Scientific Method, Research, and Laboratory Reports

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Scientific Method, Research, andLaboratory
Reports

• White Plains High School
• Science Department

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Why Research?

• Most of what we know about science is the direct
  result of someone elses research. (EX solar
  system)
• If these scientific problems have already been
  addressed, we can use these past experiences for
  our benefit.

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The Scientific Method

• Set of steps used to answer a scientific problem.
• There are many variations on the exact steps to
  the scientific method.

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The Scientific Method Steps

• 1. Question/Problem/Purpose
• What question are you trying to answer?
• What problem do you want to solve?
• 2. Hypothesis
• a possible explanation for an occurrence
• You make a scientific, educated guess to answer
  your opening question.

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Hypothesis

• How have you been taught to write a hypothesis?
• If ___________________
• then _________________,
• because ______________.
• Write a hypothesis for the question.

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The Scientific Method Steps (cont.)

• 3. Materials/Procedures/Plan
• What materials did you use to perform the
  experiment?
• Exactly what did you do?
• Someone should be able to duplicate your results
  by following your step-by-step instructions
  recorded here.

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The Scientific Method Steps (cont.)

• 4. Results/Data/Observations
• Record your observations from your experiment.
• Results must be accurate, valid, and reliable.
  RECORD IT AS IT IS!!!
• Data can be analyzed easiest when it is in table,
  chart, and graph form.

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The Scientific Method Steps (cont.)

• 5. Conclusion
• Did you prove or disprove your hypothesis?
• The data supported my hypothesis.
• The data did not support my hypothesis, but I
  learned
• Answer any post-lab questions.

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The Scientific Method Steps (cont.)

• 6. Next Step/New Question
• How could you do this differently?
• What new questions do you have now?
• What could you do to get answers to those
  questions?

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All information and answers in this class should
be written in complete sentences!

• Yes OR-
• Yes, a change in temperature indicates a
  chemical change.
• Density and height OR-
• Density and height are size-independent
  properties because they dont change when the
  size changes.

STOP
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Journal Article Reviews

• Environmental news articles due every Friday.
• Possible sources
• Newspapers
• Magazines
• Online news sources
• CNN
• USA Today
• The Anniston Star
• Must include original article --- not copies!!!!

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Journal Article Reviews

• Due every Friday.
• Worth 25 points each that comes to about 200
  points each grading period!
• Why do I have you do these?

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Citing Your Source

• Newspaper or Magazine Article
• Di Rado, Alicia. "Trekking
  through College Classes Explore Modern
  Society Using the World of Star Trek." Los
  Angeles Times 15 Mar. 1995 A3.

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Citing Your Source (cont.)

• Website
• Lynch, Tim. "DSN Trials and Tribble-ations
  Review." Psi Phi Bradley's Science Fiction Club.
  1996. Bradley University. 8 Oct. 1997
  lthttp//www.bradley.edu/campusorg/psiphi/DS9/ep/50
  3r.htmlgt.

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Article Summary Content

• See Field Activity Critical Thinking and the
  News, page 20 in your textbook. (There are 8
  questions here.)
• 9. Is this problem local, regional, or global?
• 10. Is the impact local, regional, or global?

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Answer ALL questions in complete sentences, so
the reader knows what you are talking about!

• No, not really.
• Once again, no it didnt.
• There were no opposing sides in the article.
• The image of a gas station really caught my
  attention.