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The Scientific Method
The term scientific method refers to a systematic process that allows anyone who knows how to use it to come to a determination of what is and is not true.
The scientific method involves manipulating and controlling events in a way that will allow the researcher to ferret-out cause and effect relationships.
While employing the scientific method, the researcher systematically changes one factor, called the independent variable, as he measures a second factor, called the dependent variable, to see how changing the one thing impacts the other.
The Five Steps of the Scientific Method
- Operationally define your terms in a way that will allow your variables to be measured.
- Form a hypothesis that can be tested.
- Design an experiment that will allow your hypothesis to be tested.
- Identify the independent and the dependent variables, as well as all of the extraneous variables that must be controlled during the experiment.
- Analize your data to find causation by determining how the dependent and the independent variables are correlated.