E XPLORING THE S CIENTIFIC M ETHOD EnvironMentors University Chapter November 16, 2011

WHAT IS THE SCIENTIFIC METHOD? Why we need it: To construct an accurate representation of the world that is reliable, consistent, and non-arbitrary Who uses it: Scientists, Engineers, and many other professionals, sharing information collectively When should we use it: Over time, as an ongoing process Source:

T HE S TEPS OF THE S CIENTIFIC M ETHOD 1. Identify a problem/ask a question 2. Conduct background research 3. Form a hypothesis 4. Design an experiment 5. Collect and analyze data 6. Draw a conclusion 7. Communicate your results

#1 I DENTIFY A P ROBLEM / A SK A Q UESTION Think of a topic that interests you or a problem you’d like to address EXAMPLE:I’m interested in water quality. I’ve noticed that the river that flows through my community is very murky and looks dirty. Now think of a question that: Starts with how, what, who, which, why, or where Is measurable (numerically and objectively) EXAMPLE: Which sections of the river are brown and which are clear? What causes certain sections of the river to be brown?

GROUP ACTIVITY: ASKING A QUESTION How can we ask a scientific question (specific, clear, and concise) about these interests or problems? A. I like listening to music on an iPod. When I got a new iPod for my birthday I didn’t know how to get rid of the old one that I didn’t use anymore. B. It’s very noisy outside my school and it distracts me from doing my school work.

#2 C ONDUCT B ACKGROUND R ESEARCH Where can we go to get information? Mentor’s university library High school or public library Internet* Experts in the field Your mentor What types of information can we get? Scholarly articles Books Newspaper articles Interview notes

GROUP ACTIVITY: BACKGROUND RESEARCH What information might we want to know before we could test this question? A. Which sections of the river that flows through my community are brown and which are clear?

#3 F ORM A H YPOTHESIS Hypothesis: An educated guess about the answer to your question A good hypothesis will: Identify the variable that you will be changing in your experiment (independent) Identify the variable whose changes you will observe (dependent) EXAMPLE: If the independent variable is changed in a certain way, the dependent variable will change in a predictable manner.

#4 D ESIGN AN E XPERIMENT Write a list of the materials and tools you will need Be specific – like the ingredients in a recipe You wouldn’t be able to bake a cake if the list only said “flour, sugar, eggs” without exact amounts! Write out your procedure step by step Someone else should be able to repeat it, exactly, if they picked up your notes Make sure you: Change only one factor (variable) at a time Repeat the experiment multiple times (at least 3) to be sure results aren’t just an accident

#5 C OLLECT AND A NALYZE D ATA Change only your independent variable, and keep all others constant If you’re comparing water quality at two different places along a river, don’t change date, time of day, weather conditions, or other variables. Make sure you run your experiment at least 3 times to collect 3 sets of data to compare. Calculate the mean, median, and mode and other relevant information from your 3 (or more) data sets.

#6 D RAW A C ONCLUSION Analyze whether your data prove or disprove your hypothesis Remember, if your data disprove your hypothesis it’s still an important finding! Sometimes the most exciting time to be a scientist is when your data show something unexpected. Find other ways to test your results and new questions you might have

#7 C OMMUNICATE Y OUR R ESULTS Find the most practical way to display your data Use clear objective language Avoid use of the first person Use active voice whenever possible Use visual and auditory aids whenever possible

SCIENTIFIC METHOD AND YOUR FUTURE! EnvironMentors Scientific Careers Engineers, Physicist, Medical Professionals, Chemist, Veterinarians, Pharmacist, and more! Environmental Careers Marine Biologist, Natural Science Manger, Environmental Scientist, Hydrologist, Meteorologist, Park Ranger, Soil Scientist, and more! Other Careers that use Science Teacher, Lawyer, Political Scientist, Psychologist, Anthropologist, and more!