Carrying Out an Investigation
in Science
Investigation Steps – Asking a
Question
1. Gather ideas
What could we investigate?
What could we measure or observe?
Investigation Steps : Asking a
Question
2.Ask yourself what are you trying to find out
You need a question to investigate....
How? What? When?
Investigation Steps: Choosing what to
change (making a fair test)
3. Plan what you will change
• What will you change? (only
ONE thing)
• what will you measure?
• what will you keep the same?
(The things which could change are called
variables)
Investigation Steps: Making a
Prediction
4. Make a prediction
(A Prediction is often known as a
Hypothesis)
• What do you think will happen to the
variable you are measuring or
observing........ when you change the
variable you are interested in.
Investigation Steps: Planning the
Enquiry
5. Plan the practical work
• How will you carry out the experiment? What
will you do?
• Design the experiment.
• List what you need.
• Describe how you will use the equipment.
Make a diagram if you want.
Investigation Steps: Collecting
Evidence
6. Carry out the experiment.
• Note carefully what happens.
Investigation Steps: Recording
and Presenting
7. Record the results
• Produce a table of results.
• The table includes the independent variable
(what you were changing) and the dependent
variable (what you were measuring).
• Use the results table to help
you construct a bar chart or
graph of your results.
Investigation Steps: Recording
and Presenting
8. Explain the results
Explain what your results show.
Decide whether your prediction was correct.
Make a conclusion about what you have found
out and explain it clearly.
Make a note of things you might change if you
were to do the enquiry again.
Report back to the rest of the class.
SO......How do I carry out an
Investigation in Science?
1. Gather ideas
2. Ask yourself what are
you trying to find out .
3. Plan what you will
change
4. Make a prediction
5. Plan the practical work
6. Carry out the
experiment.
6. Record the results
7. Explain the results