The scientific method

• The scientific method is a process for experimentation that is used to explore observations and answer questions. Scientists use the scientific method to search for cause and effect relationships in nature.

• There are six steps to the scientific method

There are six steps to the scientific method

I. State the problem or the questionII. Make observations/research the topicIII. Make a hypothesisIV. Design an experimentV. Collect and record your dataVI. Develop a conclusion

I. State the problem or the question

• Before you can start to explore anything you need to know what you are going to explore. For the first step it is important that you identify the problem or the question.

II. Make observations/research the problem

• To become more educated on the problem or question a scientist must make observations about the problem and conduct research about the problem.

III. Create a hypothesis

• A hypothesis is an educated guess that is developed from the research and observations done in step 2.

• For a hypothesis to be correct it needs to have 2 key things.

• If _____(I do this)______, then ______(this)_____ will happen.

IV. Design an experiment

• Before the problem can be explored the experiment needs to be created.

• When designing an experiment the following need to be considered– What supplies are needed– The steps needed to collect the data– How the data will be collected (data table) – Everything needs to be written so that someone

else could do the experiment.

V. Collect and record your data

• From the experiment that you created there will be data that needs to be collected. Record this data in your data tables. Note one set of data isn’t enough data. Multiple sets are needed. At least three sets need to be completed which are know as trials.

VI. Develop a conclusion

• After you have collected your measurements they must be analyzed to see if your hypothesis is true or false.

• In the conclusion scientist will discuss their hypothesis and point of the results that showed if it was true or false and why it turned out that way