PRINCIPLES FOR A SCIENTIFIC METHOD
What is the scientific method?
The scientific method is a series of steps and rules that are followed to carry
out an investigation. Its application seeks to guarantee the objectivity,
reliability, validity, verifiability and reproducibility of the results. Thanks to
the scientific method, errors and subjective biases can be considerably
reduced.
Objectivity: in scientific research means proceeding without being
influenced by any bias or personal opinions.
Reliability: It Is a concept describing how reproducible or replicable a
study is. In general, if a study can be repeated and the same results are
found, the study is considered reliable.
Validity: Concept that refers to how well the results among the study
participants represent true findings among similar individuals outside the
study
Verifiability: Ensures that the results and conclusions of a study can be
verified and reproduced by other researchers
Reporducibility: Research is reproducible when others can reproduce the
results of a scientific study given only the original data, code, and
documentation
If those principles are not applicable, this method won’t be scientific.
What are the steps of the scientific method? 7
The steps of the scientific method are as follows:
OBSERVATION
QUESTION
HYPOTHESIS
EXPERIMENTATION
ANALYSIS
CONCLUSION
DISCUSSION OR COMMUNICATION
Observation
Observation is generally considered to be the basis of knowledge; in the
case of the scientific method, it is an active observation of phenomena and
sources to acquire information.
Although the word observation refers to sight, in the scientific method this
step involves using and implementing tools, techniques and instruments
available to the observer.
Disadvantadge:
Observation is strongly biased by subjectivity. The observer being a
human being, with his own knowledge, experiences, prejudices, opinions,
etc., his acquisition and recording of information is not impartial. However,
this is precisely what the scientific method seeks to correct.
Beyond subjectivity, other errors that can occur in the observation
process are the modification of the phenomenon or the behavior of the
subject of study through the very act of observation, and errors in the
recording of the observation.
Question
It involves sorting through all the data collected during the observation in
order to identify patterns, problems or unknown aspects and to steer the
research in a specific direction through the formulation of a question.
Hypothesis
This is an unverified statement (with a conclusion or prediction) that can be
confirmed or refuted.
Hypotheses are stated in the form of an assertion, and answer the
question formulated in the previous step. However, this does not mean that
the hypotheses are true, since the rest of the steps will aim to prove or
disprove them.
The same question can generate several hypotheses; from among them, the
most probable one is chosen. If a hypothesis turns out to be incorrect, one
of the initial hypotheses can be used or a new hypothesis can be
formulated, considering the data yielded by the first application of the
scientific method. If confirmed, the hypothesis becomes a verified
statement.
Experimentation
During the experimentation phase, the aim is to reproduce the conditions of
the phenomenon or case study in a controlled environment (usually a
laboratory) ( control group/experimental group) and with a limited number
of variables. In another way we run this kind of scientific studies to prove
cause and effect.
The influence of the variables on the experimental groups must be
measurable.
Analysis
The data obtained from the experimentation are analyzed and interpreted
to determine the veracity of the hypothesis.
Conclusion
This is the result reached. The conclusion determines whether the
hypothesis is verified, nullified or invalidated. Whatever the result, it
is necessary to write a conclusion report.
The conclusion must be accompanied by a critical commentary and
annotations on limitations and speculations, and recommendations related
both to the conclusion and to the entire research process itself.
For a conclusion to be considered valid, the entire experiment that
produced it must be replicable.
Communication
Communication of an investigation allows the rest of the scientific
community to have access to the experiment.
