Used by all scientistsStep One: ObserveThis is how you decide what to study

Step Two: Question Ex: How will salt water affect plant growth?

Step Three: Hypothesis Your answer to the question Could be right or wrong Ex: Plants will not grow as tall if they are

watered with salt water

Step 4: ExperimentHow you test your questionEx: Water several plants with different levels of salt water

Control—part of the experiment that is keps the same

Ex: Plant with normal water, amount of water, soil and sun

Try to test just one thing/experiment

Ex: Salt water only

Independent Variable—part of the experiment that I change

Ex: Amount of salt water Dependent Variable—change in the

experiment I don’t control Ex: How much the plant grows

Step 5: Data/Results Information from the experiment Ex: Amount of plant growth in cm

Step 6: Conclusion Explain the results of your experiment Was my hypothesis right or wrong? Should I test more plants?

Step 7: Report your results Let other scientists know what you did Step 8: Verify results Did the other scientists get the same results

as you?

Step 9: Form a theory If everyone else gets your same results,

your hypothesis becomes a theory Can still be disproven