Scientific Method

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Scientific Method
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Step 1 State the problem

• You cannot solve a problem until you know exactly
  what it is.
• My Problem is - "I need a date for Friday Night".

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Step 2 Research the problem

• What will it take to solve my problem?
• What do I know, and need to know, about my
  problem?
• To solve my problem, "I need someone to take out
  Friday Night".
• Who can I take?
• - Examine the possibilities.
• - Eliminate poor choices.
• - Consider likely choices.

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Step 3 Form a hypothesis

• A possible solution to my problem.
• The simplest solution is often the best solution!
  
• "My date will be ( Name )".

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Step 4 Design an experiment and test the problem

• Perform an experiment to see if your hypothesis
  works.
• "Ask ( Name ) for a date Friday Night".

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Step 5 Draw conclusions and accept or reject
your hypothesis

• Data are the results of an experiment.
• In its simplest form, there are only two possible
  conclusions
• Conclusion 1   If your hypothesis was correct,
  you now have a date for Friday.
• PROBLEM SOLVED!
• Conclusion 2   If your hypothesis was incorrect,
  the experiment failed.
• DON'T GIVE UP!
• DO MORE RESEARCH!
• - What was wrong with your original hypothesis?
• - Did you make a poor selection?
• - Was your experiment flawed?
• - Form another hypothesis based on additional
  research.
• - Test the new hypothesis.

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Step 6 Publish/ communicate your results

• Share your findings with others.
• They may choose to perform the same experiment to
  see if similar conclusions can be made.
• Yipee, she said yes!

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Variables- any part of the experiment that can
change

• Independent variable
• Part of the experiment that is manipulated by the
  scientist performing the experiment
• Treatment

• Dependent variable
• Part of the experiment that is affected by the
  independent variable
• Results
• What you are measuring

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Controls

• A Controlled experiment
• All conditions must remain the same throughout
  the experiment except the variables (dependent
  and independent)

• The control
• A part of the experiment that is not being tested
  and is used for comparison.

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• Homer notices that his shower is covered in a
  strange green slime. His friend Barney tells him
  that coconut juice will get rid of the green
  slime. Homer decides to check this this out by
  spraying half of the shower with coconut juice.
  He sprays the other half of the shower with
  water. After 3 days of "treatment" there is no
  change in the appearance of the green slime on
  either side of the shower.

Identify the control group, independent variable,
and dependent variable. What is Homers
conclusion?