Scientific Investigation
Scientific Investigation
Scientific Investigation
- Scientists must have a systematic way in order to arrive at a valid conclusion. This is sometimes referred to as The Scientific Method but oftentimes it can be conducted in different ways.
- The Key Elements are as follows...
- Begin by asking a Question that you will answer by doing this experiment.
- Your question must be something that can be answered by completing an experiment.
- consider the following examples:
- To what extent does the shape of the device picking up circles affect the number of circles picked up?
- To what extent does the background affect the number of circles picked up?
- Develop a Hypothesis.
- What do you think is the answer to the question you asked?
- A hypothesis should be written like the following: "I think __________. I think this because ___________________."
- Identify the Variables.
- Which variable will you manipulate or change in your experiment? This is called the Independent Variable.
- What conditions and procedures will you keep the same each time? These are called the Controls or Controlled Variable.
- What characteristics will you be observing or measuring? These are called the Dependent Variables.
- Design the Procedures.
- Write detailed instructions to complete your experiment.
- Include...
- what you will use to pick up the circles.
- how you will measure the results
- how many trials
- how you will collect the data