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Page 1: Scientific Method. Steps in the Scientific Method Observation Observation Research Research Hypothesis Hypothesis Experiment Experiment Analysis Analysis

Scientific MethodScientific Method

Page 2: Scientific Method. Steps in the Scientific Method Observation Observation Research Research Hypothesis Hypothesis Experiment Experiment Analysis Analysis

Steps in the Scientific Steps in the Scientific MethodMethod

ObservationObservation ResearchResearch HypothesisHypothesis ExperimentExperiment AnalysisAnalysis ConclusionConclusion RetestRetest

Page 3: Scientific Method. Steps in the Scientific Method Observation Observation Research Research Hypothesis Hypothesis Experiment Experiment Analysis Analysis

Observations/Observations/PurposePurpose

Gathered Gathered through your through your

sensessenses A scientist A scientist

notices notices something in something in their their natural natural

worldworld

Page 4: Scientific Method. Steps in the Scientific Method Observation Observation Research Research Hypothesis Hypothesis Experiment Experiment Analysis Analysis

Observations/Observations/PurposePurpose

An An exampleexample of of an observationan observation

might be might be noticing that noticing that

many many salamanders salamanders near a pond near a pond

have curved, not have curved, not straight, tailsstraight, tails

Page 5: Scientific Method. Steps in the Scientific Method Observation Observation Research Research Hypothesis Hypothesis Experiment Experiment Analysis Analysis

ResearchResearch Do as much Do as much

ResearchResearch as as possible on possible on your topic. your topic. Find out what Find out what has been done has been done already, and already, and what hasn’t.what hasn’t.

Page 6: Scientific Method. Steps in the Scientific Method Observation Observation Research Research Hypothesis Hypothesis Experiment Experiment Analysis Analysis

HypothesisHypothesis

A suggested A suggested solution to the solution to the problem.problem.

Must be Must be testabletestable Sometimes Sometimes

written as written as If…If…Then…Then… statementsstatements

PredictsPredicts an an outcomeoutcome

Page 7: Scientific Method. Steps in the Scientific Method Observation Observation Research Research Hypothesis Hypothesis Experiment Experiment Analysis Analysis

HypothesisHypothesis

An An example of a example of a hypothesishypothesis might might be that the be that the salamanders salamanders have curved tails have curved tails due to a due to a pollutant in the pollutant in the moist soil where moist soil where they live. they live.

Page 8: Scientific Method. Steps in the Scientific Method Observation Observation Research Research Hypothesis Hypothesis Experiment Experiment Analysis Analysis

ExperimentExperiment

A A procedure procedure to to testtest the the hypothesishypothesis

..

Page 9: Scientific Method. Steps in the Scientific Method Observation Observation Research Research Hypothesis Hypothesis Experiment Experiment Analysis Analysis

ExperimentExperiment

Independent Independent VariableVariable – –

factor in the factor in the experiment experiment that is being that is being

tested.tested.

Page 10: Scientific Method. Steps in the Scientific Method Observation Observation Research Research Hypothesis Hypothesis Experiment Experiment Analysis Analysis

ExperimentExperiment

A good or A good or “valid” “valid”

experiment experiment will only will only

have have ONE ONE variable!variable!

Page 11: Scientific Method. Steps in the Scientific Method Observation Observation Research Research Hypothesis Hypothesis Experiment Experiment Analysis Analysis

Scientific Experiments Scientific Experiments Follow RulesFollow Rules

An experimenter changes one factor and observes or measures what happens.

Page 12: Scientific Method. Steps in the Scientific Method Observation Observation Research Research Hypothesis Hypothesis Experiment Experiment Analysis Analysis

The Control VariableThe Control Variable The experimenter makes a The experimenter makes a

special effort to keep special effort to keep other factors constantother factors constant so so that they will not effect that they will not effect the outcome.the outcome.

Those factors are called Those factors are called control variables.control variables.

Page 13: Scientific Method. Steps in the Scientific Method Observation Observation Research Research Hypothesis Hypothesis Experiment Experiment Analysis Analysis

What is the Purpose of What is the Purpose of a Control?a Control?

Controls are NOT being tested

Controls are used for COMPARISON

Page 14: Scientific Method. Steps in the Scientific Method Observation Observation Research Research Hypothesis Hypothesis Experiment Experiment Analysis Analysis

Other Variables The factor that is changed

is known as the independent variable.

The factor that is measured or observed is called the dependent variable.

Page 15: Scientific Method. Steps in the Scientific Method Observation Observation Research Research Hypothesis Hypothesis Experiment Experiment Analysis Analysis

Example of Controls & Example of Controls & VariablesVariables

For example, suppose you want to figure out the fastest route to walk home from school.

You will try several different routes and time how long it takes you to get home by each one.

Since you are only interested in finding a route that is fastest for you, you will do the walking yourself.

Page 16: Scientific Method. Steps in the Scientific Method Observation Observation Research Research Hypothesis Hypothesis Experiment Experiment Analysis Analysis

What are the Variables What are the Variables in Your Experiment?in Your Experiment?

Varying the route is the Varying the route is the independent variableindependent variable

The time it takes is the The time it takes is the dependent variabledependent variable

Keeping the same walker Keeping the same walker throughout makes the throughout makes the walker a walker a control variable.control variable.

Page 17: Scientific Method. Steps in the Scientific Method Observation Observation Research Research Hypothesis Hypothesis Experiment Experiment Analysis Analysis

One more thing… it is best to make several trials with each independent variable.

Page 18: Scientific Method. Steps in the Scientific Method Observation Observation Research Research Hypothesis Hypothesis Experiment Experiment Analysis Analysis

Valid ExperimentsValid Experiments

Page 19: Scientific Method. Steps in the Scientific Method Observation Observation Research Research Hypothesis Hypothesis Experiment Experiment Analysis Analysis

Remember: To be a Remember: To be a Valid Experiment:Valid Experiment:

Two groups are required --- the control & experimental groups

There should be only one variable

Page 20: Scientific Method. Steps in the Scientific Method Observation Observation Research Research Hypothesis Hypothesis Experiment Experiment Analysis Analysis

DataData Results of

the experiment

May be quantitative (numbers) or qualitative (description)

Page 21: Scientific Method. Steps in the Scientific Method Observation Observation Research Research Hypothesis Hypothesis Experiment Experiment Analysis Analysis

DataData Must be

organized Can be

organized into charts, tables, or graphs

Page 22: Scientific Method. Steps in the Scientific Method Observation Observation Research Research Hypothesis Hypothesis Experiment Experiment Analysis Analysis

ConclusionConclusion

The answer to the hypothesis based on the data obtained from the experiment

Page 23: Scientific Method. Steps in the Scientific Method Observation Observation Research Research Hypothesis Hypothesis Experiment Experiment Analysis Analysis

RetestRetest

In order to verify the results,

experiments must be retested.

Page 24: Scientific Method. Steps in the Scientific Method Observation Observation Research Research Hypothesis Hypothesis Experiment Experiment Analysis Analysis

ReviewReview

Page 25: Scientific Method. Steps in the Scientific Method Observation Observation Research Research Hypothesis Hypothesis Experiment Experiment Analysis Analysis

Solving a ProblemSolving a Problem1)Identify a Problem2) State Observations about

the problem3) Research your topic4) Form a Hypothesis about

the problem (if…then…)5) Design an Experiment to

test the hypothesis6) Collect Data7) Form a Conclusion8) Retest