1. Scientific Method

2. Information Vocabulary will be in Green. (these go in your notes!) Information for your notes is in Orange.

3. What is the Scientific Method? Scientific Method: a series of steps that scientists use to answer questions and solve a problem Steps (IGHEAD) –IDENTIFY THE PROBLEM (by making observations and asking questions) –GATHER BACKGROUND INFORMATION –HYPOTHESIS –EXPERIMENT –ANALYZE RESULTS –DRAW CONCLUSION AND COMMUNICATE RESULTS

4. Observations Observation: any use of the senses to gather information –Two types: Qualitative Quantitative

5. Question Questions help you narrow and focus investigation and identify what you are trying to find out. There are 3 ways to ask a question: –What factors cause… –What is the relationship between… –What is the effect of…

6. GATHER BACKGROUND INF0 SEE WHAT PEOPLE ALREADY KNOW USE THIS INFORMATION TO MAKE THE BEST HYPOTHESIS

7. Forming a Hypothesis Hypothesis: possible explanation or answer to a question; MUST BE TESTABLE If/then…because statements –The “IF” part is doing what –The “THEN” part is what will happen –The “because” explains why –Ex: “If study time is increased by 10 minutes every night, then grades will improve because there is more practice”

8. EXPERIMENTING To test a hypothesis is to conduct a controlled experiment Controlled experiment: there is a control group and an experimental group Variable: one factor that is different in the experimental group Data: any pieces of information acquired through experimentation

9. Analyze Results In order to understand data collected it must be analyze to determine if it supports the hypothesis.

10. Draw Conclusion Three types of conclusions –Supports the hypothesis –Does not support the hypothesis –Need more information Regardless of the out come you must explain

11. Communicate Results –Writing them up in a science journal –Submitting them to a respected online magazine –NEVER by word of mouth (telling people)

12. Scientific Method Overview You can always start over from any step in the scientific method! http://my.hrw.com/sh2/sh07_10/stud ent/flash/visual_concepts/80002.htmhttp://my.hrw.com/sh2/sh07_10/stud ent/flash/visual_concepts/80002.htm

13. Scientific Theories/Laws Theory – is a unifying explanation for a broad range of hypotheses and observations that have been supported by testingTheory – is a unifying explanation for a broad range of hypotheses and observations that have been supported by testing Law – is a summary of many experimental results and observationsLaw – is a summary of many experimental results and observations