The Scientific Method
1. Defining the Question
2. Locating Resources/Gathering Information
3. Forming a Hypothesis/Hypotheses
4. Planning Research Collection Methods
5. Collecting Data
6. Organizing & Analyzing the Data
7. Interpreting Data & Drawing Conclusions
8. Communicating the Results
Designing & Doing the Experiment
STEP 1 Ð Consider Your Question or Problem
STEP 2 Ð Think About All the Variables
STEP 3 Ð Set-Up a Controlled Experiment
STEP 4 Ð Doing the Experiment
Experimenting With the Scientific Method
By 4th Grade Students at Coronado Village Elementary School
Questioning
Hypothesis
Experiment Design
Observe and Record
Conclusion.
The Scientific Method
Recognizing that personal and cultural beliefs influence both our perceptions and our interpretations of natural phenomena,
we aim through the use of standard procedures and criteria to minimize those influences when developing a theory. As a famous
scientist once said, "Smart people (like smart lawyers) can come up with very good explanations for mistaken points of
view." In summary, the scientific method attempts to minimize the influence of bias or prejudice in the experimenter
when testing an hypothesis or a theory.
The Scientific Method
These steps make up a method which may be used to logically solve problems in many other areas of life. Françesco Redi and
Louis Pasteur used the scientific method to disprove the idea of spontaneous generation.
How Non-scientists use the Scientific Method
The scientific method is used unconsciously by many people on a daily basis, for tasks such as cooking and budgeting.
