www.sciencebuddies.

org

The scientific method is a way to ask and answer scientific questions by making observations and doing experiments.

what if...
Find a general
topic that
interests you
and write down
the question
that you want
to answer.

when I...

how do...

Ask
a Question

question word table

[I do this]
If __________,
[this]
then __________

network

plan

Do Background
Research

will happen.
Quantities
whose values
can change are
called variables.

which...

And, in order for

the scientific method
to answer the
question, it must be
about something
that you can
measure, preferably
with a number.

why does...

Learn from the

experience of
others.

identify
key words

So that you can

design an experiment,
you need to research
what techniques
and equipment
might be best for
investigating your
topic. Rather than
starting from scratch,
savvy investigators
want to use their
library and Internet
research to help
them find the best
way to do things.

math

where can... bibliography

photos

Look at the
results of your
experiment with
a critical eye.

notebook

variables

abstract
final report

display
label board

graphs

Construct a
Hypothesis

Test with an
Experiment

Analyze
Data

A hypothesis is an
educated guess about
how things work:
If ____[I do this]____,
then ____[this]____
will happen.
You must state
your hypothesis in
a way that you can
easily measure,
and, of course, your
hypothesis should
be constructed in
a way to help you
answer your
original question.

Your experiment tests how accurate your

hypothesis is. It is important for your
experiment to be a fair test. You conduct
a fair test by making sure that you change
only one factor at a time while keeping all
other conditions the same.

Once your experiment

is complete, collect
your measurements
and analyze them to
see if your hypothesis
is supported or not.

if
L
?
The scientific method
starts when you ask
a question about
something that you
observe: How, What,
When, Who, Which,
Why, or Where?

measure

review
data

If Supported

If Not
(or Partially)
Supported

careful

accurate

Your experimental
procedure is like
a step-by-step
recipe for your
science
experiment.

consistent

Communicate
Results
To complete your
science project, you
will communicate your
results to others in a

final report and/or

a display board.

Revise & Re-test

You should also repeat your experiment
several times to make sure that the first
results werent just an accident.

A picture
speaks a
thousand
words!

Scientists often find that their hypothesis

was not fully supported by the data, and,
if so, they will construct a new one for
additional experimentation. Even if the
hypothesis was supported by the data,
they may want to test it in a new way.

Professional scientists
do almost exactly
the same thing by
publishing their final
report in a scientific
journal or by presenting
their results on a poster
at a scientific meeting.

be
positive
average

conclusions

be confident

w w w.s c ie n c eb ud d i e s . org

w ww.sciencebud d ies.org

www.science buddi e s . o rg

www. s c i e n c e buddi e s . o rg

www. s c i e n c e buddi e s . o rg

w w w. s c ie n c e b u d d ie s . o rg

> To pi c S el e c ti on W i zard

> B ackground Research P lan

> Variables fo r Beg i n n e rs

> E x pe ri m e n t al P ro c e dure

> Dat a An al ys i s & G raph s

> F in a l Re p o r t

> Sc i e nc e Fai r Proj e c t Id e a s

> Find ing Inform ation

> Variables

> Mat e ri al s Li s t

> S um m ari z i n g Yo ur Dat a

> S c ie n c e Fa ir Pr o je c t A b s tra c t

> Yo u r Q u es ti on

> Bibliography

> Hypothesis

> Co n duc t i n g an E x pe ri m e n t

> S am pl e S pre ads h e e t

> Engi ne eri n g & I n ve n ti o n

P r o j e c t Te m p l ate

> Research Paper

> L abo rat o r y No t e bo o k

> Co n c l us i o n s

> D is p lay B o a r d D e s ig n ,
T ip s , a n d S a mp le s

THE

SCIENTIFIC METHOD

> S c ie n c e Fa ir Ju d g in g
Elmer s Project Solution Products are available at:

Also available at Walmart.com

Elmers is proud to be a sponsor of

Science Buddies, a non-profit organization.
Product selection may vary by retailer.

Copyright 20072013 Science Buddies. All rights reserved.