1. Scientific Method The Process of Science Biology 137– Unit One Revised 2005

2. ATTENTION! The scientific method is not a stepwise procedure! Scientists may repeat steps many times before there is sufficient evidence to formulate a theory. Each stage represents a variety of activities!

3. 1. STATE THE PROBLEM/QUESTION What? Why? How? Ex: What happens to the human body when we go into space? Why is the sky blue? How come the tide goes in and out each day?

4. 2. MAKE OBSERVATIONS Observe surroundings Relate problem to past experiences Communicate with other scientists Research past experiments

5. 3. FORMULATE HYPOTHESIS Educated Guess Infer Predict

6. 4. EXPERIMENT Develop and perform procedure This is a step by step list of how to perform the experiment

7. 5. DATA COLLECTION Collect data Analyze the data –If data does not confirm hypothesis-reject it! –If data does confirm hypothesis, have the results checked by other scientists and then validate theory!

8. 6. CONCLUSION Answer the hypothesis based on your results. Compare to past experiments. Communicate with other scientists Publish results! Once results are confirmed by other scientists, the theory is validated!

9. The Scientific Method In Action! 1.Problem: Does fertilizer make plants grow taller? 2.Observe: Look in gardens with fertilizer and talk to farmers about their experience. 3.Hypothesis: If fertilizer is added to a plant, then it will grow taller. 4.Experiment: Set up experiment with control and variable plants. 5.Data: Make a data table and graph of plant height with and without fertilizer. 6.Conclusion: Accept hypothesis; fertilizer does make plants grow taller.

10. The Scientific Method… Use it! Love it! Solve problems with it!