Scientific Method

1. The question you are trying to answer or the reason for the experiment.

2. Information you can collect about your subject.  It may be from previous knowledge and experience or what other scientists already know about the subject.

3. A prediction of what you think you are going to find out or a guess about what you think will happen.

4. The way you will test your prediction and answer the question.

4a.  The items and supplies you will need.

4b.  The carefully organized steps that are taken.

4c.  The variable that is intentionally altered during a scientific experiment.  This is 

graphed on the X axis.

4d.  The variable being tested or measured during a scientific experiment.  It changes in response to the independent variable.  This data is graphed on the Y axis.

4e.  A variable that must be kept the same during a scientific experiment.

4f.  The experimental trial used for comparison with your results.

5. The observations which are made during the experiment.

6. A reflection back on your hypothesis and a summary of the experiment.