Scientific Method

Evangeline DC. Canceller

Science Teacher
 Scientific method is an
orderly process of empirical
investigation that is focused on
solving a problem.
 Steps in Scientific Method
1. Observe and State the Problem
Keen observation of one’s
surroundings and awareness of
what is going on around you can
lead to ideas that help identify a
particular problem. Ask a question
about something you have
observed.
2. Research. Gather information
related to the problem you
identified. Review existing records or
data. Consults an expert who have
worked on a similar problem.
3. Formulate a Hypothesis
Once the problem is identified and
testable question has been proposed, you
can now formulate the hypothesis. A
hypothesis is a simple statement that
presents the possible solution to the problem
. It can be tested, and it is based on
knowledge and research. A hypothesis can be
an overall statement about the
observation(descriptive) or a guess about
what caused the pattern in the
observation(explanatory).
Hypothesis may be stated in two ways:
a. Null hypothesis(Ho) – states that
there is no relationship between variables.
Ex. The fertilizer does not affect the
growth of plants. (Ho: A=B)
b. Alternative hypothesis(Ha) – states
that there is a relationship between variables.
Ex. There is a significant relationship
between the growth of plants and the use of
fertilizer.(Ha1:AǂB)
4. Testing Hypothesis
Design your experiment and write
the step by step procedure that you will
use to test your hypothesis. Identify the
treatment that you will implement so
that you can compare the results with a
reference data. Observe and records
what happen when one variable is
manipulated or changed.
An experiment is an activity
which is carefully planned,
designed and executed in order to
find out if a hypothesis is right or
wrong.
 Three Types of Experiments
1. Controlled experiments generally
compares the results obtained
from an experimental sample
against the control sample. Under
this type, the observer test the
hypothesis by looking for changes
brought about by alteration to a
variable.
 Identifying Variables
Variables is a characteristic,
number, or quantity that increases
overtime or takes different values
in situations. It is anything that you
can change or control in an
experiment.
Three kinds of variables in an experiment
1. Controlled variables are variables that
are kept constant throughout the
experiment. They do not receive any
treatment.
2. Independent variables are the factors
that you change or alter during the
experiment. These variables cause a
corresponding effect in other variables.
3. Dependent variables are the
variables that you observe, and
they are considered the response
to an independent variable.
2. Natural experiments or quasi-
experiments are those that rely
solely on observations of variables of
the system under study. Here, the
observer does not manipulate any
variable but simply collects all the
possible data to determine the
factors affecting a particular
phenomenon.
3. Field experiment is named to
draw a contrast with laboratory
experiments. It examines the real
world using a scientific method
and is often used in social
sciences such as political sciences,
economics and psychology.
Fair test is an experiment in which one
condition (independent variable) affects
another (dependent variable) by keeping all
other conditions constant.
Prediction is a forecast of future events
based on past observation.
Control group is the part of the experiment
without the variable being tested.
Experimental setup is the part that contains
the variable that is being tested.
Read a situation of a group of students who wanted
to determine the effect of fertilizer on the growth of
plants.
A group of students tested the effect of
fertilizer on the growth of plants. They used six
plants that are all 15cm tall. They group the plants
into two: Group A and Group B. They watered the
plants in Group A with 200 ml of plain water and
200 ml of fertilizer solution in Group B. They
watered the plants twice a week with the same
amount of water and exposed them to the same
amount of sunlight. After three weeks, they
measured the plants in each group.
• Topic: Does the fertilizer affect the growth of
plants?
• Hypothesis: Fertilizers have an effect on the
growth of plants. Plants with fertilizer will grow
bigger.
The set of plants that
received some amount of
fertilizer is the experimental
group, while the set of plants
that did not receive fertilizer
is the control group.
The growth of plant is the
dependent variable. This may be
measured in terms of height of the
plants and the diameter of the stem,
after a period of time. The amount of
fertilizer is the independent variable.
The amount of water, amount of
sunlight, and the kind and initial size
of plants are the controlled variable.
5. Analyzing and Presenting Data
Data obtained from experiments should be
analyzed and presented systematically. The data
maybe presented using a table for easy
interpretation.
Table of Experimental Data
Initial Height Frequency of Treatment Growth of
Set up of the Plants Watering Given for Three Plants
Weeks

Group A 15 cm Twice a week 200 ml of water 18 cm

Group B 15 cm Twice a week 200 ml of 32 cm

fertilizer
silution
1.Which plant has the
greatest growth rate?
2.What affects the growth of
plant?
3.What is the table all about?
The table shows that Group A was
the control group, while Group B
was the experimental group. Aside
from the qualitative difference in two
groups, the quantitative difference
was also observed. The difference in
growth of the plants measured in
centimeters is quantitative.
The difference in the height between
the plants in Group A and those in
Group B showed that the variable
being tested (in this case, presence
of fertilizer) had an effect on the
growth of plants. Thus, it appears
that fertilizers have an effect on plant
growth.
6. Creating Conclusion
Based on your findings and
interpretation of the data, draw your
conclusion and see if they agree with your
hypothesis. A conclusion is a summary of
the results of the experiment and the
statement of how the results match up to
the hypothesis. There are two options for a
conclusion. One is to reject the hypothesis,
and the other one is to accept it.
If a good conclusion has been tested
often times and showed valid and
reliable results each time, it then
becomes a theory, a scientifically
accepted fact. A theory has been
tested and confirmed by various
experiments becomes scientific law,
a statement or principle that is
universally accepted.
Let us do this!
You learned from school that darker colors absorb
more light energy than lighter colors. Thus, dark-colored
objects become hotter when exposed to sunlight. To
prove this, you want to determine if after sometime, the
temperature of a dark-colored soda will be higher than
that of a light-colored drink. You expose both glasses
under the sun for 30 minutes and measure the
temperature of each liquid using a thermometer. You
observe that the temperature that the dark-colored soda
drink is higher than that of light-colored drink. You
repeat the same experiment but this time in a dark
room. You observe that the temperatures of the liquids
are the same in the dark room.
a. Which is the experimental set-up?
b. Which is the control?
c. Which is/are the independent
variable(s)?
d. Which is the dependent variable?
e. What factors will you keep
constant?
Answers:
a. Soda drinks exposed to sunlight
b. Soda drinks exposed in a dark room
c. Sunlight and color of the soda drink
d. Temperature of the soda drinks
e. Volume of soda drink, size and kind
of glass, time of taking the
temperature