and can be brought into the classroom with a variety of approaches. Whether in teams or as individuals, learners can become immersed in the inquiry process of research, observations, data analysis, synthesis and presentation that lies at the heart of all robust science.

Middle school students can practice the process of science and see examples of how data is used to reach a scientific conclusion. One activity that illustrates the scientific process is Using a Very, Very Simple Climate Model in the Classroom. Students can also follow blogs and field reports from real scientists who are dispatched to interesting locations to unravel compelling research questions.

In high school, students can examine data from a widespread area to see if national data matches up with their own observations of their local climate. See the US Historical Climate: Excel Statistical. To determine how changes in climate are measured both quantitatively and qualitatively, students can analyze tree ring and ice core data and review written and visual historical records.

At the introductory undergraduate level, students can engage in field projects, campus-based research, or service learning projects that conduct climate-based research. Alternatively, students can examine paleoclimate or proxy data to learn about how scientists use these types of data to uncover past climate history. For an example, see Climate and Civilization: The Maya Example.

Upper-level college students can take part in more in-depth research projects such as working with large datasets (such as with the Global Temperatures activity). Students can also use climate models to understand the process of modeling as well as to study the results from the model output.

Source: Climate Literacy & Energy Awareness Network

Examining the Scientific Consensus on Climate Change, P. Doran, M. Zimmerman. EOS, Transactions American Geophysical Union, 2009, vol. 90, no. 3, p. 22, 200. This article compares the consensus views of scientists and the general public on climate change.

Process of Science - This web resource contains 16 modules describing various aspects of scientific inquiry, data analysis, peer review, ethics and more.

RealClimate - Read real-time discussions of emerging climate science and policy, written by climate scientists.

Scientist at Work - A blog from the New York Times that provides a glimpse of the many challenges of conducting research in Antarctica.