The Scientific Method
Consumer Reporting Magazine
Helping consumers make smart choices!
To Robert R. Lazar Middle School:
We here at Consumer Reporting Magazine are doing a special investigative
report to determine if certain products live up to their advertising claims. We are
asking schools across the nation to help us with this project so that we can collect
as much data as possible.
As upcoming scientists, your school has been chosen to test the claim made by
Bounty Paper Towel. Bounty claims that it is more absorbent than the leading
brand (Brawny) and store brand (Shoprite). Is this claim accurate? It is your
job to find out. However, in order to draw a good conclusion you will need to
follow the scientific method and perform a carefully controlled experiment.
Good Luck! We look forward to seeing the results of your hard work..
Sincerely,
Consumer Report Data Collection Division
Step 1: State the Purpose


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What is the problem we are trying to solve?
Write it as a question.
THINK: Write an experimental question for
Consumer Reporting Magazine.
Will Bounty paper towel hold more water than
the leading brand?
____________________________________
Identify your Variables
 To design your experiment you must identify what you will
change (test) and what you will measure.
 THINK! -As a group, write your answers in the boxes below.
I will change (test):
Brand of
paper towel
Independent variable
I will measure:
How many drops
of water each can
hold
dependent variable
I will NOT change (conditions held constant so it is a fair test):
Size of
paper towel
control variables
Color of paper
towel
Thickness of
Paper towel
Step 2: Make a Hypothesis

To make a hypothesis, think about the following:
When I change the
Brand of
paper towel


What will happen to the
amount of water
each can hold
THINK! – As a group, fill in the hypothesis.
the brand of towel
If I change _______________,
then I think that
Bounty will hold the most water
they advertise the most.
______________________,because_______________
Step 3: List the Materials

This is list of all the tools you will need to
carry out your experiment.

THINK! – Look in your lab buckets and make
a bulleted list of materials.





____________________
Pieces of paper towels
_____________________
Water
Pipette (dropper)
_____________________
Test Tubes
_____________________
Rubber bands
_____________________
Step 4: Develop a Procedure

Develop the steps for your experiment.

THINK! – Write a numbered list of steps explaining how
you will test each brand of paper towel to see how much
water each can hold.



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1.Secure Bounty over the top of a test tube with a rubber band.
2. Using your eyedropper, begin to count the drops of water
Bounty can absorb. *STOP COUNTING when you see water
leaking off the towel.
3. Record your data in the data table.
4. Repeat for Brawny and Shoprite.
Step 5: Collect Data

Conduct your experiment and record results.

THINK! – Use the table below to record your data.
What I changed:
What I measured (specify units):
_______________ ________________________
Trial 1
Bounty
Brawny
Shoprite
Trial 2
Trial 3
Average
Step 6: Write a Conclusion

This is a summary of your results.

THINK! – Discuss as a group and write a brief
paragraph explaining whether or not your hypothesis
was supported (correct) or not supported (incorrect).
Make sure to reference the data you collected when
writing. If you encountered any problems, please state
this as well.
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________

Step 7: Communicate Results

THINK! 


Fill in your group’s average under Group 1.
Go to each lab group and record their AVERAGE in the table below .
Afterwards, calculate the class average for each brand of towel.
Paper
Towel
Grp
1
Grp
2
Grp
3
Grp
4
Grp
5
Grp
6
Grp
7
Grp
8
Grp
9
Grp
10
Bounty
Brawny
Shoprite

THINK! – What can we tell Consumer Reporting?
Class
AVG.