Scientific Scientific MethodMethod

You may take your notes any way that You may take your notes any way that you would like on the Cornell Notes you would like on the Cornell Notes papers, but you MUST take them.papers, but you MUST take them.

What is it?What is it?

A systematic approach A systematic approach to problem solvingto problem solving

It’s applied to ALL It’s applied to ALL Scientific investigations!Scientific investigations!

The 8 Steps are:The 8 Steps are:

State the Problem State the Problem ResearchResearchForm a hypothesisForm a hypothesisDesign and conduct experiment(s) Design and conduct experiment(s) to test the hypothesis.to test the hypothesis.Record & Analyze Data/ResultsRecord & Analyze Data/ResultsState a conclusionState a conclusionReflection – Repeat/RedesignReflection – Repeat/RedesignReport – peer reviewReport – peer review

State the ProblemState the Problem

What question What question

do you want to do you want to

answer?answer?

You do not have You do not have

to reinvent the to reinvent the

Wheel!Wheel!

ResearchResearchUse various resources to inform Use various resources to inform yourself about the parts of your yourself about the parts of your investigationinvestigation

You must educate yourself about your You must educate yourself about your investigation so you can make an investigation so you can make an “educated guess” to test“educated guess” to test

Develop a HypothesisDevelop a Hypothesis ““educated guess”educated guess”

It proposes an answer to your It proposes an answer to your question or a solution to your question or a solution to your problemproblem

what you are testing what you are testing

Example using 1Example using 1stst 3 3 steps…steps…

Problem: The car won’t startProblem: The car won’t start

Research: How can we investigate this Research: How can we investigate this problem?problem?

Hypothesis: what is your educated Hypothesis: what is your educated guess?guess?

ExperimentExperiment

You must design and perform an You must design and perform an experiment that will test your experiment that will test your hypothesishypothesis

You must be able to identify your You must be able to identify your variablesvariables

VariablesVariablesIndependent

VariableThe thing that is

being changed by you-that you are

manipulating

There can only be ONE changed

variable

Dependent Variable

The “thing” that responds to what you have changed or manipulated

This is the thing you are measuring

Constant VariableConstant VariableThese are the things that stay the same These are the things that stay the same throughout the investigation or throughout the investigation or experimentexperiment

Since you can only have Since you can only have one changed one changed variablevariable everything else must stay the everything else must stay the samesame

Back to the Car . . .Back to the Car . . .

Possible hypothesisPossible hypothesis: If gas is put into : If gas is put into the car, the car will start.the car, the car will start.

What is the manipulated or changed What is the manipulated or changed variable?variable?

What are some constant variables?What are some constant variables?

What is the responding variable?What is the responding variable?

Results: Record and Results: Record and Analyze DataAnalyze Data

Data includes the measurements and/or Data includes the measurements and/or observations that you made about your observations that you made about your responding variableresponding variable

you must determine what type of data you must determine what type of data you will collect….you will collect….

Types of DataTypes of DataQuantitativeQuantitative

Observations that Observations that measure such measure such things as size, things as size, weight, distance, weight, distance, volume etc.volume etc.

This observation This observation uses a uses a numbernumber

QualitativeQualitative

Observations that Observations that describe using describe using details such as size, details such as size, color, shapecolor, shape

They They do notdo not use use numbersnumbers

ExamplesExamplesQuantitativeQuantitative

I am 5’3”I am 5’3”

He wears a size 12 He wears a size 12 shoeshoe

The gas tank holds 18 The gas tank holds 18 gallonsgallons

There are 100 There are 100 classrooms in this classrooms in this schoolschool

Qualitative

Jane has blond hair

The walls are white

Oranges are round

Jack is older than Jane

Which one is moreWhich one is moreuseful ?useful ?

Why?Why?

ConclusionConclusion

This should be your BEST This should be your BEST explanation for your observationsexplanation for your observations

Your conclusion should answer “what Your conclusion should answer “what happened?” and “why did it happen?”happened?” and “why did it happen?”

ReflectionReflectionHow could you make your experiment How could you make your experiment better? Provide details in your better? Provide details in your experimental design?experimental design?

What would you change if you were to do What would you change if you were to do the experiment again?the experiment again?

Remember: Remember: A single experiment never A single experiment never “proves” a hypothesis - it only “supports” “proves” a hypothesis - it only “supports” or “does not support” the hypothesisor “does not support” the hypothesis

Let’s Apply What You’ve Let’s Apply What You’ve LearnedLearned

Are You ready? Are You ready?

Start your Brains.Start your Brains.

Apply what you’ve Apply what you’ve learned. . . .learned. . . .To test whether aspirin can keep flowers To test whether aspirin can keep flowers

fresher for a longer period of time, take two fresher for a longer period of time, take two large beakers (labeled A and B) with equal large beakers (labeled A and B) with equal amounts of water. Place one red carnation in amounts of water. Place one red carnation in each beaker. In beaker A, put one tablet of each beaker. In beaker A, put one tablet of aspirin. In beaker B do not put aspirin. Identify aspirin. In beaker B do not put aspirin. Identify the following in regard to this particular the following in regard to this particular experiment.experiment.

Identify the Independent VariableIdentify the Independent VariableAmount of WaterAmount of Water AspirinAspirinCarnationsCarnations Time the flowers Time the flowers

stay freshstay fresh

Apply what you’ve Apply what you’ve learned. . . . .learned. . . . .To test whether aspirin can keep flowers To test whether aspirin can keep flowers

fresher for a longer period of time, take two fresher for a longer period of time, take two large beakers (labeled A and B) with equal large beakers (labeled A and B) with equal amounts of water. Place one red carnation in amounts of water. Place one red carnation in each beaker. In beaker A, put one tablet of each beaker. In beaker A, put one tablet of aspirin. In beaker B do not put aspirin. aspirin. In beaker B do not put aspirin. Identify the following in regard to this Identify the following in regard to this particular experiment. particular experiment.

What is the Dependent Variable?What is the Dependent Variable?

Amount of waterAmount of water Size of BeakersSize of Beakers

Size of CarnationsSize of Carnations Time flowers stay freshTime flowers stay fresh

Apply what you’ve learned. . . .Apply what you’ve learned. . . .

““If the amount of sunlight available If the amount of sunlight available increases, the rate of photosynthesis in a increases, the rate of photosynthesis in a plant will also increase.”plant will also increase.”

This statement is an example of a(n):This statement is an example of a(n):

ConclusionConclusion PurposePurpose

AnalysisAnalysis HypothesisHypothesis

Apply what you’ve learned. . . .Apply what you’ve learned. . . .

The effect of one minute of walking and The effect of one minute of walking and one minute of running on the pulse and one minute of running on the pulse and respiration rates of a human.respiration rates of a human.

SpeedSpeed TimeTime

Pulse & Respiration RatesPulse & Respiration Rates Walking & Walking & RunningRunning

Apply what you’ve learned. . . .Apply what you’ve learned. . . .

If you were doing research on the deadly If you were doing research on the deadly E-bola virus, which resource in the library E-bola virus, which resource in the library would give the most current information?would give the most current information?

InternetInternet BookBook

World Book EncyclopediaWorld Book Encyclopedia Readers Readers GuideGuide

Apply what you’ve Apply what you’ve learned. . . .learned. . . .

The effect of one minute of walking and one The effect of one minute of walking and one minute of running on the pulse and minute of running on the pulse and respiration rates of a human.respiration rates of a human.

In this experiment, what are the Controlled In this experiment, what are the Controlled Variables?Variables?

SpeedSpeed TimeTime

Pulse & Respiration RatePulse & Respiration Rate Walking & Walking & RunningRunning

Apply what you’ve Apply what you’ve learned. . . .learned. . . .A student plants one marigold seed into each of A student plants one marigold seed into each of

three pots. One pot she uses soil from a flower three pots. One pot she uses soil from a flower bed outside her house, one pot she plants with bed outside her house, one pot she plants with soil from a garden store, and one she plants into soil from a garden store, and one she plants into rocks. She uses a pitcher and waters each seed. rocks. She uses a pitcher and waters each seed. She puts a pot on the window sill of her kitchen, She puts a pot on the window sill of her kitchen, one under the grow lights on her porch and one one under the grow lights on her porch and one in a bag. She waits three days and makes her in a bag. She waits three days and makes her first observation.first observation.

This not a well prepared experiment, on a sheet This not a well prepared experiment, on a sheet of paper, write at least three reasons why this is of paper, write at least three reasons why this is not a scientifically sound experimentnot a scientifically sound experiment