The Scientific
Method
involves a
series of steps
that are used
to investigate a
natural
occurrence.
We shall take a closer
look at these steps and
the terminology you
will need to understand
before you start a
science project.
Problem/Question
Formulate a Hypothesis
Experiment
Collect and Analyze
Results/Data
Conclusion
Communicate the Results
Scientific Method
1. Problem/Question:
Problem/Question
Develop a question or
problem that can be
solved through
experimentation.
Do you remember the
next step?
Scientific Method
2. Formulate a Hypothesis:
Predict a possible answer to
the problem or question.
Example: If soil temperatures
rise, then plant growth will
increase.
Scientific Method
3. Experiment:
Experiment Develop and
follow a procedure.
Include a detailed materials
list.
The outcome must be
measurable (quantifiable).
Scientific Method
4. Collect and Analyze Results/Data:
Results/Data
Modify the procedure if needed.
Confirm the results by retesting.
Include tables, graphs, and
photographs.
Scientific Method
5. Conclusion:
Conclusion Include a
statement that accepts or
rejects the hypothesis.
Make recommendations for
further study and possible
improvements to the
procedure.
Scientific Method
6. Communicate the Results:
Results
Be prepared to present the
project to an audience.
Expect questions from the
audience.
Think you can name all
seven steps?
Formulate
Collect and a Hypothesis
Analyze
Conclusion
Communicate theResults
Problem/Question
Experiment Results
Let’s put our knowledge of the
Scientific Method to a realistic
example that includes some of the
terms you’ll be needing to use and
understand.
Problem/Question
John watches his
grandmother bake
bread. He ask his
grandmother what
makes the bread rise.
She explains that yeast
releases a gas as it
feeds on sugar.
Problem/Question
John wonders if
the amount of
sugar used in the
recipe will affect
the size of the
bread loaf?
Caution!
Be careful how you use effect and
affect.
Effect is usually a noun and
affect, a verb.
“ The effect of sugar amounts on
the rising of bread.”
“How does sugar affect the rising
of bread?”
Observation/Research
John researches the
areas of baking and
fermentation and tries to
come up with a way to
test his question.
He keeps all of his
information on this topic
in a journal.
John talks with his
teacher and she
gives him an
Experimental
Design Diagram to
help him set up his
investigation.
Formulate a Hypothesis
After talking with his
teacher and conducting
further research, he
comes up with a
hypothesis.
“If more sugar is added,
then the bread will rise
higher.”
HYPOTHESIS
The hypothesis is an
educated guess about the
relationship between the
independent and dependent
variables.
Do you know the difference
between the independent
and dependent variables?
Independent Variable
The independent, or
manipulated variable, is a
factor that’s intentionally
varied by the experimenter.
John is going to use 25g.,
50g., 100g., 250g., 500g. of
sugar in his experiment.
Dependent Variable
The dependent, or responding
variable, is the factor that may
change as a result of changes
made in the independent
variable.
In this case, it would be the size
of the loaf of bread.
His teacher helps
him come up with a
procedure and list of
needed materials.
She discusses with
John how to
determine the
control group.
Control Group
In a scientific experiment, the
control is the group that
serves as the standard of
comparison.
The control group may be a
“no treatment" or an
“experimenter selected” group.
Control Group
The control group is exposed to the
same conditions as the experimental
group, except for the variable being
tested (dependent variable).
All experiments should have a
control group.
Control Group
Because his grandmother
always used 50g. of sugar in
her recipe, John is going to
use that amount in his control
group.
Constants
John’s teacher
reminds him to keep
all other factors the
same so that any
observed changes in
the bread can be
attributed to the
variation in the
amount of sugar.
Constants
The constants in an
experiment are all
the factors that the
experimenter
attempts to keep
the same.
Can you think of some
constants for this experiment?
Constants
They might include:
Other ingredients to the
bread recipe, oven used,
rise time, brand of
ingredients, cooking
time, type of pan used,
air temperature and
humidity where the
bread was rising, oven
temperature, age of the
yeast…
Experiment
John writes out his
procedure for his
experiment along
with a materials list
in his journal. He has
both of these checked
by his teacher where
she checks for any
safety concerns.
Trials
Trials refer to
replicate groups that
are exposed to the
same conditions in
an experiment.
John is going to test
each sugar variable 3
times.
Collect and Analyze Results
John comes up
with a table he can
use to record his
data.
John gets all his
materials together
and carries out his
experiment.
Size of Baked Bread (LxWxH) cm3
Size of Bread Loaf (cm3)
Trials
Amt. of Average
1 2 3
Sugar (g.) Size (cm3)
50 1296 1188 1296 1260
100 1188 1080 1080 1116
Control group
250 672 576 588 612
500 432 504 360 432
Collect and Analyze Results
John examines his
data and notices
that his control
worked the best in
this experiment, but
not significantly
better than 100g. of
sugar.
Collect and Analyze Results
John rejects his
hypothesis, but
decides to re-test
using sugar
amounts between
50g. and 100g.
Experiment
Once again, John
gathers his
materials and
carries out his
experiment.
Here are the
results.
Size of Baked Bread (LxWxH) cm3
Size of Bread Loaf (cm3)
Trials
Amt. of Average
1 2 3
Sugar (g.) Size (cm3)
50 1296 1440 1296 1344
Control group
60 1404 1296 1440 1380
70 1638 1638 1560 1612
80 1404 1296 1296 1332
90 1080 1200 972 1084
Conclusion
John finds that
70g. of sugar
produces the
largest loaf.
His hypothesis is
accepted.
Communicate the Result
John tells his
grandmother
about his findings
and prepares to
present his project
in Science class.