Steps of the Scientific Method

1. Problem Statement – Should include the Independent variable and dependent variable. “What
is the effect of A on B?” Keep it simple. A is the dependent variable and B is the independent
variable.
a. Do research to determine what will happen and why? You need to do this step
before you formulate your hypothesis.
2. Hypothesis – If this happens (include your independent variable), then this is the result (insert
your dependent variable, because (include why it will happen using your prior knowledge and
your research.
3. Identify your variables:
a. Independent variable – what the investigator is testing
b. Dependent variable – the result of the independent variable. Your dependent variable
must be quantitative. You must be measuring something. You will also have qualitative
data, those observations you make while running your experiment that you observed
with your senses.
c. Constants – everything else in the experiment that has to remain the same. This is
important, because if you don’t hold everything else constant, then you will not know
what caused the change.
d. Control – not all experiments will have a control. This is used to compare your results
and determine if there was a flow or an error in the experiment.
4. Materials – everything that is used in the experiment. You must list each item with quantities in
metric.
5. Procedures – List your procedures. You must list every single detail. Make sure that you also
add in quantities here. Any other person that may want to repeat your experiment should be
able to get the same results as you (replicable). You must also have at least three trials.
(repeatable)
6. Results
a. Table – a table with your data for those three trials, as well as any statistics, like mean or
averages.
b. Graph – a graph (bar – comparing, line – time or increasing or decreasing amounts, and
pie chart – for portions of a whole.) You should graph all of your data, as well as the
statistics measured in your table.
c. Written results – include in words, what happened in each trial, and the statistics.
7. Conclusion – restate your problem statement, restate your hypothesis, state whether your
hypothesis was accepted or rejected. Briefly state your results. What errors affected your
experiment? Everyone has errors, so think on any thing that could have gone wrong. Explain
the science behind your experiment. Relate this science to your experiment.
8. Application – what is the big picture behind your experiment? Why is this important in the real-
world? How would you improve your experiment and what is the next step if your were
continue to research this topic?