Scientific method notes 2013

The Scientific Method

`Awareness Test

http://youtu.be/Ahg6qcgoay4

What is the Scientific Method?

• An organized plan for gathering, organizing and communicating data

• The basic steps that scientists follow in uncovering facts and solving scientific problems ( a plan for solving a problem).

• Six or Seven Steps - depends on source

What is the Scientific Method?

• Make an Observation

• Ask a Question

• Complete Background Research

• Develop a Hypothesis

• Test your Hypothesis

• Analyze the Data

• Conclusion (Report and Share)

Step 1: Observation

• Everything starts with an observation

• What you perceive with your senses

What can you observe about a piece of paper?

Step 2: Forming a Question

• Based on your observations

• Develop a question or problem that can be solved through experimentation.

Can you form a question about paper folding?

• Usually a “How’ or “Why” question

Step 2: Forming a Question

How many times can you fold a

piece of paper in half?

Step 3: Complete Background Research

• Collect knowledge needed to know about the subject of the experiment

• It will be used to form a hypothesis

Step 4: Develop a Hypothesis

• Hypothesis = an educated prediction to the answer of the stated problem

• Based on research and prior knowledge

Not a W.U.G. !

(Wild

Uneducated

Guess)

Step 4: Develop a Hypothesis

• A proposed answer to your question

• There is no right or wrong hypothesis

Using our question lets develop a hypothesis.

Format of Hypothesis

• Two accepted formats:“I think…because…”

Or“If…then…because…”

• Both formats include the all important “because statement” used to justify your prediction.

Examples of Format of Hypothesis

“I think…because…” I think a paper can be folded in half __

times, because after that it is too thick to fold

“If…then…because…”If a paper is folded in half, then it can only be folded ________ times because it will become too thick to fold.

Step 5: Testing Your Hypothesis

• This is where you conduct an experiment (a situation specially set up to observe how something happens or to test your hypothesis)

• Develop a set of repeatable methods

• The goal is to test your hypothesis by collecting data

Step 5: Testing Your Hypothesis• Includes variables - a quantity that is

measured or changed during the experiment

Term Definition

Independent

Variable

What you are changing in the experiment

Dependent

Variable

The outcome caused by changing the independent variable, a measurement

Control Used for comparison in your experiment

Constant What stays the same from one experiment to the next

Step 6: Testing Your Hypothesis

What are our variables in the paper folding experiment?

independent variable cause

dependent variable effect

control comparison

constant unchanging

folding the paper how many

times it

actually is

folded

Step 6: Collect and Analyze the Data

• Interpret the data you gathered from your experiment

• Observations, information and data are collected from the experiment

• Organize the data and perform calculations

Step 6: Collect and Analyze the Data

• Construct charts, graphs, averages, percentages, etc.

Dependent Variable

on the Y-axis

Independent Variableon the X-axis

How would you graph the

paper folding experiment?

Step 7: Conclusion

• Does your data support your hypothesis?

You just made a scientific discovery.

YES

Revise or make a new hypothesis and

test again.

NO

Step 6: Conclusion (Sharing)

• A summary of results, the answer to your question.

• What were the possible sources of error?

• Does your data (answer) support your hypothesis? Why or why not?

What conclusion can you make about paper folding?We conclude that our hypothesis was supported or not

supported based on our data.

What about a huge sheet of paper?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kRAEBbotuIE&feature=share&list=TLWRT4dnDchcU

Why use the Scientific Method?

• A logical way to problem solve - in all aspects of life.

• A way to share information that can be proved or disproved.

• A way to find new information