While watching commercials, a nerd notices that women go crazy for guys that wear body spray. What step of an investigation is this? Observation
The nerd reasons that women must be attracted to the smell of body spray. What step is this? Inference
Does body spray really attract women? What step is this? Question Too general! Does body spray really attract women? = What step is next? Background research
What is the purpose of this step? Narrows down the hypothesis X X X X
“If I wear Axe body spray, women will be attracted to me.” What step is this? Hypothesis Very specific! “If I wear Axe body spray, women will be attracted to me.” + =
+ What step is this? Experiment What is the purpose of this step? To test the hypothesis
Is the data quantitative or qualitative? Quantitative What step is this? Data N = 12 Is the data quantitative or qualitative? Quantitative Number of kisses can be counted
+ = What step is this? What is the nerd’s conclusion? Conclusion His hypothesis was supported + = What was the nerd’s conclusion based on? Data (number of kisses)
NERD NEWS AXE BODY SPRAY TOTALLY WORKS! What step is this? What is the purpose of this step? Report results So that others nerds can repeat the experiment NERD NEWS AXE BODY SPRAY TOTALLY WORKS! Nerds around the world overjoyed, slightly nervous. Axe Body Spray sales at all-time high!
Why do other nerds need to repeat the experiment? To make it a theory
The first experiment was a success, but the results could have been due to an experimental error.
What if I told you that the nerd arrived at the party in a ferrari?
What if the girls at the party were exceptionally drunk that night?
Hypothesis vs. Theory Tested once: a supported hypothesis Tested many times under different conditions: a theory