The Scientific Method
What is the Scientific Method?
• The basic steps that scientists follow in
uncovering facts and solving scientific
problems ( a plan for solving a problem).
• An organized plan for gathering,
organizing and communicating data
• Eight Steps - depends on source
What is the Scientific Method?
Paul’s observations hardly plan experimental records,
research conundrum
1. Problem (Ask a Question)
2. Observations and Complete
Background Research
3. Hypothesis Development
4. Plan Experiment
5. Experiment (Test your Hypothesis)
6. Record
7. Report (Analyze the Data)
8. Conclusion (Report and Share)
Step 1: Forming a Question
• Develop a question or problem that can
be solved through experimentation.
• Cleary Stated
• Clearly refined to identify the variable
being tested
• Narrow Scope
Can you form a
question about a
gummy bear in
water?
Step 2: Observation and
Background Research
• Everything starts with an observation
• It will be used to form a hypothesis
• Collect knowledge needed to know
about the subject of the experiment
What can you
observe and
research about a
gummy bear?
Step 3: Develop a Hypothesis
• Hypothesis = an educated prediction to
the answer of the stated problem
• Clearly states what you expect to
happen based on observations and
background information
Not a W.U.G. !
(Wild
Uneducated
Guess)
Format of Hypothesis
• Two accepted formats:
“I think…because…”
Or
“If…then…because…”
• Both formats include the all important
“because statement” used to justify your
prediction.
Examples of Format of Hypothesis
“I think…because…”
I think a gummy bear can expand in
water__ times, because it can absorb water
“If…then…because…”
If a gummy bear is placed in water it will
expand________ times because it will
absorb water.
Step 4: Plan Experiment to Test
Hypothesis
• The design test the hypothesis
• For our experiments often we will only
test ONE variable
• Ensure safety and is doable
• The procedure is clearly mapped out
and replicable
What are the
materials.
Step 5: Experiment
• This is where you conduct an experiment (a
situation specially set up to observe how
something happens or to test your
hypothesis)
• Do multiple trials or runs
• Create multiple data sets
Step 5: Experiment
• Includes variables - a quantity that is
measured or changed during the experiment
Term
Independent
Variable
Dependent
Variable
Control
Constant
Definition
What you are changing in the experiment?
The outcome caused by changing the
independent variable, a measurement
Used for comparison in your experiment
What stays the same from one experiment
to the next
Step 5: Experiment
independent variable
cause
dependent variable
effect
control
comparison
constant
unchanging
What are our variables in the gummy bear experiment?
Step 6: Record (Collect and
Analyze the Data)
• Use the appropriate type of graph is select to
display the data
• Clear title
• Axes are clearly labeled
• Make it clear for anyone
• Include data in a data chart
Step 6: Record (Collect and
Analyze the Data)
• Construct charts, graphs, averages,
percentages, etc.
Dependent
Variable
on the Y-axis
How would you
graph the
Gummy Bear
experiment?
Independent Variable
on the X-axis
Step 7: Results
• Use data to let anyone know how you interpret the
data
• This is not where you write the conclusion – this is
where you interpret the data.
• For example: according to the data, the gummy
bear’s density stayed the same but it grow three
times the size of the control.
• For example: The gummy bear’s size did not grow
fast during the first day, but grew three times the
size of the control on the second day
Step 8: Conclusion
• Does your data support your hypothesis?
YES
You just made a
scientific discovery.
NO
Revise or make a
new hypothesis and
test again.
Step 8: Conclusion (Sharing)
• A summary of results,
the answer to your
question.
• What were the possible
sources of error?
• Does your data (answer)
support your hypothesis?
Why or why not?
What conclusion can you make about Gummy Bear?
We conclude that our hypothesis was supported or not
supported based on our data.
Why use the Scientific Method?
• A logical way to problem solve - in all
aspects of life.
• A way to share information that can be
proved or disproved.
• A way to find new information