1. The Scientific Method

2. What is the Scientific Method?
The scientific method is a series of steps that scientists use to answer questions and solve problems.
Ask a Question
Form a Hypothesis
Test the Hypothesis
Analyze the Results
Draw Conclusions
Communicate Results

3. Ask a Question
Asking a question will help you to focus your investigation and identify what you want to find out.
Usually you will ask the question after you have made a lot of observations.
An observation is any use of the senses to gather information.
Can you think of an observation that was made during the CSI unit?

4. Form a Hypothesis
A hypothesis is a possible explanation or answer to a question.
A good hypothesis is testable.
Can you think of a good hypothesis that we could have used during our CSI unit?

5. Test the Hypothesis
After you form the hypothesis, you must test the hypothesis to determine whether or not it is a reasonable answer to your question.
Scientists with often test a prediction of what they think will happen using the “If; then” format.
If I test the cola’s pH, then I will find that Felix’s is different.

6. Test the Hypothesis
One way to test a hypothesis is to conduct a controlled experiment.
Control group / experimental group
Both groups are the same except for one factor in the experimental group, called the variable.
The experiment will then determine the effect of the variable.

7. Analyze the Results
After you collect and record your data, you must analyze them to determine whether the results of your test support the hypothesis.
Think about the labs and experiments that we conducted last week. How did we analyze the results?

8. Draw Conclusions
At the end of the investigation you need to draw conclusions.
This could mean that your results supported your hypothesis, or that they did not support your hypothesis.
At this point you may want to ask further questions, or modify/change your hypothesis.

9. Communicate Results
One of the most important steps is to communicate you findings.
Telling others what you learned is what keeps science going.
From what you have found, other scientists can conduct their own tests, modify your tests to learn something more specific, or study a new problem based on your results.