Scientific Method

Steps of the Scientific Method Ask a Question Do Background Research Construct a Hypothesis Test your hypothesis by doing an experiment Analyze your data and draw a conclusion Communicate your results

The Problem Statement ( question) Problem Statement- written as a question. Needs to mention what is being tested (independent variable), the measurable outcome, and should include the word if in the beginning. Example: If you plant lima beans in one pot with fertilizer and another without fertilizer, which lima bean will grow the tallest in centimeters?

Hypothesis Hypothesis- Written in third person; includes everything from the problem statement and predicts what he/she thinks will happen at the end of the experiment. It is written as a statement. Includes the words if and then. Example: The scientist believes if you plant lima beans in one pot with fertilizer and the other without fertilizer, then the lima beans in fertilizer will grow the tallest in centimeters.

Types of Variables Constants- can be written as a list or as a statement. These are all the things you did exactly the same in all three trials. Example: amount of sunlight Independent variable- the only item used that is different in each trial. Example: Lima beans in fertilizer Dependent variable- what you expect to happen as a result of the independent variable Example: growth of the lima bean Control (group)- the portion of the experiment (in each trial) when no independent variable was tested Example: the lima beans without fertilizer

Examples of Variables http://www.biologycorner.com/worksheets/controls.html

Experiment An experiment is a planned way to test a hypothesis and find out the answer to the problem statement. make sure that you change only one factor at a time while keeping all other conditions the same. You should also repeat your experiments several times to make sure that the first results weren't just an accident.

Analyze Your Data Once your experiment is complete, you collect your measurements and analyze them to see if your hypothesis was correct ( supported) or incorrect (negated) Data- results from each of the trials include quantitative data (numbers) and qualitative data(observations) All the experiments must have a graph displaying the quantitative data for each of the trials. Written explanations (qualitative) of what occurred through out the experiment can be displayed in chart form or in the journal you used for your observations. All quantitative data can only be represented in metric units. The English system can not be used.

Drawing Conclusions Answer the following Questions: What was investigated? ( describe the problem) Was the hypothesis supported by the data? What are the major findings? ( qualitative and quantitative results, summarize) How did your findings compare with other researches? ( research about other professionals and what they said about your topic) What possible explanations can you offer for your findings? ( why do you think your results occurred the way it did; was something done differently than what you learned after you researched on your topic) What possible explanations do you have for further study and for improving the experiment? ( if you do it again what would you change and why) What are some possible applications of the experiment? ( how would this information be good or applicable to society)