SCIENTIFIC METHOD - WHAT IS IT?
The scientific method is a method for conducting an objective investigation. The scientific method involves making observations and conducting an experiment to test a hypothesis.
WHAT DOES IT INVOLVE?
The steps of the scientific method are to:
- 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
IMPORTANCE OF SCIENTIFIC METHOD
It is important for your experiment to be a fair test. A "fair test" occurs when you change only one factor (variable) and keep all other conditions the same.
How does scientific method help in understanding the meaning of the investigation results?
- The Scientific Method helps to organize thoughts and procedures so that people performing experiments can be confident in the answers they find. The confidence of the person helps in understanding the results as it motivates him/her.
- The scientific method attempts to minimize the influence of bias or prejudice in the experimenter. This helps to build clear results as prejudice will make the results inconsistent and unclear, The clarity of the results helps in the insight of the person performing the experiment to understand the results of the experiment.
- The scientific method provides people with an organized structure for solving problems and making theories. Since this is the same every single time one performs an experiment, it provides consistent result, that are easier to compare with one another, helping the understanding of the person performing the experiment.
- The scientific method attempts to minimize the influence of bias or prejudice in the experimenter. This helps to build clear results as prejudice will make the results inconsistent and unclear, The clarity of the results helps in the insight of the person performing the experiment to understand the results of the experiment.
- The scientific method provides people with an organized structure for solving problems and making theories. Since this is the same every single time one performs an experiment, it provides consistent result, that are easier to compare with one another, helping the understanding of the person performing the experiment.