Title: Scientific Method
1Scientific Method
2Think about this situation
A teacher collected some beetles from a rotting
log and placed them in a container of oatmeal in
her room. She kept the box lightly covered so
they could not escape. She also placed potato
and apple pieces in the container. After several
weeks, some students noticed there were some
weird looking wormlike creatures in the
container.
3- How could you explain the presence of the worms
in the container. How would you support your
explanation?
4Step One State your problem or question
- This is the problem you want to solve or question
you want answered - Also called the purpose
- Example How did the worms get in the oatmeal?
5Step Two Research your topic.
- Collect information about your topic
- Use different research sources such as books,
magazines, interviews, and observations - Can give you ideas for an experiment
- Ex What would you look up about the worms??
6Step 3 Form your hypothesis.
- Educated explanation
- Must be a testable answer to your question
- Should be stated in If. . .then . . . Format
- Example What is our hypothesis for the worms
in the oatmeal???
7Step 4 Design a controlled experiment.
- Tests the hypothesis under certain conditions
- Control group group not being tested, used for
comparison - Manipulated (Independent) variable variable you
are testing - Responding (Dependent) variable resulting
variable, what you see happening, what you record
data about
8Step 5Record/analyze data.
- Record information from experiment
- Quantitative (numerical), or qualitative
(descriptive) - May be arranged in table, graphs, journals, etc.
- Example What kind of data would we have for our
experiment?
9- Quantitative (numbers) 28 students, 1.5
meters, 2 mL, etc. - Qualitative (descriptions) Short, tall, small,
red, smooth, etc.
10Step 6 Form conclusion.
- Analyze data and determine if hypothesis was
correct - Recap the experiment
- Conclusion may be confirmed only after many
trials show the same result - If well supported over time, may be referred to
as a theory. - Theory well tested explanation that brings
together a broad range of observations
11Quiz One Identify the following examples of the
scientific method.
- Conclusion C. Data
E. Hypothesis - Control group D. Experimental group F.
Problem
- A chart with the number of roaches killed and the
treatments they received. - I wonder what will kill a roach?
- Roaches are killed more quickly when sprayed with
Raid than if sprayed with water. - One group of roaches is sprayed with Raid,
another is sprayed with water. - If roaches are sprayed with Raid, then they will
die quickly. - One group of roaches is not sprayed with anything.