Scientific Method
Vocabulary
 Scientific method- the way scientists learn and study
the world around them.
 Testable question- question that can be answered by
designing and conducting an experiment
 Constant- what stays the same in an experiment
 Qualitative- use your senses to observe
 Quantitative- observations made with instruments,
measurable
Vocabulary Cont.
 Dependent variable: is what will be measured; it's what the
investigator thinks will be affected during the experiment
 Example: Amount of mold that grows
 Independent variable: is what is varied during the
experiment; it is what the investigator thinks will affect the
dependent variable
 Example: Locations of Bread
 Controlled- The constant variable
 Example: the bread
Steps to Scientific Method
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*State the problem in the form of a testable question
*Research/gather information
*Form a hypothesis
*Perform an experiment
*Collect and Analyze Data
*Draw conclusions
“Simple Version”
Some – State the Problem
Rats – Research the Topic
Hate - Hypothesize
Eating - Experiment
Dead – Data Collection
Chicken - Conclusion
1. State the problem in the form of a testable
question
 State the problem- What problem do you want to
solve? The problem must be something you can
measure.
Research/Gather Information
 Research- Use the library, internet, observations
 Find the best way to obtain accurate data and
information.
Form a Hypothesis
Hypothesize- an educated guess/prediction about how
things work.
 Construct a hypothesis in a way that’s easily
measured.
Perform an Experiment
 Experiment- should test whether your hypothesis is
true or false.
 Only one factor at a time should change while you
keep all other conditions the same.
 You should repeat your experiment several times to
make sure that the first results weren’t just an
accident.
Collect and Analyze Data
 Data collection- collect your measurements and
analyze them to see if your hypothesis is true or false.
Draw Conclusions
 Conclusion- use your data to sum up your findings,
test again or make a new hypothesis
 If your hypothesis was false, you would modify/create
a new one based on the data collected.
 You need to start the process all over again to test
your new hypothesis.
 If your hypothesis was true, you may want to test it
again in a new way to make sure your results are
consistent.