Student Guide to the Scientific Method The scientific method is a PROCESS, a way to study the world around us. Think of it as a specific and consistent way to learn. This method can be applied to everything and can even make you a better student. Scientists use the simple process that was taught on Sesame Street, “Which one of these is not like the other?” only they take it farther. 1. Questions come from observations a. Scientists are very inquisitive and are TRAINED observers. They want to know how and why about very specific things that they can relate to general concepts and theories. b. Example: What are the reasons why the wolf population is increasing in Wisconsin? 2. Read and Research a. What do we already know about this question and what is the next step. 3. Formulate a Hypothesis a. HYPOTHESIS = Educated guess and an IF_____, THEN_______. b. Example: If the wolf population is increasing then the deer population is stable or decreasing. 4. Test the hypothesis a. Design a series of tests to see if there is evidence to SUPPORT the hypothesis or provides evidence to DISPROVE it. b. We CAN NOT PROVE anything in science. c. Use MANIPULATED (independent) and RESPONDENT (dependent) variables. d. Good experiments are CONTROLLED experiments with only 1 VARIABLE that changes. e. Example: Determine the population and range of the deer and wolves in Wisconsin over several consecutive years to look for correlations. Use GPS, satellite imaging, and other population estimations to determine the range of the two species. Analyze data using statistical methods to determine trends in the data. 5. Make conclusions a. What do the data mean? What is the next step? Recommendations of b. The next step is often to go back and do the tests over. c. Example: The wolf population increases as a result of increases in the deer population. Population increases were related to increased winter temperatures. 6. Publish the results a. Peer reviewed journals and conferences. As scientists we are curious about the physical world, differences, similarities, interactions. We are constantly looking for clues and determining ways that it might work. We are always thinking “what’s the next step” and what might show that this DOESN’T WORK.

Student Guide To The Scientific Method

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Student Guide to the Scientific Method

The scientific method is a PROCESS, a way to study the world around us. Think of it as a specific and consistent way to learn. This method can be applied to everything and can even make you a better student. Scientists use the simple process that was taught on Sesame Street, “Which one of these is not like the other?” only they take it farther.

1. Questions come from observationsa. Scientists are very inquisitive and are TRAINED observers. They want to know

how and why about very specific things that they can relate to general concepts and theories.

b. Example: What are the reasons why the wolf population is increasing in Wisconsin?

2. Read and Researcha. What do we already know about this question and what is the next step.

3. Formulate a Hypothesisa. HYPOTHESIS = Educated guess and an IF_____, THEN_______. b. Example: If the wolf population is increasing then the deer population is stable or

decreasing. 4. Test the hypothesis

a. Design a series of tests to see if there is evidence to SUPPORT the hypothesis or provides evidence to DISPROVE it.

b. We CAN NOT PROVE anything in science. c. Use MANIPULATED (independent) and RESPONDENT (dependent) variables. d. Good experiments are CONTROLLED experiments with only 1 VARIABLE that

changes. e. Example: Determine the population and range of the deer and wolves in

Wisconsin over several consecutive years to look for correlations. Use GPS, satellite imaging, and other population estimations to determine the range of the two species. Analyze data using statistical methods to determine trends in the data.

5. Make conclusionsa. What do the data mean? What is the next step? Recommendations ofb. The next step is often to go back and do the tests over. c. Example: The wolf population increases as a result of increases in the deer

population. Population increases were related to increased winter temperatures. 6. Publish the results

a. Peer reviewed journals and conferences.

As scientists we are curious about the physical world, differences, similarities, interactions. We are constantly looking for clues and determining ways that it might work. We are always thinking “what’s the next step” and what might show that this DOESN’T WORK.