The

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The Scientific Process
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What is the Scientific Process?
The scientific process is the way scientists get
from asking a question to finding an answer.
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Stating the question The Problem
What is it that you are trying to find out from
your experiment? What is it that you are trying
to achieve?
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Research
Gather all of your information for the question
you have.
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Hypothesis
This is merely an educated guess as to the answer
for the question. After having thoroughly
researched a topic, you should have some
prediction about what you think will happen in
your experiment. You must state your hypothesis
in a way that you can readily measure.
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Prediction
The prediction is a formal way to put a
hypothesis to a test. The prediction has three
parts 1. If my hypothesis is true... 2. Then
_____ should happen 3. When _____ is manipulated
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Materials
This is when you gather your materials and the
equipment or tools needed to test the hypothesis
and answer the problem/question.
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Procedure Method
The PROCEDURE is where you carefully write the
followed step-by-step experiment designed to test
the hypothesis. The METHOD is the actual
hands-on part of the project. Here you carry out
your experiment and compare the results.
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Data Observation
The DATA is all of the information collection
during the experiment. It must be carefully
displayed and explained. The OBSERVATIONS are a
written description of what was noticed during
the experiment.
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Conclusion
This is the end of your presentation. This is
where you answer if your hypothesis was correct
or incorrect.
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Stating the question
Which of these two paper towels will absorb more
water?
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Research

• We make observations by comparing the two
  different types of paper towels.
• Brand A paper towel is larger in size than Brand
  B paper towel.
• Brand A paper towel is twice as thick as Brand B
  paper towel.

Notice that there are two paper towels. The
smaller paper towel (Brand B) is lying on top of
the larger paper towel (Brand A). The blue line
emphasizes the corner of the smaller paper towel.
Brand A paper towel is about 1 inch longer and
1.5 inches wider than Brand B paper towel.
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Hypothesis
Prediction
For our problem, based on the two observations
that Brand A paper towel is both larger and
thicker than Brand B paper towel that Brand A
paper towel will be able to absorb more water.
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Procedure Method

• For our problem, we need to create a test that
  will determine whether or not Brand A paper towel
  will absorb more water than Brand B paper towel.
  Our experiment consisted of
• measuring water
• folding a paper towel
• dipping it into water
• noting how much water it had absorbed and then
• repeating the process with the other brand of
  paper towel.

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Procedure Method
Demo B
Demo A
Notice that the water starts at 200 ml and drops
to about 155 ml. Paper towel Brand B only
absorbed 45 ml of water.
Notice that the water starts at 200 ml and drops
to about 150 ml. Paper towel Brand A absorbed 50
ml of water.
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Conclusion
For our problem, we were correct in hypothesizing
that Brand A paper towel's larger size and
thickness helped it absorb more water than Brand
B paper towel's smaller size and thinness. We
have proved our hypothesis to be true.
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Your display is not the most important piece of
the science fair puzzle, however if people can't
read or understand your display, they won't know
what a great scientist you are.  Your display, or
exhibit should be inviting, neat, and
informative.
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1.    Title   The title of your project should
be short and catchy, in  letters large enough to
read from several feet away.
2.  Problem This sheet should include the
problem you hoped to answer and a brief review
of the literature.
3.    Hypothesis    If your hypothesis can be
stated in one sentence,  enlarge the size of the
font to make the statement stand out.
4.    Materials    List everything you used to
experiment, and be  specific.  For example, if
you grew plants from seeds,  explain what type of
seed and what size pot you used
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5.    Procedure   Judges at the science fair
will read this section to find out what you
did.  Make it interesting.
6.    Data    This section should be a visual
explanation -- graphs, charts,  photos, etc.
--of what happened.
7.    Results    Here, you give a summary of the
results using words instead of charts or graphs.
8.    Conclusion   At the beginning of this
section, state whether your hypothesis was
proven or not, along with any other information
you gathered from the experiment.
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10.    No wasted space!   The area in front of
your backboard should                            
               never be empty!  Use it to display
your logbook                                     
      (which should be full of ideas, notes, 
                                        
observations, and measurements).  This is also 
                                         a good
space for a photo book and a COPY of 
                                         your
report that you submitted to your teacher 
                                         for a
grade.