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How to take notes:

• For the lesson, you have a FIB (fill in the

blank) page.
• On this page, record important information.
If it is important – it is RED!

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Why use the Scientific Method?
Why use the Scientific Method?
The goal of science is to investigate and
understand the natural world, to explain these
events, and to use those explanations to make
useful predictions.

Scientists use this method to:

Collect and organize information in a
careful, orderly way, looking for
patterns and connections between
events.

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Scientific Method
The scientific method is:
A series of steps used by scientists to
solve a problem or answer a question.

The Steps to the Scientific Method:

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Scientific Method
The scientific method is:
A series of steps used by scientists to
solve a problem or answer a question.

The Steps to the Scientific Method:

1. Question or Problem
2. Form a Hypothesis
3. Experiment
4. Record and Analyze Results
5. Draw Conclusions and
communicate them

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 Observations
Science begins with an observation.

This is the act of using one or more

senses to gather information and to
make note of what occurs.

Data is the information gathered from making

observations.

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 Observations vs. Inferences
If observations refer to noting a fact
or occurrence by using our five senses
• Then what are inferences?
• Inferences are explanations or interpretations
of what you are observing. They are
statements that may give an explanation to
what you are observing

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 Let’s try it!
Look at the picture:
• What can we infer
from looking at this
picture?

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 Let’s try it!
Look at the picture:
• What can we infer
from looking at this
picture? Possible inferences include:
It just finished raining or still
may be raining.

The sun will come out and it has

finished raining for the day.

It was thunder storming earlier.

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 Now what?
• So you observe something and now you
are curious about it.
• Now, you need to come up with a
question!

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 Question or Problem
A problem or a question must first be identified, before an
experiment can begin.

The purpose of the question is to narrow

the focus of the inquiry, to identify the
problem in specific terms.

How do you ask an “in-depth” or testable question?

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 Research Question
A fully focused research question is clearly described
What kind of problem are you addressing?
What goal are you trying to accomplish?

MUST INCLUDE:
IV—all levels Ex: 5 Different colored lights for a photosynthesis lab (blue/red/Yell...)
DV---WHAT you will measure + units Ex: growth of plant in mm

Examples:
How does the concentration (from 20% to 100%) of H2O2 affect
the rate of catalase action?

EVERYTHING COMES BACK TO THE RESEARCH

QUESTION!!!
 Research Question

A poor question would be "How does the phosphorous

affect plant growth?

A good research question would be

…………………………………………………………….
.

EVERYTHING COMES BACK TO THE RESEARCH

QUESTION!!!
 Research Question
• Be precise as possible
• If you are using any living organisms, or products
from living organisms, such as seeds from a plant,
give the most precise name you can and give the
scientific name if possible (Ex: Pisum sativum for
garden peas)
• Think about timing
 There are three variables in an experiment:
1) The independent
variable……….

2) The dependent variable is

the ………………..

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 There are three variables in an experiment:
1) The independent
variable is the variable
that is deliberately
changed by the scientist.

2) The dependent variable is

the one observed during the
experiment. The
dependent variable is the
changing data we collect
during the experiment.
This data is collected as a
result of changing the
independent variable.

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 There are three variables in an experiment:
Example experiment:
A scientist studies the impact of
withholding affection on cats.
What is the IV?
What is the DV?

The independent variable?

The dependent variable?

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 There are three variables in an experiment:
Example experiment:
A scientist studies the impact of
withholding affection on cats.
What is the IV?
What is the DV?

The independent variable is the amount

of affection.
The dependent variable is the reaction of
the cats.
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 Controlled variable:
A third variable is the constant or
controlled variable.
• It is important to know that the
results of an experiment are
due to changes in the
independent variable.
• A control confirms the reliability
of the results
• If the control remains
unchanged, observed changes
are due to the independent
variable.

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Practice Time

Title: The Effect of Different Kinds Of Organic Food Waste On Soil Microbial Respiration
Research question:How do different organic food wastes  such as dairy, bread, vegetable, fruits and meat
affect the microbial respiration of the soil  (mg CO2 per hour per m2)?
Hypothesis:I assume that the food scraps that are the easiest to digest and have the greatest sugar content
will increase the soil respiration the most amongst the other scraps. SO far the types of scraps that fit into
this category are grains and fruits, since they are full of carbohydrates that are easy to break down 12 . Still,
since the grain scraps tend to be processed (baked, steamed, etc.), the nutrients inside it might be more
available to the microorganisms found in soil.

IV DV Controlled Variables
 Hypothesis
Definition: A possible explanation for an observation that can
be tested by scientific investigation. It refers back to the
question or problem.

Generally, a hypothesis is stated as an "if … then" statement.

In making such a statement, scientists engage in deductive
reasoning.

In our case we will sometimes add the “because” as well. For

example: If we add 5 grams of salt, then the chemical will
react because salt makes the reaction faster.

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 Hypothesis
Deduction requires movement in logic from the general to the
specific.

Here's an example: If the amount of sun on a tomato plant is

increased (general statement), then the plant will grow to 4
feet tall (specific statement). What might be a “because”?

•Once you have a TESTABLE Hypothesis, you do an

experiment.

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 During the Experiment…
• You collect data!
• Data can looks different, but it is found as 2
main types

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Data gathered from the
experiment:
Two types of data:

1. Quantitative –

2.Qualitative –

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Data gathered from the
experiment:
Two types of data:

1. Quantitative - information about quantities; that

is, information that can be measured and written
down with numbers.

2.Qualitative –It is information about qualities;

information that can't actually be measured.

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 Examples of data:
• Your age. ( …………………..)

• The number of hairs on your knuckle.

(…………………..)

• The softness of a cat. (…………….)

• The color of the sky. (……………….)

• The number of pennies in your pocket.

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 Raw Data and Analyzed Data
• Raw data –

• Analyzed data –

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 Raw Data and Analyzed Data
• Raw data – what is collected from the
experiment
• Analyzed data – the collected data has been
looked at, people decide what is means and
then communicate their conclusions. This is
often presented as a graph and then the
meaning of the graph is discussed in written
form.

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 Analysis and Results
The data that has been collected must be organized
and analyzed to determine whether the data are
reliable.
Data is analyzed and compared, often in charts, to
determine if it supports the hypothesis or not.

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 Experimental Errors
• Errors of Measurement
• Scientists use tools to do experiments
• These tools need to be working properly, as well as
scientists knowing how to use these tools
• For example, a balance must be “tared” or set to zero before
use. A scientist must need to know how to do that in order to
have correct measurements.
• In every experiment, errors are possible. You need to take
these into account when communicating your own
experiments.

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 Drawing Conclusions
The conclusion The evidence from the
includes results, experiment is used to
analysis of data and determine if the
lesson learned. hypothesis is proven or
1. What did you learn disproven.
2. Was the hypothesis
correct?
3. What are mistakes
made
4.Questions you have now
or ideas for improvements

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 Repetition and Replication
• There are two ways that scientific investigations can
be re-tested.
1. The scientist who did the study can repeat the
study
• Multiple repetitions with similar results provide
support for the original findings
2. Or, other scientists can replicate the first
investigation
• Replication of the work by other scientists
provides even more support for the work!

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 Communicating Results
• Scientists write articles
• Make presentations to other scientists
• Other scientists may then try to replicate the first
experiment, or even find evidence that the first
experiment is wrong.
• Multi-media communication around the world is
common now

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 Scientific Method in Action
• It is not a straight line of
steps!
• Depending on the
experiment, some steps
may be repeated over and
over, while other steps
are not needed.
• Sometimes, testing the
hypothesis leads right to a
conclusion! And
sometimes no definitive
reason has been found
yet!
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