the scientific method - tamalpais union high school district...a. ask a question: b. do background...
TRANSCRIPT
The Scientific Method
Quick Questions (in class)
The Scientific Method
notes (homework)
I. THE SCIENTIFIC METHOD IS…
a. The process of solving problems
and making discoveries.
A. Ask a Question:
B. Do Background Research/Observations
C. Construct a Hypothesis
D. Test with an experiment
E. Collect and Analyze Results
F. Draw conclusion
G. Report you results and revisit hypothesis.
II. THE STEPS OF THE SCIENTIFIC METHOD ARE…
i. Before you can start any
experiment you must first
identify the problem and
ask a question that aims to fix it.
ii. This gives you a purpose for conducting your
experiment.
III. EXPLAINING THE STEPS OF THE SCIENTIFIC METHOD A. ASK A QUESTION
i. Background research:
a) Helps scientist gather any data already collected by
other scientists
ii. Preliminary Observations:
a) These observations of often what led you to ask the
question in the first place
III. EXPLAINING THE STEPS OF THE SCIENTIFIC METHOD B. DO BACKGROUND RESEARCH AND PRELIMINARY OBSERVATIONS
BB. OBSERVATION VS. INFERENCE
i. What is an observation?
a) -information you can gather using your five senses:
touch, see, smell, hear, taste.
b) these are fact based. They are NOT opinion or
guesses
BB. OBSERVATION VS. INFERENCE
ii. What is an inference?
a. an explanation of the things you have
observed.
b. often based on past experience.
c. can change based on more observations
iii. Be sure that while working with the scientific
method you are using OBSERVATIONS and
not INFERENCES
i. a prediction based on observations.
a) In other words, what do you expect to happen?
b) Often written as an “If….then…” statement.
ii. A hypothesis must be testable and repeatable
III. EXPLAINING THE STEPS OF THE SCIENTIFIC METHOD
C. CONSTRUCT A HYPOTHESIS
III. EXPLAINING THE STEPS OF THE SCIENTIFIC METHOD
D. TEST WITH AN EXPERIMENT
i. Design an Experiment
a) The experiment is designed to test the hypothesis
b) An experimental design alone is not the scientific
method; it is only part of the scientific method.
ii. The Design Includes
a) Title
b) Hypothesis
c) Procedures
A list of all the steps needed to conduct the experiment
d) Materials
All the supplies you need to conduct the experiment
e) Observations/Data
A table/chart to collect the results of the experiment
D. TEST WITH AN EXPERIMENT
iii. For a complete
experiment’s design you
need to identify…
a) Independent Variable
The variable that is purposefully
changed by the experimenter.
b) Dependent Variables
The variable that is being
measured – this variable
responds to the manipulated,
independent variable.
Variables are things that vary and change
D. TEST WITH AN EXPERIMENT
Investigating how different weights
affects the length of an elastic band.
You decide the weight to apply,
so: Weight is the independent variable.
You measure the resulting length
of the elastic band, so:
Length is the dependent variable.
iii. For a complete experiment's Design you need to
identify…
c) Constants
Factors that the experimenter hold the same
throughout the experiment so it is “fair.”
d) Controls
The standard for comparing experimental effects –
this is what you would “normally” see.
e) Repeated trials
The number of experimental repetitions
D. TEST WITH AN EXPERIMENT
Constants: use the same elastic band
all the time, the same scale (ruler)
etc., so it is a fair test.
Investigating how different weights
affects the length of an elastic band.
Control: the length of the elastic band
without any weight
i. First! COLLECT THE DATA a) Record this data in the table/chart you already designed
ii. ANALYZE THE DATA
a) This involves the interpretation of the data including the use of tools such as graphs or statistical calculations
Identifying trends
Comparing experimental trials
III. EXPLAINING THE STEPS OF THE SCIENTIFIC METHOD
E. ANALYZE RESULTS TO
DRAW A CONCLUSION FROM
i. CONCLUSION a) logical deduction of the data.
b) In other words, what does the data show how do you explain your results in summary?
c) Identify whether your hypothesis is supported or not.
III. EXPLAINING THE STEPS OF THE SCIENTIFIC METHOD
F. DRAW CONCLUSIONS
III. EXPLAINING THE STEPS OF THE SCIENTIFIC METHOD
G. REPORT RESULTS AND REVISIT HYPOTHESIS
i. Did the data or evidence support the hypothesis?
ii. If so, you accept the hypothesis and publish results.
iii. If the data or evidence does not support the hypothesis, (even if a part of the data supports the hypothesis) the hypothesis must be rejected.
iv. What happens if the hypothesis is rejected? Is a scientist done if the hypothesis is accepted?
v. Start Again!