Chapter 1

Scientific Method

Observing is when you notice and describe events or processes in a careful, orderly way.

(My cell phone won't work...what's wrong with it?)

1. Observing and Asking Questions

Inference: a logical interpretation based on what scientists already know. This leads to making a hypothesis.

2. Inferring and Hypothesizing

(Inference: something is stopping my cell phone from working. It could be a lot of things: battery is dead and needs to be charged, it has water damage, it is permanently damaged or something else)

Hypothesis: scientific explanation for a set of observations that can be tested in ways that support or reject it.

(hypothesis: my cell phone won't work because my battery is dead.)

Controlled Experiment: experiment where only one variable is charged

(charging your cell phone)

3. Designing Controlled Experiment

Independent Variable: part of experiment that is changed on purpose

Dependent Variable: part of experiment that is observed and changes in the response to the independent variable

Control Group: group in an experiment that is exposed to the same conditions as the experimental group except for one independent variable.

(plug in cell phone to see if the battery will charge)

Data-evidence; information gathered from observations

(after some time, unplug cell phone and see if phone works and if battery is charged.)

4. Collect and Analyze Data

5. Drawing Conclusions

Evaluate to see if hypothesis was proven

(did cell work after charging? If yes, your hypothesis is correct. If no, a new hypothesis should be formed.)