ENRICHMENT

STEPS OF THE SCIENTIFIC METHOD

APPLICATION-putting/applying the conclusion into different situations.
When other electrical appliances do not work, it may be necessary to apply similar concepts and
process.

CONCLUSION a summary of the results of the experimentation and a

statement of how the results relate to the hypothesis.
Therefore, something is wrong with the electrical connections in the house. You accept the
hypothesis that the power is out! This may then prompt you to call an electrician.

DATA ANALYSIS organizing and examining the collected data using

narratives, charts, graphs or tables.
First, switching the lights on several times did not give positive results. Second, you noticed that
all the neighboring houses are lighted.

EXPERIMENTATION testing a hypothesis by collecting data under

controlled, repeatable conditions.
In this case, switching on the light repeatedly to see if it works.

HYPOTHESIS a tentative answer to a problem based on knowledge and

research.
Possible hypothesis:
If the light does not work even when it is turned on, then there must be a problem with the
electrical connection.

OBSERVATION the process of collecting information and data about a

topic being studied.
From the problem identified, your observations would be that it is night time, the house is dark, and
the light does not work even when it is turned on.

PROBLEM question that requires scientific solution.

For example, you arrive home late at night. You walk up to the house door, unlock the door and
reach in for the light switch just on the wall near the front door. The light does not come on! Now
what?

Scientists use multiple research methods to study the natural world. There are three types of scientific investigation that
scientists use to learn more about the world:
1. Descriptive Investigation: This type of investigation involves describing and measuring different parts of any natural
system. When undertaking a descriptive investigation, scientists don't ask many questions. They aren't trying to predict
anything. They just observe the system and describe it in words. They may also draw diagrams to represent what they're
seeing. For example, if a scientist looks at a cell sample under a microscope, they might want to draw what they see.
This makes it is easier to describe to other scientists what they are investigating. When describing any new phenomenon
with words, scientists often list qualities of what they see and hear in the system. They identify shapes and different parts.
For example, if a scientist is investigating a cell, he might identify the various parts of the cell, like the nucleus, the
ribosomes, and the mitochondria.

Make sure to use caution, however, when using descriptive investigation. Do not taste or touch anything that might harm
you. This type of investigation is good to use when you're looking at something for the first time. It might lead to
observations and questions that you can study using experimental or comparative investigation.
2. Comparative Investigation: This type of investigation involves gathering data under different natural conditions and
comparing it. This is similar to descriptive investigation, because it involves observing the specimen in its natural state and
then describing it. An example of when this might be used is to investigate plants that bloom only at night. To investigate
such plants, you can observe their characteristics during the day. You may draw diagrams to show what you are looking at.
And then, you can observe them again at night, and repeat the steps you took in the day. You would then compare how the
plant looks different in those two conditions. This is done by noting the similarities and differences between the multiple
groups that you are investigating.
This type of investigation is good to use when you want to learn more about how different conditions affect your specimen.
This kind of study is very important in biology because biologists use it to learn more about what kinds of conditions
organisms thrive in.
3. Experimental Investigation: In this type of investigation, scientists use the scientific
method to manipulate, control and measure variables to learn more about something. This process involves
making observations, asking questions, writing hypotheses, and conducting experiments to answer those questions and
support those hypotheses. This type of investigation is much more formal than the others. All possible variables are
identified and are held constant, except the manipulated variable, of course. The variable that is being manipulated is called
the independent variable. The change that occurs as a consequence is called the dependent variable because it depends on
the independent variable.