-
Introduction to the Scientific
Method
From
Andrew Zimmerman Jones
,
Your Guide to
Physics
.
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Overview of the Scientific Method
The scientific method is a set of
techniques used by the scientific
community to investigate natural
phenomena by providing an objective
framework
in
which
to
make
scientific
inquiry
and
analyze
the
data
to
reach
a conclusion about that inquiry.
Steps of the Scientific Method
The goals of the
scientific
method
are
uniform, but the
method itself is
not
necessarily formalized among all branches of
science. It is most
generally expressed
as a series of discrete steps, although the exact
number and nature of the steps varies
depending upon the source. The
scientific method is not a recipe, but
rather an ongoing cycle that is
meant
to be applied with intelligence, imagination, and
creativity.
Frequently, some of these
steps will take place simultaneously, in a
different order, or be repeated as the
experiment is refined, but this
is the
most general and intuitive sequence:
1.
Ask a
question
–
determine a natural phenomenon (or group of
phenomena)
that
you
are
curious
about
and would
like
to
explain
or
learn more about, then
ask a specific question to focus your
inquiry.
2.
Research
the
topic
–
this
step
involves
learning
as
much
about
the
phenomenon as you can, including by
studying the previous studies
of others
in the area.
3.
Formulate a hypothesis
–
using the knowledge you
have gained,
formulate a hypothesis
about a cause or effect of the phenomenon,
or the relationship of the phenomenon
to some other phenomenon.
4.
Test the
hypothesis
–
plan
and carry out a procedure for testing
the hypothesis (an experiment) by
gathering data.
5.
Analyze
the
data
–
use
proper
mathematical
analysis
to
see
if
the
results of the
experiment support or refute the hypothesis.
If the data does not support the
hypothesis, it must be rejected or
modified and re-tested. Frequently, the
results of the experiment are
compiled
in the form of a lab report (for typical classroom
work) or a
paper (in the case of
publishable academic research). It is also common
for the results of the experiment to
provide an opportunity for more
questions about the same phenomenon or
related phenomena, which begins
the
process of inquiry over again with a new question.
Key Elements of the Scientific Method
The goal of the scientific method is to
get results that accurately
represent
the
physical
processes
taking
place
in
the
phenomenon.
To
that
end, it emphasizes a
number of traits to insure that the results it
gets
are valid to the natural world.
?
?
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?
objective
–
the scientific method
intends to remove personal and
cultural
biases by focusing on objective testing
procedures.
consistent
–
the laws of reasoning
should be used to make
hypotheses that
are consistent with broader, currently known
scientific laws; even in rare cases
where the hypothesis is that
one
of
the
broader
laws
is
incorrect
or
incomplete,
the
hypothesis
should be composed to challenge only
one such law at a time.
observable
–
the
hypothesis
presented
should
allow
for
experiments
with observable
and measurable results.
pertinent
–
all steps of the process
should be focused on
describing and
explaining observed phenomena.
parsimonious
–
only a limited number of
assumptions and
hypothetical entities
should be proposed in a given theory, as
stated in
Occam's
Razor
.
falsifiable
–
the hypothesis should be
something which can be
proven
incorrect
by
observable
data
within
the
experiment,
or
else
the experiment is not
useful in supporting the hypothesis. (This
aspect was most prominently illuminated
by the philosopher of
science Karl
Popper.)
reproducible
–
the test should be able to
be reproduced by other
observers with
trials that extend indefinitely into the future.
It is useful to keep these traits in
mind when
developing a
hypothesis
and
testing procedure
.
Conclusion