THE SCIENTIFIC METHOD; APPLICATION TO RESEARCH
WEEK 1 - 2
STS 2nd Semester, SY 2022-2023
CONTENTS
1
Objectives
4
Steps to Scientific Method
2
Concepts
5
Research process
6
Limitations of Scientific Metho d
3
Characteristics of Scientific Method
1
to articulate on the
impacts of Scientific
Method to the growth
and development of
Science and
Technology;
to know the
limitations
of the
Scientific
to understand
the concept,
characteristics
and processes of
the Scientific
Method;
Method
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
2
SCIENTIFIC METHOD
❑ mathematical and experimental technique employed in
the sciences.
❑ More specifically, it is the technique used in the construction
and testing of a scientific hypothesis. (Britannica.com)
❑ defined as controlled, systematic investigations that are
rooted in objective reality and that aim to develop general
knowledge about natural phenomena
2
RESEARCH
❑ Is an inquiry process that has clearly defined parameters
and has as its aims the discovery or creation of
knowledge, or theory building; testing, confirmation,
revision, refutation of knowledge and theory; and/ or
investigation of a problem for local decision-making
(McClure and Hersson, 1991).
3
Scientist attempt to
control external
They are orderly
factors that are not
& systematic
under direct
processes.
investigation.
Their findings are
based on the
empirical
evidences.
CHARACTERISTICS OF SCIENTIFIC METHODS
3
Scientific methods
Findings of scientific
methods can be
generalized, which
means that they can
be used in situations
are based on
They are basically
assumptions or
conducted to
hypothesis.
develop or test
hypothesis.
other than the one
under study.
CHARACTERISTICS OF SCIENTIFIC METHODS
STEPS IN THE SCIENTIFIC METHOD
4
Step 1: State the Problem
4
Step 2: Formulate a Hypothesis
4
Step 3: Test the Hypothesis
• Design a procedure
that tests your
hypothesis to see if
your prediction is
correct.
• Record all of your
data and
observations and put
them into a table that
is neat and organized.
4
Step 4: Gather Data
❑ Measurement process is an integral part of social or physical
science research.
❑ Measurement is not confined to numerical or quantitative
specification; it can be qualitative as well.
Qualitative- have labels or names assigned to their
respective categories;
Quantitative- any attribute that measures in numbers.
4
Step 5: Analyze and Interpret the Data
•Is your data reliable? Does it
make sense?
•Put your data into a chart or
graph and look for any trends.
•Requires tabulation or coding of
raw data and analyzing the
relationships among variable.
4
Step 6: Draw Conclusions
• Do your data and observations support your hypothesis?
• If you cannot make a definite conclusion, you may need to try the
experiment again.
• This means you may either need to rewrite your procedure if it
was not specific enough; you may need to change your
hypothesis.
4
Step 7: Communicate Results
•Report the results of your experiment to let
others know what you have learned.
•This will be represented as either a lab report,
oral presentation, or Science Fair display
board.
5
The Research Process
5
When conducting research,
For their daily
Widely adopted
scientists use the scientific
by business all
method to collect
measurable, empirical
work, but not
over the country,
necessarily
It teaches
that each
employees and
a hypothesis (often in the
individual
management to
form of an if/then
diagnose a
statement), the results
problem.
aiming to support or
steps are used.
Why Scientists use this process?
evidence in an experiment
related to
contradict a theory.
5It doesn’t!
The scientific
method and
research cycle
only leads to a
progressively
better
understanding of
a topic, but never
a perfect
understanding.
Where does the process end?
Limitations of Scientific Methods:
6
MORAL OR ETHICAL PROBLEM
HUMAN COMPLEXITY
MEASUREMENT PROBLEMS
EXTERNAL VARIABLE CONTROL PROBLEMS
MORAL OR ETHICAL PROBLEM
Most medical
studies would
require humans
as the subject
of their
research….
… thus,
reliable
scientific
data cannot
always be
collected.
The constraint of involving humans, which is essential for
observing human behavior for experimentation, is one such
ethical problem.
HUMAN COMPLEXITY
Human
behavior is
complicated,
subtle &
varied…
It is difficult to categorize
human behavior.
When human
behavior is studied
& analyzed by other
human beings, the
personal biases
come into the
picture & distort the
analytical facts.
Different aspects of
human behavior are
psychological in
nature, which
cannot be accurately
measured.
All the people do
not behave in
the same way in
similar
circumstances.
Human
behavior is not
uniform,
certain, or
predictable.
MEASUREMENT PROBLEMS
Therefore,
with humans
as subjects,
measurement
s become a
challenges
EXTERNAL VARIABLE CONTROL PROBLEMS
Scientific studies conducted on
humans may have a limitation of
weak or no control over external
variables in scientific activity.
References
❑ https://www.livescience.com/20896-science-scientificmethod.html#:~:text=When%20conducting%20research%2C%20scientis
ts%20use,support%20or%20contradict%20a%20theory.
❑ https://www.slideshare.net/mrmularella/scientific-method-95777
❑ https://www.slideshare.net/DrAkterCMC/scientific-method-kids
THANK YOU!
STS_Week 1-2_LM 2-The Scientific Method