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Aug 4, 2020 · A brief history of the scientific method. The scientific method has its roots in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. Philosophers Francis Bacon and René Descartes are often credited with formalizing the scientific method because they contrasted the idea that research should be guided by metaphysical pre-conceived concepts of the nature of reality—a position that, at the time, was ...
So when they actually need to use it for science class, it’ll be no sweat. Objectives Students will: —Define the steps of the scientific method —Use the scientific method to create an experiment in their daily life. Materials —Flocabulary Scientific Method Video —Scientific Method worksheet. Time 45 minutes in class, varying times to ...
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- Overview
- Introduction
- The scientific method
- Scientific method example: Failure to toast
- 1. Make an observation.
- 3. Propose a hypothesis.
- 4. Make predictions.
- 5. Test the predictions.
- 6. Iterate.
How the scientific method is used to test a hypothesis.
1.Make an observation.
2.Ask a question.
3.Form a hypothesis, or testable explanation.
4.Make a prediction based on the hypothesis.
5.Test the prediction.
A biology investigation usually starts with an observation—that is, something that catches the biologist’s attention. For instance, a cancer biologist might notice that a certain kind of cancer can't be treated with chemotherapy and wonder why this is the case. A marine ecologist, seeing that the coral reefs of her field sites are bleaching—turning white—might set out to understand why.
How do biologists follow up on these observations? How can you follow up on your own observations of the natural world? In this article, we’ll walk through the scientific method, a logical problem-solving approach used by biologists and many other scientists.
At the core of biology and other sciences lies a problem-solving approach called the scientific method. The scientific method has five basic steps, plus one feedback step:
1.Make an observation.
2.Ask a question.
3.Form a hypothesis, or testable explanation.
4.Make a prediction based on the hypothesis.
5.Test the prediction.
Let's build some intuition for the scientific method by applying its steps to a practical problem from everyday life.
Let's suppose that you get two slices of bread, put them into the toaster, and press the button. However, your bread does not toast.
A hypothesis is a potential answer to the question, one that can somehow be tested. For example, our hypothesis in this case could be that the toast didn't toast because the electrical outlet is broken.
This hypothesis is not necessarily the right explanation. Instead, it's a possible explanation that we can test to see if it is likely correct, or if we need to make a new hypothesis.
[Can any explanation count as a hypothesis?]
[Is a hypothesis a theory?]
A prediction is an outcome we'd expect to see if the hypothesis is correct. In this case, we might predict that if the electrical outlet is broken, then plugging the toaster into a different outlet should fix the problem.
To test the hypothesis, we need to make an observation or perform an experiment associated with the prediction. For instance, in this case, we would plug the toaster into a different outlet and see if it toasts.
•If the toaster does toast, then the hypothesis is supported—likely correct.
•If the toaster doesn't toast, then the hypothesis is not supported—likely wrong.
The results of a test may either support or contradict—oppose—a hypothesis. Results that support a hypothesis can't conclusively prove that it's correct, but they do mean it's likely to be correct. On the other hand, if results contradict a hypothesis, that hypothesis is probably not correct. Unless there was a flaw in the test—a possibility we should always consider—a contradictory result means that we can discard the hypothesis and look for a new one.
The last step of the scientific method is to reflect on our results and use them to guide our next steps.
And the result is:
Left panel: My bread toasts! Hypothesis is supported. Right panel: My bread still won't toast. Hypothesis is not supported.
•If the hypothesis was supported, we might do additional tests to confirm it, or revise it to be more specific. For instance, we might investigate why the outlet is broken.
•If the hypothesis was not supported, we would come up with a new hypothesis. For instance, the next hypothesis might be that there's a broken wire in the toaster.
In most cases, the scientific method is an iterative process. In other words, it's a cycle rather than a straight line. The result of one go-round becomes feedback that improves the next round of question asking.
Sep 26, 2022 · The steps of the scientific method include: Ask a question. Do background research. Construct a hypothesis. Do an experiment. Analyze data from the experiment. Draw conclusions. Communicate results. In learning about the scientific method, students learn about independent, dependent, and controlled variables; the importance of doing multiple ...
Feb 23, 2013 · The scientific method is the standard in the laboratory, but don’t be fooled by the name. It is also used beyond the laboratory to solve everyday mysteries and problems. The scientific method consists of a number of different steps, but the order in which we apply the steps can vary. Rather than focus on the order of the steps, students ...
The scientific method is like a structured adventure for exploring the world that encourages discovery by finding answers and solving puzzles. With the scientific method steps, students get to ask questions, observe, make educated guesses (called hypotheses), run experiments, collect and organize data, draw sensible conclusions, and share what ...
The number of steps varies, but the process begins with an observation, progresses through an experiment, and concludes with analysis and sharing data. One of the most important pieces to the scientific method is skepticism —the goal is to find truth, not to confirm a particular thought. That requires reevaluation and repeated experimentation ...
