Scientific method

Getting good study habits

What is the scientific method?

The basic steps that scientists follow to solve scientific problems. In other words, an organized plan for gathering, organizing, and communicating data

What are the steps of the scientific method?

1. Make an observation
2. Ask a question
3. Complete background research
4. Develop a hypothesis
5. Test your hypothesis (experiment)
6. Analyze the data
7. Conclusion

What is an observation?

Something you perceive with your senses

How do you form a question?

Based on your observations, develop a question or problem that can be solved through experimentation (How or why question)

How do you do research?

1. Collect information needed to know about the subject of the experiment

What are some sources or places we can use to conduct research?

The library and internet (beware of your sources)

What is our research used for?

It will be used to form a hypothesis

What is a hypothesis?

An educated guess about how something works. In other words, it is a proposed answer to your question

What is a hypothesis based on?

It is based on research and prior knowledge
(Not just some wild uneducated guess)

Is there a "correct" hypothesis?

There is no right or wrong hypothesis

How do you hypothesize?

Either "I think ... because ..." OR "if I do this ... then ... will happen

How do you test your hypothesis?

Through an experiment

What does an experiment need to have?

A set of repeatable methods and variables

What is your goal through an experiment?

To collect data

What is a variable?

Something (a quantity) that is changed OR being measured during the experiment

What are the two types of variables?

independent and dependent

What is an independent variable?

A quantity that is changed by the scientist

Dependent Variable:

A quantity that is changed by the independent variable that the scientist is observing