The Scientific Method Biology Ms Stocker The Scientific

The Scientific Method Biology Ms. Stocker

The Scientific Method • Series of steps to solve a problem • Scientists use several ways to analyze situations: – Experiments – Models – Observations

Steps • Abbreviation to remember: PHEOC • There are small differences to each step and where to do each process • This works for this class!

P - Problem • It is a question that a scientist asks after observing something in nature • Always look for a “? ” • If you are identifying a problem it will always be a question

H - Hypothesis • A hypothesis is the answer to the question • Generally an educated guess – In other words, you do research to make an informed decision about what is the answer to your problem • Hypothesis must be testable • Written in “If…Then…” format – If a plant gets 20 hours of sunlight, then it will grow taller.

E – Experiment • This is how a scientist tests their hypotheses • It is a set of materials and a step by step procedure for conducting the experiment • It is very detailed and designed to test only one thing at a time • If an experiment cannot be repeated the results would be invalid or not true!

O – Observations • This is data, table, charts, and graphs that are created while you experiment and after • They give visual representation of what you learned in the experiment

C – Conclusion • Restates hypothesis and if it was correct • The assumption is based on the data collected in the experiment • If the experiment did not support the hypothesis you identify ways you might need to retest your hypothesis