Scientific Method

For centuries, people based their beliefs on their interpretations of what they saw going on in the world around them without testing their ideas to determine the validity of these theories — in other words, they didn’t use the scientific method to arrive at answers to their questions. Rather, their conclusions were based on untested observations.

Before the Scientific MethodObservation: Every year in the spring, the

Nile River flooded areas of Egypt along the river, leaving behind nutrient-rich mud that enabled the people to grow that year’s crop of food. However, along with the muddy soil, large numbers of frogs appeared that weren’t around in drier times.

“Conclusion”: It was perfectly obvious to people back then that muddy soil gave rise to the frogs.

“It has often been said that the greatest discovery in science was the discovery of the scientific method of discovery.”

--Dr. James K. Feibleman, author of Scientific Method (1972)

Identify a ProblemBe specific

And, in order for the scientific method to answer the question it must be about something that you can measure, preferably with a number.

Form a HypothesisAlso known as an “educated guess”Use your background knowledge to help you

determine the hypothesisConstruct a Hypothesis: A hypothesis is an

educated guess about how things work:"If _____[I do this] _____, then _____[this]_____ will happen."

You must state your hypothesis in a way that you can easily measure, and of course, your hypothesis should be constructed in a way to help you answer your original question.

Research background InformationUse books, experts, internet, journals etc.Sometimes you will find the answer to your

question, because someone has already done an experiment

ExperimentMust have a control group and an

experimental groupThe experimental group can only have one

variable Manipulated vs responding variablesYou should also repeat your experiments

several times to make sure that the first results weren't just an accident.

Collect DataMake observations – technology used

Quantitative Qualitative Form Data Tables, charts, graphs

Form a ConclusionThe conclusion must be based upon the data

collected.If your conclusion supports the hypothesis

then it is called a “theory”Scientists often find that their hypothesis was

false, and in such cases they will construct a new hypothesis starting the entire process of the scientific method over again.

RetestThis will either reject the first conclusion, or

it may solidify it. If the theory is shown to be true for repeated experiments it will eventually be called a “Scientific Law”, also known as a fact.

Communicate Your Results!