7/18/2019 The Scientific Method is a Body of Techniques for Investigating Phenomena

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The scientifc method is a body of techniques for investigating phenomena,

acquiring new knowledge, or correcting and integrating previous knowledge.[2] To

be termed scientic, a method of inquiry is commonly based on empirical or

measurable evidence subect to specic principles of reasoning.[!] The Oxford

 English Dictionary  denes the scientic method as "a method or procedure that

has characteri#ed natural science since the $%th century, consisting in systematicobservation, measurement, and e&periment, and the formulation, testing, and

modication of hypotheses."[']

The scientic method is an ongoing process, which usually begins with

observations about the natural world. (uman beings are naturally inquisitive, so

they often come up with questions about things they see or hear and often develop

ideas )hypotheses* about why things are the way they are. The best hypotheses

lead to predictions that can be tested in various ways, including making further

observations about nature. +n general, the strongest tests of hypotheses come from

carefully controlled and replicated e&periments that gather empirical data.

epending on how well the tests match the predictions, the original hypothesis

may require renement, alteration, e&pansion or even reection. +f a particular

hypothesis becomes very well supported a general theory may be developed. [$]

 -lthough procedures vary from one eld of inquiry to another, identiable features

are frequently shared in common between them. The overall process of the

scientic method involves making conectures )hypotheses*, deriving predictions

from them as logical consequences, and then carrying out e&periments based on

those predictions.[][/] -n hypothesis is a conecture, based on knowledge obtained

while formulating the question. The hypothesis might be very specic or it might

be broad. 0cientists then test hypotheses by conducting e&periments. 1ndermodern interpretations, a scientic hypothesis must be falsiable, implying that it

is possible to identify a possible outcome of an e&periment that conicts with

predictions deduced from the hypothesis3 otherwise, the hypothesis cannot be

meaningfully tested.[%]

The purpose of an e&periment is to determine whether observations agree with or

conict with the predictions derived from a hypothesis.[4] 5&periments can take

place in a college lab, on a kitchen table, at 65789s :arge (adron 6ollider, at the

bottom of an ocean, on ;ars, and so on. There are di<iculties in a formulaic

statement of method, however. Though the scientic method is often presented asa &ed sequence of steps, it represents rather a set of general principles.[=] 8ot all

steps take place in every scientic inquiry )or t

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o the same degree*, and are not always in the same order.[$>]

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