Lesson 1.

4: The Scientific Method

Lesson Summary
This lesson brings you back to the scientific method, the most common process in doing things
in scientific research to generate new knowledge. You will also have a deeper understanding of
the different approaches to scientific inquiry and get to know a typical scientist.

Learning Outcomes
At the end of this lesson, the learner will be able to:

1. Follow the steps in scientific method;

2. Differentiate the type of reasoning involved in scientific investigations, and
3. Characterize a scientist

Motivation Question
Have you been told, "you're like a scientist!"?
What could be the reason/s for such perception of you?
How did you feel about it? Is it affirmatory or sarcasm?

Discussion
What means does science use now?

Scientific Method - a set of techniques for investigating phenomena that is generally followed to
acquire new knowledge. This is the same process applied to correcting and integrating previous
knowledge.

1. Observation - use of senses and equipment to enhance the ability e.g. use of a microscope
to see details of things
2. Ask questions or identify the problem - why does this thing behave like this? What causes
it to behave like this?
3. Form a hypothesis - formulate temporary explanation based on observations and
background data e.g., the plant will not wilt if it has enough water
4. Conduct an experiment - observe two plants, one is with enough water supply while the
other is not, does wilting occur? Which one wilted?
5. Accept hypothesis or reject the hypothesis
 6. Make a conclusion
7. Publish - writing the result of your experiment for others to know, validate and even
perform what you did

Types of reasoning

Deductive reasoning - attempts to explain things, formulation of hypothesis and theory

Inductive reasoning - attempts to test the validity of the hypothesis or theory

Which steps of the scientific methods are deductive? Inductive? Which one should be practiced in
science?

Is the scientific method cut out?

Although science follows a basic method of:
• thinking
• observing
• experimenting

But there is no strict recipe!

It can involve:
• serendipity - have you heard how the antibiotic from penicillin was discovered by Fleming
and the circumstances that led to the discovery of DNA double helix by Watson, Crick,
Wilkins, and Franklin? These revolutionary discoveries were offshoots of just something
related to the major task
• imagination - when one observes a problem, then it will also follow to imagine if not plan
how to solve this
• dream and luck - there are those who believe that they were in the right place at the right
time leading to some novel discoveries, while others insist it is hard work that led them to
success.

Categories of scientific investigation

1. Observational investigation - observed what is present in the environment; e.g., flowers of

different colors
2. Controlled what-if experiment – e.g., will the leaves differ in color if exposed in the sun or
put in the shade?
3. Explanation-seeking experiment – e.g., what pigments are present or absent, giving the
result of yellowish color? What caused it to do that?
4. Modeling what-if experiment – e.g., certain plants will be exposed to the sun, while others
are put in the shade. You can then understand what to do when yellow or green leaves are
needed
5. Problem-solving what-if experiment – e.g., do anything as long as you produce yellow
leaves! I don't care how you do it, JUST FIX IT!
How to spot a scientist
• Curious how nature works - observant on phenomena or overall surrounding, may it be to
enjoy, explain or how it can benefit humanity
• Stay current with the latest news in their field - does a lot of reading or knowing the
latest updates and information on relevant issues and the possible solutions. How is this
done? Is this the same as gossip? Why?
• Benefit from advances in other fields - combines the different fields of expertise to arrive
at a possible solution to a problem. Can you mention different specializations of the
medical staff that attend to a positive COVID- 19 patient?
• Integrate work done by others to see the bigger picture - knowledge or findings of others
are being referred and acknowledged, rather than reinventing the wheel so that the effort
and resources can be focused on something that is still unknown
• Benefit from serendipity - the accidental discovery of penicillin is an excellent example of
a medical breakthrough from the accidental discovery of the antibiotic property of a
fungus that has contaminated and otherwise pure culture. However, some posit, that if
not of the scientific training of Fleming, the contaminated petri dish could have just been
thrown out
• Compete for grant money - research needs logistics, financial support. Anyone who would
avail should submit a proposal justifying the need, efficiency of its use, the benefits
derived and even justify the qualifications of the proponent to be worthy of the research
money
• Police themselves - scientists are often aware of who else (collaborators or competitors)
are working on the same specialization. There are strict protocols to be followed. Like a
dead COVID patient cannot be automatically dissected for further studies but rather follow
strict policies in the use of human cadaver. e.g., permit to use in medical and research
purpose
• Maybe suppressed by wealthy corporations - big corporations or entities can prevent
further development of products, especially if this will compete with available products in
the market. Like if you find out that salty water with its minerals can also be converted to
fuel, do you think the big oil companies will be supportive?
• Can be brutally competitive - proponents must have 'award-winning' proposal to get the
grant, beating deadline, promising deliverables
• Very much like any other person - any scientist is just but a mere human being