The Scientific Method

Steps to the Scientific Method

(PRHEAD)
Problem State the problem
Research
Hypothesis form a hypothesis
Experiment design & conduct experiment
Analyze Collected Data
Draw Conclusion support or reject
hypothesis
P-Problem State the Problem

Gives you a reason for doing
the experiment
This question MUST be
testable/measurable
Ex: Which car oil will allow
my car to get the best gas
mileage?


Process ItTestable or Not?
Do cats make better pets than
dogs?
Process ItTestable or Not?
How do different types of
movement/activity affect human
heart rate?
Process ItWhich is testable?
A. Which is the tastiest soda?

B. How many people will choose Dr.
Pepper over Coke?
R-Research
In order to make an
educated guess
(hypothesis), you need to
find out more information
about the problem you
are trying to solve.
Ex: research various oils
and their properties.

H-Hypothesis form a hypothesis
A hypothesis is an educated
guess about the solution to your
problem based on your
research.
This is done with an if / then
statement. .
Ex: If I use Havoline car oil then
my Lamborghini Diablo will get
better gas mileage.

Hypothesis MUST be:
1. Testable/ Fact-based-Dr. Pepper is the
tastiest soda is not fact-based, its based
on opinion, and therefore can not be a
hypothesis.
2. A sentence, not a question!!

Process ItTestable or Not?
If I use Havoline car oil then it
will be better than Mobile
Oil.
Process ItTestable or Not?
If I use Havoline car oil then
my Lamborghini Diablo will
get better gas mileage.
E-Experiment Design and
conduct experiment
This is done to test the hypothesis.
Design an experiment that will
provide data to support or reject
your hypothesis.
Ex: Test four different car oils found
during research

Parts of an Experiment
Independent Variable The part of an experiment
that you change.
EX: car oil
Dependent Variable- What you are
recording/observing. It changes according to how
the independent variable changes
Ex: gas mileage
ONLY test one variable at a time!!!!!!!!!!
Parts of an Experiment
Constant variables- quantities that remain
constant (the same) aka controlled
variables
Ex: same car, same road
Control group- what is used to COMPARE
the results to. It is the variable in which no
independent variable has been applied.
Ex: test run with the original brand of oil in
the car
A-Analyze Collected Data
Observations are recorded
facts about what you see
during the experiment.
Graph: IVs go on the x-axis
DVs go on y-axis

D-Draw Conclusion Support
or reject hypothesis
This is a brief statement about the results
of the experiment.
In the conclusion state if the hypothesis
was correct (supported) or incorrect
(rejected).
Claim, evidence, reasoning

TYPES OF DATA
Observation or Inference
Observation- See with own eyes
(ex; the apple is red, it is raining outside,
the window is 6ft long

Inference: What you think might
be true but not sure.
(ex: She is wiping her eyes, she is crying, He
has hair on his shirt, he owns a cat)


Types of Observations
Qualitative Results are
descriptive.
ex: the litmus paper turned red
Quantitative Results are
numerical and have a unit.
ex: 5 meters, 45 seconds

Accuracy vs Precision
Accuracy- nearness to the actual value
Precision- how close the data is together
Accuracy and precision: the target example
Precise, but not
accurate
Accuracy and precision: the target example
Accurate,
not precise
Accuracy and precision: the target example
Neither
accurate,
nor precise
Accuracy and precision: the target example
Accurate
and
precise