Welcome! This guide will help you select academic resources for the Research portion of your Scientific Method Project.
In addition to the information on this page visit the above tabs to work through this guide.
Steps in the Scientific Method
Ask a Question
The first step of the scientific method is the Question.
Your question should be worded so that it can be answered through experimentation. Keep your question concise and clear so that everyone knows what you are trying to solve.
Need some help choosing a topic or question?
Research
You have your question/problem formulated. What's next? Research.
You will need to find out about your subject by exploring background information before you move on to the next step. What other research or experimentation is out there? Will this influence your experiment?
Where do you find this information?
1. The library - see the Searching Basics and Find Articles tabs above
2. Discuss your topic with your instructor
3. The web - see the Find Articles tab above for a Google Scholar search box
Hypothesis
Next you will state your hypothesis. The hypothesis is an educated guess about what will happen during your experiment.
The hypothesis should relate to your original question and must be testable.
Experiment
Time to test your hypothesis through experimentation. Start with explaining your procedure, and remember to keep your experiment fair and unbiased.
Once you have the process figured out, make a list of materials you will need.
If time allows repeat your experiment to validate your findings.
During the experiment keep careful notes and data. Plan ahead!
Analyzing Data
Now it's time to analyze your data.
Does your data make sense?
Is it organized so your audience will understand it?
Did the data support or disprove your hypothesis?
Report Your Results
You've reached your conclusion!
Think of these questions while writing your conclusion:
* Was your hypothesis correct?
* If the hypothesis was not correct, what can you conclude from that?
* Is your data clearly defined so everyone can understand the results?
Critical Thinking and Academic Research
Academic research focuses on the creation of new ideas, perspectives, and arguments. Researchers seek relevant information in articles, books, and other sources, then develop an informed point of view about their subject.
The research process is not simply collecting data, evidence, or facts, then piecing together this information into a paper. Instead, the research process is about inquiry—asking questions and developing answers through serious critical thinking.
Research almost always involves constant reflection and revision.
In other words, research is the borrowing of information about a topic and adding your knowledge to it in order to gain new ideas and create a deeper understanding.
Created by Marla Turgeon