Transcript The scientific method*

The scienTific meThod…
Is a logical, organized way to conduct an experiment.
While the scientific method is necessary in
developing knowledge, it is also useful in
everyday problem-solving.
 Like any good scientist, you may
1. question what could be wrong,
2. apply what you know and can do to fix
that problem
3. determine if what you changed actually
fixed the problem.

There are 7 steps
to the
Scientific Method
Step 1: Make Observations
Look all around you.
 Think about how or why things work or
don’t work.
 Read about nature and science;
 Wonder about
how living things interact with each other and
with their environment;
basic items you might use at home each day

Step 2: Ask a Question

What is it that your are trying to find
out from your experiment?
The question that you select
for your project is the
cornerstone of your project.
Step 3: Research Your Topic

Research is the process of collecting
information from knowledgeable sources.
This research helps you to understand
the topic you have chosen, propose a
hypothesis or educated guess, and design
an experiment.
Step 4: State Your Hypothesis

This is an educated guess about what you
think will happen in your experiment or a
statement based on your research and
observations.

Write the hypothesis in a single
statement.
Step 5: Design an Experiment

Develop a procedure for testing your
hypothesis by changing the independent
variable and measuring the change it has
on the dependent variable. Controlled
variables must remain the same
throughout the experiment.
Understanding Variables
Question: Does fertilizer make a plant grow
larger?
 The
Independent Variable is the one that
is changed by the scientist.
 The
Dependent Variable changes in
response to the change the scientist makes
to the independent variable.
 The
Controlled Variable will always be the
same.
 [The same type of plant, soil, and pot are
purchased at the same store; and the amount
of water and sunlight are the same for each
plant]
Step 6: Conduct an Experiment

Carefully follow the procedure you
designed for testing your hypothesis.

Keep track of your data in a journal.
(time/date/result)
Step 7: Analyze Your Results
Did you get the results you had expected?
 What did you find out from your
experiment?
 Think about the best way to show this
information. Should I make a chart or
graph? … a bar graph, a line graph, a pie
chart or a list?

Science Fair Project
Evaluation Checklist