scientific problem solving lesson 1 answer key

The Scientific Method : 7 Steps, Worksheet, & Examples

Grade 7 science worksheets.

The seven steps of the Scientific Method are:

• Make an Observation
• Ask a Question
• Conduct Research
• Form a Hypothesis
• Conduct Experiment
• Analyze Data
• Report Conclusions

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The Scientific Method – Definition

The scientific method is used in scientific inquiry by scientists to answer questions and solve problems. It involves a series of steps that help them to investigate, experiment, and draw conclusions based on evidence. The scientific method is not just for scientists, anyone can use it in their everyday lives to solve problems and answer questions.

Steps of the Scientific Method – Diagram:

7 Steps of The Scientific Method – Explained with Example

Now let us understand the seven steps of the Scientific Method using the example of a potted house plant.

Step 1: Make an Observation

When you notice something interesting , you can say an Observation is Made. Scientific Observations trigger curiousity and interest to know more.

You got a potted house plant for your study table. You watered it every day, but it died.

Now you want to know more so that when you get a plant again, you can take care of it better.

Step 2: Ask a Question

When an interesting observation is made, you wonder why what you observed happened.

In the scientific method, you decide to find out the answer to this questions through research and experiments.

Why did the plant die, even though it was watered frequently.

Step 3: Conduct Research

Now you want to understand the topic better.

Maybe this topic was researched by someone before, and the answers are available in a book, video, or scientific article. So you first look for available information on the topic for the inquiry process .

After reading and talking to experts, you learn that potted house plants could die mainly due to 2 reasons:

• Not getting enough water
• Getting too much water

Step 4: Form a Hypothesis

A ‘hypothesis’ is an educated guess or a possible explanation.

Once you have a hypothesis, you can then design an experiment to test it and see if your prediction is correct or not.

You know that you watered the plant very well. The soil in your pot was never dry.

So your educated guess is that the plant died due to getting too much water.  

Step 5: Plan & Conduct Experient

Conducting an experiment is the most difficult step in the Scientific Method. It is a way to test a hypothesis and gather evidence to support or disprove it. It is also a highly exciting process that students get to experience in school laboratories.

First, you have the hypothesis ready.

• Next, you need to design the experiment. This means figuring out what materials and equipment you will need, what procedures you will follow, and how you will measure your results.
• Then you conduct the experiment. This involves following your procedures carefully, making observations, and recording your results.
• Independent variable – A factor that is changed during a scientific experiment
• Dependent variable – A factor being tested or measured during an experiment
• Controlled variable – A factor that is kept the same during a scientific experiment

• Your hypothesis: Your plant died because of too much watering
• Design the experiment: You will get two plants and water them differently till one of them dies
• Materials and equipment needed: Two similar potted plants, name cards written with A and B, and a notebook
• Experiment: Water plant A like you did with your original dead house plant. Water B with half that amount.
• Record Data: During the experiment, record the daily observations on a notebook. You can make a table with two columns for Plant A and Plant B. Note down different factors – date, volume of water given, leaf and stem strength, leaf colour
• Independent variable – Amount of water suplied to each plant
• Dependent variable – Colour and strenth of leaves
• Controlled variable – Type and size of plants, pot, sunlight, soil quantity

Step 6: Analyze Data

In this stage, data collected during the experiment is anlaysed. The goal is to know whether the data proves the hypothesis or disproves it. This involves:

• Explaining the data gathered from the experiment.
• Observations, information and data are collected from the experiment.
• Use of pictorial representation via charts, graphs, averages, percentages , etc.

(learn more about analyzing and representation of data from our math tutors .)

The data collected show that Plant A and B were healthy at the start of teh experiement.

It shows that Plant A, which received more water, started becoming unhealthy by week 2 – its leaves changed colour, its stem became weak.

Step 7: Report Conclusions

A report is created at the end of the experiement. It will have data, conclusions, and diagrams. It is presented to an authority on the topic for review

The report should say:

• Is the data and mesaurement correct? What are the possible sources of error?
• Does the data (answer) support the hypothesis? Why or why not?

If the data does not prove or disprove the hypothesis, a new experiemnt needs to be designed and conducted. Sometimes, new factors of the same problem can be researched and studied

Conclusion:

Plant A, which received the same water as the original potted plant, died. Plant B, which received less water than Plant A, survived.

This supports the hypothesis that the original potted plant died due to over-watering.

The experiment is successfully concluded 

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Practical Applications of the Scientific Method

Here are some practical uses of the scientific method:

Solving problems: Scientists use scientific method to systematically solve problems in the world around us. For example, if a scientist wants to find a way to clean up pollution in a river, they might use the scientific method to design experiments and test different solutions until they find one that works.

(Now we know how scientific method helps to solve problems around us. Also learn how math tutoring helps in solving math problems)

Exploring the unknown: Scientists also use the scientific method to explore and discover new things. For example, if a scientist wants to study a new type of plant, they might use the scientific method to observe and collect data about the plant’s growth and behavior, and then use that data to draw conclusions about the plant’s characteristics.

Improving technology: The scientific method is also used to develop and improve technology. For example, if a scientist wants to develop a new type of solar panel, they might use the scientific method to experiment with different materials and designs until they find one that produces the most energy.

Understanding natural phenomena: The scientific method is used to better understand the natural world around us. For example, if a scientist wants to understand why hurricanes form, they might use the scientific method to collect data and test different theories until they find one that explains the phenomenon.

Overall, the scientific method is a powerful tool that helps scientists to ask questions, gather evidence, and draw conclusions based on facts and evidence. It helps us to better understand the world around us and solve complex problems that affect our daily lives.

Scientific Method Example

The Steps of the Scientific Method are used as an ongoing process to make new discoveries. Thomas Edison’s team tested 6000+ materials before identifying one that can be used to make cheap long lasting light bulbs.

The team repeated the scientific method 6000+ times with different materials for this invention. Scientists still use this method today to make new discoveries and inventions!

Reference: https://historyengine.richmond.edu/episodes/view/5609

Practice Problems

1. What are Independent Variables?

2. What are Dependent Variables?

3. What are controlled variables?

Put your knowledge to the test with our challenging  Science Worksheets ! 

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the scientific method.

The Scientific Method is a 7-step observation and evidence based method to understand the world and invent new things. The seven steps of the Scientific Method are:

What is 'forming a question'?

Based on your observations, develop a problem statement that can be solved by the process of experimenting. Usually a “How’ or “Why” question?

How to test your hypothesis?

Hypothesis is tested using scientific experiments. A set of repetitive methods is developed to conduct the experiment. The main aim is to test our hypothesis by collecting the facts and data. Includes variables – a measuring quantity that is used or changed during the experiment.

What are the types of variables used in the experiment?

Independent variable and dependent variable.

How will you analyze data?

Observations, information and data are collected from the experiment. Organize the data and show with the calculations. Explain the data gathered from the experiment. Use of pictorial representation via charts, graphs, averages, and percentages

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• https://historyengine.richmond.edu/episodes/view/5609
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientific_method#/media/File:The_Scientific_Method.svg

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Scientific Method

In this lesson, we learn what the scientific method is, how one conducts scientific experiments, and formulates theories based on the results..

Objectives:

• Understand the scientific method

• Recognize different steps involved in scientific problem solving

• Explore key concepts such as hypothesis, theory, experiment and observation

Suggested Grades:

6th Grade - 7th Grade - 8th Grade - 9th Grade

Lesson Procedure:

Print the reading comprehension passage and questions (see below). Students should read the passage silently, then answer the questions. Teachers may also use the text as part of a classroom lesson plan.

Lesson Excerpt:

What is a scientific method? Scientific method is commonly used by researchers to investigate answers to their questions. Such approach uses a combination of reasoning and observation. At first, researchers formulate a hypothesis about how a certain process works. Then their hypotheses are tested or expanded based on experiments, from which measurements obtained, inferences are made and theories are derived. Scientific problem solving In scientific problem solving, there is a certain sequence of techniques that people use for troubleshooting and forming theories.

Continued...

Lesson Printables:

Print this printable worksheet for this lesson:

SCIENTIFIC METHOD PLAN SCIENCE WORKSHEETS BIOLOGY PRIMARY TEACHING LEARNING READING COMPREHENSION STUDENTS ELEMENTARY EDUCATION CURRICULUM KIDS THEME UNIT RESOURCES ACTIVITIES

Science Scientific Methods Lesson Plan Activity Fact Child Info School - Children - Kid - Primary Education - Child Teachers Free - Sixth Grade - Seventh Grade - Eighth Grade - Ninth Grade - Lesson Plan Reading Worksheet

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Scientific Method: a set of steps and techniques scientists use to investigate and understand the physical and living world...  more

How to Introduce Students to the Scientific Method

Students, and sometimes even teachers, often think scientists only use the scientific method to answer science-related questions. In fact, you can apply the scientific method to almost any problem. The key is to use the elements (steps) to reduce bias and help come to a solution to the problem.

One Size Does Not Fit All

The scientific method is the standard in the laboratory, but don’t be fooled by the name. It is also used beyond the laboratory to solve everyday mysteries and problems.

The scientific method consists of a number of different steps , but the order in which we apply the steps can vary. Rather than focus on the order of the steps, students should see the scientific method as a tool that consists of elements they can use to solve problems and answer questions.

In fact, solving problems can lead students through the scientific method before they even realize it. We used this idea to design our Science Detectives Training Room game to help introduce the scientific method.

You can find more information on the game and how to implement it further down on this page. But first, let's look a bit into how exactly we're thinking about doing science more generally and how the scientific method fits into that.

One size does not fit all when it comes to doing science or solving everyday mysteries. Click the image for care.

While you can reorder the steps of the scientific method, it is important to apply all the steps to reduce the impact of personal bias. This is really the key function of the scientific method. The scientific method lays out a process that helps scientists come to a conclusion, but that conclusion is made more valid by virtue of the process scientists used to reach their conclusion. One of the real strengths of the scientific method is that its steps help users reduce the chance for error and personal bias, making the results of their experiments more trustworthy.

Steps Common to Versions of the Scientific Method

A quick Web search yields several different versions of the scientific method. Some have more steps, others have fewer steps. This can confuse students and teachers. Which one is correct? The short answer is most of them are correct.

The steps of the scientific method, no matter what sequence they are in (e.g., prediction before test, test before predictions) helps organize the thought processes and logic of resolving a problem or answering a question. But no matter which version of the scientific method someone uses, there will be some common steps:

• The search for alternative explanations
• Constant pressure to disprove even currently accepted hypotheses
• Capacity to modify or even drop a "favorite" hypothesis when too many exceptions become apparent (truth is relative to the available data)

Communicating What Is Learned

The scientific method also serves as an important template for communicating results and the logic behind them. This step is perhaps the most important step in the scientific method, yet it is often a step that is left out of models of the scientific method. If scientists don't share their results or talk about the processes they used to get those results, those results can't become part of our understanding of the world around us. It is, therefore, critical that "communicating results" is part of students' vision of the scientific method.

Science and the Scientific Method

Being involved in science and using the scientific method are not necessarily the same thing. It is possible to be involved in science without applying all the processes of the scientific method. The citizen science movement, which is a very powerful part of the science community, is a great example of this. Citizen scientists are ordinary folks who are involved with pieces of the scientific method, such as data collection.

For example, in the Monarch Monitoring Project, citizen scientists help count migrating monarch butterflies. Each year thousands of people from around the country spend time collecting critical butterfly census data. The Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC) is another large citizen science project that relies on the help of people from around the country to collect bird data.

Collecting data is one part of the scientific method, and citizen scientists clearly “do science," but they have not applied all the parts of the scientific method. Students should understand that the scientific method is a process that results in a conclusion. Simply gathering data does not result in a conclusion; other steps are necessary.

Are You and Your Students Science Detectives?

Science Detectives Training Room is a fun way to teach students from elementary level to college about the scientific method. It is also a great way to build problem solving skills. Based on a popular "room escape" genre of online games, players enter a dark room and must work through a set of problems to escape.

Once the player escapes from the first room, they encounter a summary of the steps they took to escape and how those steps match the steps of the scientific method. At the end of the game the player can print out the results of their training room exercise for review. If used as an assignment, students can submit the printout to their instructor to show how they performed in the activity.

The game then connects to a follow-up game, The Case of the Mystery Images , which allows students to practice their new detective skills. They are shown a series of images that they have to make hypotheses about in order to progress through the game. They can also print out their work in this game.

Review First, Play Later, or Play First and Review Afterwards?

This is a question best answered by each teacher. Depending on the student or class, it might help to review the process involved in using the scientific method to solve problem. Previewing the game allows the student to experience what they have learned as they play the game. Other instructors, however, might choose to have students play the game first and then use the game summary printout as a tool for engaging students in a discussion of the process and parts of the scientific method, such as control, variables, and data. Either method is effective.

Time to Play

The average time to play the game is 5-7 minutes, depending on the grade level of the student.

Multiple Game Solutions

The game has multiple options that are randomly selected as the player enters the room. Players are unlikely to have the same experience if they play the game several times.

This is handy for instructors who want to have students play the game in a classroom laboratory. Each student is likely to have a slightly different experience.

Using the Final Report Option

In order to escape, a player will be presented an opportunity to print the output of their training. The final report is personalized and can be used as homework or as an extra credit opportunity.

Arizona Science Standards

Strand One: Inquiry process

Concept 1: Observations, Questions, and Hypotheses

• PO 1. (5) Formulate a relevant question through observations that can be tested by an investigation.
• PO 1. (6) Differentiate among a question, hypothesis, and prediction.
• PO 1. (7) Formulate questions based on observations that lead to the development of a hypothesis.
• PO 1. (8) Formulate questions based on observations that lead to the development of a hypothesis.
• PO 2. (5) Formulate predictions in the realm of science based on observed cause and effect relationships.
• PO 3. (7) Explain the role of a hypothesis in a scientific inquiry.

Concept 3: Analysis and Conclusions

• PO 2. (3) Construct reasonable interpretations of the collected data based on formulated questions.

Common Core Standards

• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RST.6-8.10. By the end of grade 8, read and comprehend science/technical texts in the grades 6-8 text complexity band independently and proficiently.

Read more about: Using the Scientific Method to Solve Mysteries

View citation, bibliographic details:.

• Article: For Teachers
• Author(s): CJ Kazilek and David Pearson
• Publisher: Arizona State University School of Life Sciences Ask A Biologist
• Site name: ASU - Ask A Biologist
• Date published: February 23, 2013
• Date accessed: August 8, 2024
• Link: https://askabiologist.asu.edu/teaching-scientific-method

CJ Kazilek and David Pearson. (2013, February 23). For Teachers. ASU - Ask A Biologist. Retrieved August 8, 2024 from https://askabiologist.asu.edu/teaching-scientific-method

Chicago Manual of Style

CJ Kazilek and David Pearson. "For Teachers". ASU - Ask A Biologist. 23 February, 2013. https://askabiologist.asu.edu/teaching-scientific-method

MLA 2017 Style

CJ Kazilek and David Pearson. "For Teachers". ASU - Ask A Biologist. 23 Feb 2013. ASU - Ask A Biologist, Web. 8 Aug 2024. https://askabiologist.asu.edu/teaching-scientific-method

Perfect for students and teachers. Science Detectives Training Room introduces the scientific method in a fun game format. Do you think you can escape?

Using the Scientific Method to Solve Mysteries

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What is the Scientific Method: How does it work and why is it important?

The scientific method is a systematic process involving steps like defining questions, forming hypotheses, conducting experiments, and analyzing data. It minimizes biases and enables replicable research, leading to groundbreaking discoveries like Einstein's theory of relativity, penicillin, and the structure of DNA. This ongoing approach promotes reason, evidence, and the pursuit of truth in science.

Updated on November 18, 2023

Beginning in elementary school, we are exposed to the scientific method and taught how to put it into practice. As a tool for learning, it prepares children to think logically and use reasoning when seeking answers to questions.

Rather than jumping to conclusions, the scientific method gives us a recipe for exploring the world through observation and trial and error. We use it regularly, sometimes knowingly in academics or research, and sometimes subconsciously in our daily lives.

In this article we will refresh our memories on the particulars of the scientific method, discussing where it comes from, which elements comprise it, and how it is put into practice. Then, we will consider the importance of the scientific method, who uses it and under what circumstances.

What is the scientific method?

The scientific method is a dynamic process that involves objectively investigating questions through observation and experimentation . Applicable to all scientific disciplines, this systematic approach to answering questions is more accurately described as a flexible set of principles than as a fixed series of steps.

The following representations of the scientific method illustrate how it can be both condensed into broad categories and also expanded to reveal more and more details of the process. These graphics capture the adaptability that makes this concept universally valuable as it is relevant and accessible not only across age groups and educational levels but also within various contexts.

Steps in the scientific method

While the scientific method is versatile in form and function, it encompasses a collection of principles that create a logical progression to the process of problem solving:

• Define a question : Constructing a clear and precise problem statement that identifies the main question or goal of the investigation is the first step. The wording must lend itself to experimentation by posing a question that is both testable and measurable.
• Gather information and resources : Researching the topic in question to find out what is already known and what types of related questions others are asking is the next step in this process. This background information is vital to gaining a full understanding of the subject and in determining the best design for experiments. 
• Form a hypothesis : Composing a concise statement that identifies specific variables and potential results, which can then be tested, is a crucial step that must be completed before any experimentation. An imperfection in the composition of a hypothesis can result in weaknesses to the entire design of an experiment.
• Perform the experiments : Testing the hypothesis by performing replicable experiments and collecting resultant data is another fundamental step of the scientific method. By controlling some elements of an experiment while purposely manipulating others, cause and effect relationships are established.
• Analyze the data : Interpreting the experimental process and results by recognizing trends in the data is a necessary step for comprehending its meaning and supporting the conclusions. Drawing inferences through this systematic process lends substantive evidence for either supporting or rejecting the hypothesis.
• Report the results : Sharing the outcomes of an experiment, through an essay, presentation, graphic, or journal article, is often regarded as a final step in this process. Detailing the project's design, methods, and results not only promotes transparency and replicability but also adds to the body of knowledge for future research.
• Retest the hypothesis : Repeating experiments to see if a hypothesis holds up in all cases is a step that is manifested through varying scenarios. Sometimes a researcher immediately checks their own work or replicates it at a future time, or another researcher will repeat the experiments to further test the hypothesis.

Where did the scientific method come from?

Oftentimes, ancient peoples attempted to answer questions about the unknown by:

• Making simple observations
• Discussing the possibilities with others deemed worthy of a debate
• Drawing conclusions based on dominant opinions and preexisting beliefs

For example, take Greek and Roman mythology. Myths were used to explain everything from the seasons and stars to the sun and death itself.

However, as societies began to grow through advancements in agriculture and language, ancient civilizations like Egypt and Babylonia shifted to a more rational analysis for understanding the natural world. They increasingly employed empirical methods of observation and experimentation that would one day evolve into the scientific method . 

In the 4th century, Aristotle, considered the Father of Science by many, suggested these elements , which closely resemble the contemporary scientific method, as part of his approach for conducting science:

• Study what others have written about the subject.
• Look for the general consensus about the subject.
• Perform a systematic study of everything even partially related to the topic.

By continuing to emphasize systematic observation and controlled experiments, scholars such as Al-Kindi and Ibn al-Haytham helped expand this concept throughout the Islamic Golden Age . 

In his 1620 treatise, Novum Organum , Sir Francis Bacon codified the scientific method, arguing not only that hypotheses must be tested through experiments but also that the results must be replicated to establish a truth. Coming at the height of the Scientific Revolution, this text made the scientific method accessible to European thinkers like Galileo and Isaac Newton who then put the method into practice.

As science modernized in the 19th century, the scientific method became more formalized, leading to significant breakthroughs in fields such as evolution and germ theory. Today, it continues to evolve, underpinning scientific progress in diverse areas like quantum mechanics, genetics, and artificial intelligence.

Why is the scientific method important?

The history of the scientific method illustrates how the concept developed out of a need to find objective answers to scientific questions by overcoming biases based on fear, religion, power, and cultural norms. This still holds true today.

By implementing this standardized approach to conducting experiments, the impacts of researchers’ personal opinions and preconceived notions are minimized. The organized manner of the scientific method prevents these and other mistakes while promoting the replicability and transparency necessary for solid scientific research.

The importance of the scientific method is best observed through its successes, for example: 

• “ Albert Einstein stands out among modern physicists as the scientist who not only formulated a theory of revolutionary significance but also had the genius to reflect in a conscious and technical way on the scientific method he was using.” Devising a hypothesis based on the prevailing understanding of Newtonian physics eventually led Einstein to devise the theory of general relativity .
• Howard Florey “Perhaps the most useful lesson which has come out of the work on penicillin has been the demonstration that success in this field depends on the development and coordinated use of technical methods.” After discovering a mold that prevented the growth of Staphylococcus bacteria, Dr. Alexander Flemimg designed experiments to identify and reproduce it in the lab, thus leading to the development of penicillin .
• James D. Watson “Every time you understand something, religion becomes less likely. Only with the discovery of the double helix and the ensuing genetic revolution have we had grounds for thinking that the powers held traditionally to be the exclusive property of the gods might one day be ours. . . .” By using wire models to conceive a structure for DNA, Watson and Crick crafted a hypothesis for testing combinations of amino acids, X-ray diffraction images, and the current research in atomic physics, resulting in the discovery of DNA’s double helix structure .

Final thoughts

As the cases exemplify, the scientific method is never truly completed, but rather started and restarted. It gave these researchers a structured process that was easily replicated, modified, and built upon. 

While the scientific method may “end” in one context, it never literally ends. When a hypothesis, design, methods, and experiments are revisited, the scientific method simply picks up where it left off. Each time a researcher builds upon previous knowledge, the scientific method is restored with the pieces of past efforts.

By guiding researchers towards objective results based on transparency and reproducibility, the scientific method acts as a defense against bias, superstition, and preconceived notions. As we embrace the scientific method's enduring principles, we ensure that our quest for knowledge remains firmly rooted in reason, evidence, and the pursuit of truth.

The AJE Team

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Course: biology archive   >   unit 1, the scientific method.

• Controlled experiments
• The scientific method and experimental design

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The 6 Scientific Method Steps and How to Use Them

General Education

When you’re faced with a scientific problem, solving it can seem like an impossible prospect. There are so many possible explanations for everything we see and experience—how can you possibly make sense of them all? Science has a simple answer: the scientific method.

The scientific method is a method of asking and answering questions about the world. These guiding principles give scientists a model to work through when trying to understand the world, but where did that model come from, and how does it work?

In this article, we’ll define the scientific method, discuss its long history, and cover each of the scientific method steps in detail.

What Is the Scientific Method?

At its most basic, the scientific method is a procedure for conducting scientific experiments. It’s a set model that scientists in a variety of fields can follow, going from initial observation to conclusion in a loose but concrete format.

The number of steps varies, but the process begins with an observation, progresses through an experiment, and concludes with analysis and sharing data. One of the most important pieces to the scientific method is skepticism —the goal is to find truth, not to confirm a particular thought. That requires reevaluation and repeated experimentation, as well as examining your thinking through rigorous study.

There are in fact multiple scientific methods, as the basic structure can be easily modified.  The one we typically learn about in school is the basic method, based in logic and problem solving, typically used in “hard” science fields like biology, chemistry, and physics. It may vary in other fields, such as psychology, but the basic premise of making observations, testing, and continuing to improve a theory from the results remain the same.

The History of the Scientific Method

The scientific method as we know it today is based on thousands of years of scientific study. Its development goes all the way back to ancient Mesopotamia, Greece, and India.

The Ancient World

In ancient Greece, Aristotle devised an inductive-deductive process , which weighs broad generalizations from data against conclusions reached by narrowing down possibilities from a general statement. However, he favored deductive reasoning, as it identifies causes, which he saw as more important.

Aristotle wrote a great deal about logic and many of his ideas about reasoning echo those found in the modern scientific method, such as ignoring circular evidence and limiting the number of middle terms between the beginning of an experiment and the end. Though his model isn’t the one that we use today, the reliance on logic and thorough testing are still key parts of science today.

The Middle Ages

The next big step toward the development of the modern scientific method came in the Middle Ages, particularly in the Islamic world. Ibn al-Haytham, a physicist from what we now know as Iraq, developed a method of testing, observing, and deducing for his research on vision. al-Haytham was critical of Aristotle’s lack of inductive reasoning, which played an important role in his own research.

Other scientists, including Abū Rayhān al-Bīrūnī, Ibn Sina, and Robert Grosseteste also developed models of scientific reasoning to test their own theories. Though they frequently disagreed with one another and Aristotle, those disagreements and refinements of their methods led to the scientific method we have today.

Following those major developments, particularly Grosseteste’s work, Roger Bacon developed his own cycle of observation (seeing that something occurs), hypothesis (making a guess about why that thing occurs), experimentation (testing that the thing occurs), and verification (an outside person ensuring that the result of the experiment is consistent).

After joining the Franciscan Order, Bacon was granted a special commission to write about science; typically, Friars were not allowed to write books or pamphlets. With this commission, Bacon outlined important tenets of the scientific method, including causes of error, methods of knowledge, and the differences between speculative and experimental science. He also used his own principles to investigate the causes of a rainbow, demonstrating the method’s effectiveness.

Scientific Revolution

Throughout the Renaissance, more great thinkers became involved in devising a thorough, rigorous method of scientific study. Francis Bacon brought inductive reasoning further into the method, whereas Descartes argued that the laws of the universe meant that deductive reasoning was sufficient. Galileo’s research was also inductive reasoning-heavy, as he believed that researchers could not account for every possible variable; therefore, repetition was necessary to eliminate faulty hypotheses and experiments.

All of this led to the birth of the Scientific Revolution , which took place during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. In 1660, a group of philosophers and physicians joined together to work on scientific advancement. After approval from England’s crown , the group became known as the Royal Society, which helped create a thriving scientific community and an early academic journal to help introduce rigorous study and peer review.

Previous generations of scientists had touched on the importance of induction and deduction, but Sir Isaac Newton proposed that both were equally important. This contribution helped establish the importance of multiple kinds of reasoning, leading to more rigorous study.

As science began to splinter into separate areas of study, it became necessary to define different methods for different fields. Karl Popper was a leader in this area—he established that science could be subject to error, sometimes intentionally. This was particularly tricky for “soft” sciences like psychology and social sciences, which require different methods. Popper’s theories furthered the divide between sciences like psychology and “hard” sciences like chemistry or physics.

Paul Feyerabend argued that Popper’s methods were too restrictive for certain fields, and followed a less restrictive method hinged on “anything goes,” as great scientists had made discoveries without the Scientific Method. Feyerabend suggested that throughout history scientists had adapted their methods as necessary, and that sometimes it would be necessary to break the rules. This approach suited social and behavioral scientists particularly well, leading to a more diverse range of models for scientists in multiple fields to use.

The Scientific Method Steps

Though different fields may have variations on the model, the basic scientific method is as follows:

#1: Make Observations 

Notice something, such as the air temperature during the winter, what happens when ice cream melts, or how your plants behave when you forget to water them.

#2: Ask a Question

Turn your observation into a question. Why is the temperature lower during the winter? Why does my ice cream melt? Why does my toast always fall butter-side down?

This step can also include doing some research. You may be able to find answers to these questions already, but you can still test them!

#3: Make a Hypothesis

A hypothesis is an educated guess of the answer to your question. Why does your toast always fall butter-side down? Maybe it’s because the butter makes that side of the bread heavier.

A good hypothesis leads to a prediction that you can test, phrased as an if/then statement. In this case, we can pick something like, “If toast is buttered, then it will hit the ground butter-first.”

#4: Experiment

Your experiment is designed to test whether your predication about what will happen is true. A good experiment will test one variable at a time —for example, we’re trying to test whether butter weighs down one side of toast, making it more likely to hit the ground first.

The unbuttered toast is our control variable. If we determine the chance that a slice of unbuttered toast, marked with a dot, will hit the ground on a particular side, we can compare those results to our buttered toast to see if there’s a correlation between the presence of butter and which way the toast falls.

If we decided not to toast the bread, that would be introducing a new question—whether or not toasting the bread has any impact on how it falls. Since that’s not part of our test, we’ll stick with determining whether the presence of butter has any impact on which side hits the ground first.

#5: Analyze Data

After our experiment, we discover that both buttered toast and unbuttered toast have a 50/50 chance of hitting the ground on the buttered or marked side when dropped from a consistent height, straight down. It looks like our hypothesis was incorrect—it’s not the butter that makes the toast hit the ground in a particular way, so it must be something else.

Since we didn’t get the desired result, it’s back to the drawing board. Our hypothesis wasn’t correct, so we’ll need to start fresh. Now that you think about it, your toast seems to hit the ground butter-first when it slides off your plate, not when you drop it from a consistent height. That can be the basis for your new experiment.

#6: Communicate Your Results

Good science needs verification. Your experiment should be replicable by other people, so you can put together a report about how you ran your experiment to see if other peoples’ findings are consistent with yours.

This may be useful for class or a science fair. Professional scientists may publish their findings in scientific journals, where other scientists can read and attempt their own versions of the same experiments. Being part of a scientific community helps your experiments be stronger because other people can see if there are flaws in your approach—such as if you tested with different kinds of bread, or sometimes used peanut butter instead of butter—that can lead you closer to a good answer.

A Scientific Method Example: Falling Toast

We’ve run through a quick recap of the scientific method steps, but let’s look a little deeper by trying again to figure out why toast so often falls butter side down.

#1: Make Observations

At the end of our last experiment, where we learned that butter doesn’t actually make toast more likely to hit the ground on that side, we remembered that the times when our toast hits the ground butter side first are usually when it’s falling off a plate.

The easiest question we can ask is, “Why is that?”

We can actually search this online and find a pretty detailed answer as to why this is true. But we’re budding scientists—we want to see it in action and verify it for ourselves! After all, good science should be replicable, and we have all the tools we need to test out what’s really going on.

Why do we think that buttered toast hits the ground butter-first? We know it’s not because it’s heavier, so we can strike that out. Maybe it’s because of the shape of our plate?

That’s something we can test. We’ll phrase our hypothesis as, “If my toast slides off my plate, then it will fall butter-side down.”

Just seeing that toast falls off a plate butter-side down isn’t enough for us. We want to know why, so we’re going to take things a step further—we’ll set up a slow-motion camera to capture what happens as the toast slides off the plate.

We’ll run the test ten times, each time tilting the same plate until the toast slides off. We’ll make note of each time the butter side lands first and see what’s happening on the video so we can see what’s going on.

When we review the footage, we’ll likely notice that the bread starts to flip when it slides off the edge, changing how it falls in a way that didn’t happen when we dropped it ourselves.

That answers our question, but it’s not the complete picture —how do other plates affect how often toast hits the ground butter-first? What if the toast is already butter-side down when it falls? These are things we can test in further experiments with new hypotheses!

Now that we have results, we can share them with others who can verify our results. As mentioned above, being part of the scientific community can lead to better results. If your results were wildly different from the established thinking about buttered toast, that might be cause for reevaluation. If they’re the same, they might lead others to make new discoveries about buttered toast. At the very least, you have a cool experiment you can share with your friends!

Key Scientific Method Tips

Though science can be complex, the benefit of the scientific method is that it gives you an easy-to-follow means of thinking about why and how things happen. To use it effectively, keep these things in mind!

Don’t Worry About Proving Your Hypothesis

One of the important things to remember about the scientific method is that it’s not necessarily meant to prove your hypothesis right. It’s great if you do manage to guess the reason for something right the first time, but the ultimate goal of an experiment is to find the true reason for your observation to occur, not to prove your hypothesis right.

Good science sometimes means that you’re wrong. That’s not a bad thing—a well-designed experiment with an unanticipated result can be just as revealing, if not more, than an experiment that confirms your hypothesis.

Be Prepared to Try Again

If the data from your experiment doesn’t match your hypothesis, that’s not a bad thing. You’ve eliminated one possible explanation, which brings you one step closer to discovering the truth.

The scientific method isn’t something you’re meant to do exactly once to prove a point. It’s meant to be repeated and adapted to bring you closer to a solution. Even if you can demonstrate truth in your hypothesis, a good scientist will run an experiment again to be sure that the results are replicable. You can even tweak a successful hypothesis to test another factor, such as if we redid our buttered toast experiment to find out whether different kinds of plates affect whether or not the toast falls butter-first. The more we test our hypothesis, the stronger it becomes!

What’s Next?

Want to learn more about the scientific method? These important high school science classes will no doubt cover it in a variety of different contexts.

Test your ability to follow the scientific method using these at-home science experiments for kids !

Need some proof that science is fun? Try making slime

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Melissa Brinks graduated from the University of Washington in 2014 with a Bachelor's in English with a creative writing emphasis. She has spent several years tutoring K-12 students in many subjects, including in SAT prep, to help them prepare for their college education.

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