Scientific Method

 

How can we determine if something is a fact or an opinion? How can we determine an answer to a problem? The answer is use the scientific method.

 

What is the Scientific Method? It is a series of steps used to help solve a problem.

 

• Step 1. Define the problem. Make sure only one problem is being studied.
• Step 2. Research the problem. Use all available resources to collect data on the subject being covered. Libraries, Internet, books, magazines, personal interviews, etc.
• Step 3. Develop a hypothesis ( educated guess ). Make it a short definitive statement. It should be an "if" then" statement. The if part will become the hypothesis and the then part should be the results received at the end of the controlled experiment. Remember your hypothesis can be changed it is not formed in concrete.
• Step 4. Develop a controlled experiment. A controlled experiment is an experiment that contains only one experimental variable. An experimental variable is the thing being tested. Everything else in the experiment or all other variables, must be the same. These variables are also called the controlled variables. Keeping these variables the same allows the experimenter to show that it was the experimental variable that caused the results.
• Step 5. Analyze the data and come up with a conclusion. The conclusion may or may not support the hypothesis. Additional experimentation must then take place to build documentation concerning the problem. If the hypothesis is proven wrong, change the hypothesis, not the data.

 

 

Example:

 

Problem: Is Raid the best insecticide on the market?

 

Research the problem: Look up information on all insecticides.

 

Make a Hypothesis: Raid is the best insecticide on the market. If used it will kill insects 30% faster then other insecticides. This educated guess was determine by the experimenter based on the research done prior to making this statement.

 

Develop a controlled experiment:

Spray 5 separate plates with equal amounts of different insecticides. Cover each one with the same type and size glass. Add equal amounts of the same type of insects to each glass. Place them side by side and time the results.

 

Form a conclusion: This is only done after the data , from the experiment , has been collected and analyzed.

 

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