Steps to Scientific Method Designing an Experiment

Steps to Scientific Method 1) OBSERVE “You can observe a lot just by watching.” Yogi Berra You see something happen and you ask “Why?”

Steps to Scientific Method 2) Formulate a QUESTION Decide what you want to know or find out

Steps to Scientific Method 3) RESEARCH AND COLLECT DATA See what you already know

Steps to Scientific Method Formulate a HYPOTHESIS A hypothesis is an “if…then” statement Example: “If I do this, then this will happen.”

INDEPENDENT AND DEPENDANT VARIABLES The independent variable is the part that you choose to change and test (the word “variable” means to change) The dependent variable is the part that you measure or count; it is the outcome

Steps to Scientific Method TEST THE HYPOTHESIS Run the experiment and test the change that you make (IV)

Steps to Scientific Method OBSERVE Consider the results of the experiment

Steps to Scientific Method DRAW A CONCLUSION Evaluate the hypothesis