1. The Scientific Method

2. What are the parts of the Scientific Method?
Ask a question
Do background research
Create a hypothesis
Test your hypothesis by conducting an experiment
Analyze the data
Report your results

3. Step 1: Ask a Question
The scientific method starts when you ask a question about something that you observe.
How, what, when, where, why, which, etc.
Its also a question that you can measure
Preferably with a number
The question will be answered in an experiment
Experiment- An organized procedure to study something under controlled conditions

4. Experiment Must be able to repeat
They provide insight to a cause-and-effect when a factor is altered
Different types of experiments
Control
Natural
Field

5. Step 2: Background Research
Research what techniques and equipment that would work best
Learn from mistakes and blunders made by other scientist during past experiments
When going somewhere new do your drive around until you stumble on it? Or do you look at a map first?

6. Step 2 Continued You will need at least 3 sources
A list of these sources should be created so that you can construct a bibliography
Your background research should be compiled and organized into a research paper

7. Research Paper Your research paper should include
The history of similar experiments
Definitions of all keywords and concepts included in your experiment
Answers to all your research questions
Mathematical formulas, if any, that you will need to describe the results of your experiment

8. Research Paper
All pictures or facts that is in your research paper, they should be followed with a citation telling the reader where you found it
A citation is the authors last name followed by the date of the publication
The citation is a reference back to your bibliography

9. Research Paper Your research paper should be in this order Title Page
Your Report
Bibliography

10. Step 3: Construct a Hypothesis
Hypothesis- An educated guess of what the results of your experiment will result in
It must be worded in a way that it can be tested in your experiment
The independent variable should be the easiest to test

11. Variables
Variable- any factor that can change in a scientific investigation
Independent Variable- factor in an experiment that is purposely manipulated
The variable that the experimenter changes (I Vary)
Dependent Variable- factor that changes as a result of manipulation of one or more of the independent variables
Changes based on the Independent Variable

12. Variables Continued
Controlled Variables- (Also called Constant Variables) Variables that the experimenter must keep the same through every test

13. Step 4: Test Your Hypothesis
This is when you now conduct your experiment to test your hypothesis
Write down the experimental procedure step by step in detail
A good procedure is so detailed that it would allow someone else duplicate it exactly
You will also need to duplicate the procedure at least 3 times to make your experiment valid

14. Conducting an Experiment
You will need a notebook to record all your observations during the experiments
Have a data table ready to record all data as it happens
Record all procedures exactly and if changes are made record those
Procedure changes are common
Be consistent, careful, and accurate when you take measurements
Numerical measurements are preferred

15. Step 5: Analyze Data
Once your experiment is complete, collect all measurements and analyze them to see if your data supports your hypothesis
When reviewing your data make sure you ask these questions:
Is it complete, or did I forget something?
Do you need to collect more data?
Did you make any mistakes?

16. Step 5: Analyze Data
Your conclusions summarize how your results support or contradict your original hypothesis
If the hypothesis is not supported then you must come up with a new hypothesis and retest it based on the data you collected
Data and measurements should be posted on data tables and graphs

18. Step 6: Results
To finish your experiment you will need to conduct a final report
Final report can be a detailed journal, science fair board, or science poster

19. Final Report Your final report should include: Title Page
Abstract (abbreviated version of final report)
Question, Variable, and Hypothesis
Background research (Research Paper)
Material List
Experimental Procedures
Data Analysis (Tables, Graphs, etc.)
Conclusion
Ideas for future research
Acknowledgements
Bibliography