The Scientific MethodOrganized Common Sense
Scientific Method
The scientific Method is a method of answering scientific question
Steps in the Scientific Method
1. State the problem
2. Form a hypothesis
3. Test the hypothesis
4. Organize data
5. Form a conclusion
6. Replicate work
Stating a Problem THIS IS NOT A PERSONAL
PROBLEM!! The problem is the scientific
question Do plants need
water to grow?
Researched hypothesis A hypothesis is a possible answer
(educated guess) Based on prior knowledge,
observations and research If plants get water then they will grow.
– Is this true? – We will find out by testing
Test Hypothesis This may be done through observation May done thru experiments
How are Experiments run?
Identify your independent and dependent variables– Independent variables (IV) is the variable that
is purposefully changed by the experimenter.– It is the one factor (cause) that the experimenter
wants to test
Example: amount of water
How are Experiments run?
Dependent variable (DV) is the variable that responds or changes during the experiment.
Example: the dependent variable is the growth of the plant. – As I add water to the plant it grows.
How are Experiments run?
You must have constants– Factors in an experiment that are kept the same
throughout the experiment in both the control group and the experimental group
I will have three plants of the same species, given the same amount of light, planted in the same soil, given the same nutrients, and receive the same amount of air.
How are Experiments run?
You must have a control and experimental group.
Control is the standard that is used to compare with the experimental group. The independent variable is missing and is often the normal situation.
Example: This plant will receive the same amount of water everyday.
How are Experiments run?
Experimental group is the test group, in which all conditions are kept the same except for the single condition being tested.
Example: There are two plants in the experimental group.– One plant gets no water– One plant gets lots of water
Organize Data Data is information collected during
experiment is recorded in an organized fashion.
Data table, pictures, and graphs– Pie graphs show percent– Bar graphs show relationship between IV and
DV– Scatter graphs are used to discover how one
thing might affect something else
Graphing Rules
When graphing, you must always remember the following:– Title– Label X and Y axis
Use even numerical spacing (2, 4, 6, etc.) Even graphical spacing (use graph paper) Be accurate Use rulers, protractors and colors
How do I label the x and y axis?
For line graphs: the dependent variable is on the y axis and the independent variable is on the x axis
For bar graphs the names of items go on the x axis and the amounts go on the y axis
Form a Conclusion The conclusion tries to explain the
data. A good conclusion will:– Analyze and explain the data– Explain why this information would be
beneficial– Explain any possible errors in the
experiment– Recommend other experiments that can
be done to understand the topic better
What is a Theory?
A theory is a unifying explanation agreed upon by most scientists developed by analyzing data collected by many experiments over a period of time.
You try Think of a question or a problem
that you encountered Try to solve it by using the
scientific method Write this in your notes. Use
headings.