Scribd
Upload
120 views15 pages

Concept 4 Notes - Scientific Method

how to do scientific method

Uploaded by

jsargen
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
120 views15 pages

Concept 4 Notes - Scientific Method

how to do scientific method

Uploaded by

jsargen
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 15

Science

• Science: a method for studying the natural


world by gaining knowledge through
observations and investigations.
- Scientists gather information through observations and
design investigations based on inferences.
• Observation: objective; based on the 5
senses, not opinion.
- Ex. The ground is wet.
• Inference: subjective; a guess about an
observation.
- Ex. It rained. Someone spilled something.
Observation vs. Inference
Laws vs. Theories
• Law: description of • Theory: an
how things happen explanation, based
in nature. on evidence, of why
- Ex. Newton’s Laws things happen.
of Motion - Ex. Evolutionary
Theory
• Laws cannot become theories, and vice
versa.
• All theories start as hypotheses until
substantiated by evidence.
Scientific Method
• Scientific Method: technique for
investigating phenomenon.
- Summarized (usually) into 6 steps.
1. Ask a question.
2. Research and gather background
information.
3. Form a hypothesis.
4. Test the hypothesis.
5. Analyze the data.
6. Draw conclusions.
1. Ask a question.
• Observations we make should lead us to ask
questions.
• This clearly stated question will define our
purpose for conducting an investigation.
- Try it!
2. Research and gather
background information.
• Gather information to see
what others have studied
about this question,
summarizing in an
introduction.
- What would be trustworthy
sources we could look to for
useful background information?
- What would be not trustworthy
sources to find useful
background information?
3. Form a hypothesis.
• Hypothesis: a testable prediction that
attempts to answer a question.
- Usually predicts a cause and effect
relationship between variables.

Format: If…(IV), then…(DV), because…

Independent Dependent
variable variable
“Cause” “Effect”
3. Form a hypothesis.
• Independent variable: what is being
purposefully changed; what is being tested; the
“cause”
• Dependent variable: what is being measured;
the data collected as a response; the “effect”
• Example #1: I always notice that many runners
drink Gatorade. I want to know if Gatorade makes
them run faster.
- What would the independent variable be?
- What would the dependent variable be?
- Write a hypothesis.
4. Test the hypothesis.
• Design an experiment. List all materials you will
need and write out each step in your experiment
in a procedure.
• A good experiment should always have:
- Control Group: the normal group used for
comparison.
- Experimental Group(s): the group that is being
tested and purposefully changed.
- Constants: factors that do not change in the
experiment; conditions kept the same for all groups.
- Examples of each for the Gatorade experiment?
5. Analyze the data.
• Organize results into tables and graphs.
- Quantitative: numerical data
- Qualitative: descriptive data
5. Analyze the data.
3 Main Types of Graphs: The change in plant height over time

• Line Graph: quantitative data

Height (cm)
vs. quantitative data
- Ex. Plant growth over time Time (days)

• Bar Graph: qualitative data Student Subject Preferences

vs. quantitative data

# of Students
- Ex. # of students and favorite
classes Subject

• Circle (Pie) Graph: Grade Breakdown for Test

percentages
15% C’s
40% A’s

- Ex. % of students who got A’s, B’s,


45% B’s

C’s, D’s, and F’s on a test


5. Analyze the data.
• Graphs Must Have:
- Title
- X-Axis and
Y-Axis labels
• Including
units, if
needed
- Even scale
- Key, if
needed
5. Analyze the data.
• In a written analysis include:
- A brief overview of the variables
• Independent variable, dependent variable, control
group, experimental group, and constants.
- Clear explanation of what the data shows
• Refer to graphs!
- Infer why you got the results you did
- Error analysis
- Describe at least 3 factors not held constant that could
have messed with results and how to prevent in future
6. Draw Conclusions.
• Conclusion should include:
- A clear statement of if the data
supports the hypothesis or not.
• Never say “proven,” “disproven,” ”correct,” or
“incorrect”!!
- What was learned
- Real world application

You might also like