NOTES: Scientific Method
Scientific Method: Series of steps scientists use to answer questions and solve problems.
Observation: Process of obtaining information by using the senses.
Qualitative: descriptions using characteristics or properties
Quantitative: Descriptions using numbers
Hypothesis: ‘educated guess’ about the answer to a problem or observations; can be tested (TESTABLE!)
Controlled Experiment: tests only one factor at a time.
Variable: a factor that can change in an experiment
· Independent Variables are changes that occur in an experiment that are directly caused by the experimenter (What you choose to change about the experiment)
· Dependent Variables are changes that occur due to independent variables. (What you measure as results in the experiment)
· Controlled Variables are anything else that could influence the results; they are kept constant through the entire experiment.
For instance: if you were measuring the growth rate of plants under full sunlight for 8 hours a day versus plants that only have 4 hours of full sunlight per day, the amount of time per day of full sunlight would be the independent variable - the variable that you control. The growth rate of the plants would be the dependent variable. Control variables would include the type of pot, type of plant, type of soil, temperature, etc.
Results: outcome of the experiment
Analyze: examine in detail while looking for an explanation
Communication: Exchanging or sharing of information.
Internet; blogs; books; TV; radio; talks; journals; flyers; posters