Uzma Sagheer Janjua
PhD (Ist semester) Social Science & Prof .Dr. Allah Bakhsh Malik
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION,
NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF MODERN LANGUAGES, ISLAMABAD
Janjuauzma2014@yahoo.com
THE SCIENTIFIC METHOD
The scientific method was introduced/used by Sir Francis Bacon (1561-1626) to provide logical,
rational problem-solving across many scientific fields.
The basic steps of the scientific method are:
1) Make an observation that describes a problem,
2) create a hypothesis,
3) Test the hypothesis,
4) Draw conclusions and refine the hypothesis.
The major precepts of the scientific method employed by all scientific disciplines are
Verifiability Predictability Falsifiability fairness
Verifiability, predictability, falsifiability, and fairness.
The application of the scientific theory to psychology took the discipline from a form of philosophy
to a form of science. Critical thinking is a key component of the scientific method. Without it, you
cannot use logic to come to conclusions.
THE BASIC PRINCIPLES OF THE SCIENTIFIC METHOD
Two key concepts in the scientific approach are theory and hypothesis. A theory is used to make
predictions about future observations. A hypothesis is a testable prediction that is arrived at
logically from a theory.
Several types of studies exist within the scientific methodexperiments, descriptive studies, case
studies, surveys, and non-descriptive studies. In an experiment a researcher manipulates certain
variables and measures their effect on other variables in a controlled environment. Descriptive
studies describe the nature of the relationship between the intended variables, without looking at
cause or effect. A case study covers one specific example in which something unusual has
occurred. This is often done in extreme or rare cases, usually with a single subject. Surveys are
used with large groups of people who answer questions about specific subjects. Non-descriptive
studies use correlational methods to predict the relationship between two (or more) intended
variables.
Verifiability means that an experiment must be replicable by another researcher. To achieve
verifiability, researchers must make sure to document their methods and clearly explain how their
experiment is structured and why it produces certain results.
Predictability in a scientific theory implies that the theory should enable us to make predictions
about future events. The precision of these predictions is a measure of the strength of the theory.
Falsifiability refers to whether a hypothesis can disproved. For a hypothesis to be falsifiable, it
must be logically possible to make an observation or do a physical experiment that would show
that there is no support for the hypothesis. Even when a hypothesis cannot be shown to be false,
that does not necessarily mean it is not valid. Future testing may disprove the hypothesis. This
does not mean that a hypothesis has to be shown to be false, just that it can be tested.
To determine whether a hypothesis is supported or not supported, psychological researchers must
conduct hypothesis testing using statistics. Hypothesis testing is a type of statistics that determines
the probability of a hypothesis being true or false. If hypothesis testing reveals that results were
"statistically significant," this means that there was support for the hypothesis and that the
researchers can be reasonably confident that their result was not due to random chance. If the
results are not statistically significant, this means that the researchers' hypothesis was not
supported.
Fairness implies that all data must be considered when evaluating a hypothesis. A researcher
cannot pick and choose what data to keep and what to discard or focus specifically on data that
support or do not support a particular hypothesis. All data must be accounted for, even if they
invalidate the hypothesis.
THE BASIC STEPS OF THE SCIENTIFIC METHOD
The basic steps in the scientific method are:
Observe a natural phenomenon and define a question about it
Make a hypothesis, or potential solution to the question
Test the hypothesis
If the hypothesis is true, find more evidence or find counter-evidence
If the hypothesis is false, create a new hypothesis or try again
Draw conclusions and repeat--the scientific method is never-ending, and no result is ever
considered perfect
In order to ask an important question that may improve our understanding of the world, a
researcher must first observe natural phenomena. By making observations, a researcher can define
a useful question. After finding a question to answer, the researcher can then make a prediction (a
hypothesis) about what he or she thinks the answer will be. This prediction is usually a statement
about the relationship between two or more variables. After making a hypothesis, the researcher
will then design an experiment to test his or her hypothesis and evaluate the data gathered. These
data will either support or refute the hypothesis. Based on the conclusions drawn from the data,
the researcher will then find more evidence to support the hypothesis, look for counter-evidence
to further strengthen the hypothesis, revise the hypothesis and create a new experiment, or continue
to incorporate the information gathered to answer the research question.
Example of the Scientific Method
To better understand the process of the scientific method, take a look at the following example:
Observation: My toaster doesn't work.
Question: Is something wrong with my electrical outlet?
Hypothesis: If something is wrong with the outlet, my coffeemaker also won't work when plugged
into it.
Experiment: I plug my coffeemaker into the outlet.
Result: My coffeemaker works!
Conclusion: My electrical outlet works, but my toaster still won't toast my bread.
Refine the hypothesis: My toaster is broken.
From this point, the process would be repeated with a refined hypothesis.
EXPLANATION OF STATEMENT
The Scientific Method is actually the problem solving method which makes research what
is it?
Scientific method example: Failure to toast
Let's build some intuition for the scientific method by applying its steps to a practical problem
from everyday life.
1. Make an observation.
Let's suppose that you get two slices of bread, put them into the toaster, and press the button.
However, your bread does not toast.
1. Observation: the toaster won't toast.
2. Ask a question.
Why didn't my bread get toasted?
2. Question: Why won't my toaster toast?
3. Propose a hypothesis.
A hypothesis is a potential answer to the question, one that can somehow be tested. For example,
our hypothesis in this case could be that the toast didn't toast because the electrical outlet is broken.
3. Hypothesis: Maybe the outlet is broken.
This hypothesis is not necessarily the right explanation. Instead, it's a possible explanation that we
can test to see if it is likely correct, or if we need to make a new hypothesis.
4. Make predictions.
A prediction is an outcome we'd expect to see if the hypothesis is correct. In this case, we might
predict that if the electrical outlet is broken, then plugging the toaster into a different outlet should
fix the problem.
4. Prediction: If I plug the toaster into a different outlet, then it will toast the bread.
5. Test the predictions.
To test the hypothesis, we need to make an observation or perform an experiment associated with
the prediction. For instance, in this case, we would plug the toaster into a different outlet and see
if it toasts.
5. Test of prediction: Plug the toaster into a different outlet and try again.
If the toaster does toast, then the hypothesis is supportedlikely correct.
If the toaster doesn't toast, then the hypothesis is not supportedlikely wrong.
The results of a test may either support or contradictopposea hypothesis. Results that support
a hypothesis can't conclusively prove that it's correct, but they do mean it's likely to be correct. On
the other hand, if results contradict a hypothesis, that hypothesis is probably not correct. Unless
there was a flaw in the testa possibility we should always considera contradictory result means
that we can discard the hypothesis and look for a new one.
6. Iterate.
The last step of the scientific method is to reflect on our results and use them to guide our next
steps.
And the result is:
Left panel: My bread toasts! Hypothesis is supported. Right panel: My bread still won't toast.
Hypothesis is not supported.
6. Iteration time!
Left panel (in case of hypothesis being supported): But what is actually wrong with the outlet?
Right panel (in case of hypothesis not being supported): Hmm...Maybe there is a broken wire in
the toaster.
If the hypothesis was supported, we might do additional tests to confirm it, or revise it to be more
specific. For instance, we might investigate why the outlet is broken.
If the hypothesis was not supported, we would come up with a new hypothesis. For instance, the
next hypothesis might be that there's a broken wire in the toaster.
In most cases, the scientific method is an iterative process. In other words, it's a cycle rather than
a straight line. The result of one go-round becomes feedback that improves the next round of
question asking.
CONCLUSION
The Scientific Method gives us an orderly method to observe a phenomenon, formulate a question
and a hypothesis to answer the question, and a methodology to test the hypothesis. After testing
the hypothesis we discover if the hypothesis is true or not, and if not true, then a new hypothesis
can be formed and tested with the ultimate goal of answering the original question. Most often, the
first hypothesis is found to NOT be correct, but the experiment to test the hypothesis provides
more data upon with to continue to test more hypotheses (plural), and on and on until the solution
is found.( Khan Academy).
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REFERENCES
https://www.boundless.com/psychology/textbooks/boundless-psychology-textbook/researching-
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https://www.khanacademy.org/science/biology/intro-to-biology/science-of-biology/a/the-
science-of-biology
https://www.ukessays.com/essays/philosophy/views-of-dynamics-of-human-mind-acquire-
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http://teaching.berkeley.edu/resources/learn/what-learning
http://www.psychologydiscussion.net/learning/learning-meaning-nature-types-and-theories-of-
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G. F. (1994). Educationists and their vanities: One hundred missives to my colleagues. San
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Gardner, H. (1993). Frames of mind: The theory of multiple intelligences. New York: Basic
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http://www.learndev.org/dl/DenverSolomon.PDF
