Name:____________________
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Scientific Method Cheat Sheet
State the Problem
Write your problem in the form of a question.
Make sure you can collect data about your
problem.
Make sure your problem is realistic and that you
can gather the necessary resources.
Your question must include both an independent
variable and dependent variable.
When possible, choose a topic that really interests
you.
Make sure you can research (gather info) about
your topic
Safety first!
2.
Form a Testable
Hypothesis
 “If……then…..” statement (show
independent and dependent variable)
 Possible answer to your question.
 Right or wrong does not matter!
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notes
Design an Experiment
How do you test your hypothesis?
Write the independent variable and dependent
variable.
Decide what materials you will need.
Decide how you will measure your variables. (Do
you need a control group and an experimental
group or not?)
Avoid variables that would make your test invalid
(give incorrect data).
How many trials will you have?
List all procedures in order.
notes
notes
4.
Collect and Analyze Data
 Always keep variables in mind and follow
your procedures.
 Organize your raw data in a table or chart.
 Use your data table to create a graph.
 Independent variable on the x axis and the
dependent variable on the y axis.
 Line versus bar graph?
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5.
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Draw Conclusions
Write the following in paragraph form:
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notes
Restate the question from the problem.
Look at the data to write the answer to the
question.
Defend your answer (claim) using data from
the experiment.
Explain variables (mistakes) that could have
affected your data. This is NOT your
independent and dependent variable.
Concluding sentence – restate your answer to
your question.
6.
Communicate Results
 This is how you would make your conclusion
public:
 Turn lab report to your teacher
 Make a poster
 Make a powerpoint
 Submit to a scientific journal
 Oral presentation
notes
Scientific Method Definitions
Independent Variable – changed on purpose to test hypothesis (cause)
Dependent Variable – changes in response to the independent variable (effect)
Variables – things that may change the data in your experiment
Control Group – something left alone or the same as before to make sure your experiment is valid
Experimental Group – part of the experiment in which one thing is different than the control group (independent variable)
Trials – do the experiment enough times to make sure you have valid data
Data – information gathered during an experiment; this could include measurements and observations
Valid – accurate (mistakes were not made in procedures)
How to set up a Graph:
TAILS
1. Create a Title for your graph. The title should tell people what they are seeing in your graph.
2. Label the x and y Axes, including units. For example, your x-axis may be labeled "hours of sunlight" and your y-axis may be "height of
plants." Make sure that your manipulated variable(independent) is on the horizontal x-axis and the responding variable(dependent)
is on the vertical y-axis
3. Decide on an appropriate Scale for each axis. Choose a scale that lets you make the graph as large as possible for your paper and
data.
4. Choose an Interval that lets you make the graph as large as possible for your paper and data
5.
Label your bars or data points.
When to Use:
Bar graphs
Used to show data that are not continuous.
Allows us to compare data like amounts or frequency
or categories
– Allow us to make generalizations about the data
– Help us see differences in data
Line Graphs
– For continuous data
– useful for showing trends over time
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Scatterplots
– Scatter plots show how much one variable is affected by another. The
relationship between two variables is called their correlation.
Amount of
Fertilizer (kg)
2
4
6
8
10
Number of
Leaves
14
14
15
18
16