Scientific method

• Scientific method- process used to find answers to questions about the world around us
• scientific methods start with- observation or asking the question
• background research is the second step
• the 3rd step is the hypothesis
• after drawing the conclusion, researcher must go back to the hypothesis
• variables- parameter being measured
• independent variable- changed, tested/manipulated
• controlled variable- constant, basis of change
• dependent variable- observed, measured, and affected by the changes in the IV "the numbers"
• observation- perceived through your senses
• quantitative- number-based, countable, measured
• qualitative- interpretation based or descriptive observation
• Hypothesis- educated guess
• simple hypothesis- shows relationship of IV AND DV
• Complex hypothesis- shows relationship between 2 or more IV AND DV
• Directional Hypothesis- particular direction/ from theory
• Non-Directional Hypothesis- no particular direction, no theory
• Associative/Causal Hypothesis- cause and effect relationship
• Null- Ho, negative, no relationship,
• Alternative- H or Ha, challenges the null
• Data- info from experiment
• Data can be represented by graphs or tables
• Line- change over time, peaks and valleys, 2 sets of numbers
• Bar- change over time, item comparison
• Pie- parts of a whole/ 1 slice= 1 category
• y-axis shows the independent variable, x-axis shows the dependent variable
• Replication- study can be replicated with some results
• falsifiable- must be possible to be rejected
• precise- methods and variables must be precise
• parsimonious (concise)- use of the simplest explanation to any set of observations
• there are several version of scientific method