Scientific Method Study Guide
Quiz Date: Friday September 19 2014
Parent Signature:____________________
I.
II.
Vocabulary: Matching – know the following terms:
Hypothesis
Variable
Conclusion
Analysis
Purpose
Control
Scientific Method
Procedure
You should be able to sequence the steps of the Scientific Method:
Use your flashcards and the handout given in class to help you study.
III. Multiple choice – Real life examples of the Scientific Methods:
see some examples on p. 2
Sample Multiple Choice Questions
1. __________ Which is an example of observing?
a. Riding in a car
b. Watching people in the mall as they enter stores
c. Sewing a button on a shirt
d. Baking a cake
2. __________ How do you test a hypothesis?
a. Make a graph
b. Perform an experiment
c. Ask a question
d. Gather data
3. ___________ Which is an example of recording data?
a. Reading about a snake
b. Drawing a snake
c. Singing about a snake
d. Watching a snake
4. ___________ Susie wants to learn about gorillas. Which question can be tested using
the scientific method?
a. Would you like to own a gorilla?
b. Are gorillas the best animal?
c. Can gorillas understand what people say?
d. Do older gorillas remember being young?
5. ___________ You want to conduct an experiment to see if wood will float when put in
water. What would be your first step?
a. Form a hypothesis
b. Study data
c. Test the hypothesis
d. Collect information
6. ___________ Writing a statement that compares the hypothesis to the data and
answers the question is…
a. The conclusion
b. The question
c. A record of data
d. The observation
7. ___________ Scientists use their five senses to collect information. When they do this,
it is called…
a. Inferring
b. Observing
c. Predicting
d. Analyzing
Vocabulary
Purpose: The question you are investigating.
Hypothesis: The prediction or educated “guess”
Procedure: The way of performing the experiment written in numbered steps.
Analysis: Use the data to figure out the reason why these results occurred.
Conclusion: Communicate whether or not your hypothesis was correct or not and explain why
you think so.
Variable: Something that is changed in the experiment in order to study the effect.
Control: What stays the same in the experiment; procedure, timing, materials, etc.
Scientific Method: The process of formulating a question, collecting data about it through
observation and experiment, and testing a hypothetical answer.
Scientific Method
Step 1: Think of a question
Step 2: Research the topic/collect information
Step 3: Make a hypothesis
Step 4: Plan the experiment
Step 5: Make observations
Step 6: Record the data
Step 7: Analyze the data
Step 8: Make a conclusion