Running head: Scientific Method Manual

SUCESSFULLY
APPLYING THE
SCIENTIFIC METHOD
TO CHEMCIAL
RESEARCH

Charles Beasley
Sientific Method Manual

TABLE OF
CONTENTS
Welcome..............................................................................................................................1
Introduction..........................................................................................................................2
Objectives....................................................................................................................2
Outline.........................................................................................................................2
What is the scientific method?.............................................................................................3
How does this apply to chemical research?.........................................................................3
Scientific method broken down...........................................................................................4
Ask a Question.............................................................................................................4
Do Background Research............................................................................................5
Construct a Hypothesis................................................................................................6
Test with an Experiment..............................................................................................7
Analyze the Data..........................................................................................................8
Communication....................................................................................................................8
How to formulate the report........................................................................................8
References............................................................................................................................9

Welcome
Sientific Method Manual

WELCOME

This process has been written as a reference material in which a training manual can
accomplish the goal getting the neccesary information to preform the process. This
manual will not need the use of a trainer or instructional setting. Those sources can be
beneficial, however, not necessary for this reference tool. Contact information for Charles
Beasley is on the first page of references.

Pre-requisit Skills

This manual is written for an audience that has a general high school science education.
At the very least, an interest in science is needed, due to this manual being about the
scientific method. A background in chemistry will also be beneficial since this manual
presents the scientific method with an emphasis on chemical research. You should have
some degree of creative thinking, writing skills, and some lab experience.

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Introduction

INTRODUCTION

This purpose of this manual is to provide a guide to chemcial researchers on how to

effectively use the scientific method. The benefit of this information is to create a source
to refference in the case of being stuck or needing assistance in preforming research.

Objectives

At the end of this manual, you will be able to:

Successfully use the scientific method

Preform research in a scientific process

Appropriately communicate research

Outline

What is the scientific method?

How does this apply to chemcial research?

Process

Communication

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Sientific Method Manual

Background Information

WHAT IS THE SCIENTIFIC METHOD?

The scientific method is a process for experimentation that is used to explore an

observation and answer questions. (ScienceBuddies, 2017) This process allows for the
exploration of a question, which will lead to collecting data in order to answer the
question and understand why it is the answer. This exact method does not always need to
be followed, but can be modified to the needs of the question and observation at hand.
The goal always remains the same, find the data to answer the question, and draw a
logical conclusion based on the data that answers the question throughly.

HOW DOES THIS APPLY TO CHEMICAL RESEARCH?

This applies to chemical research because chemistry is a field of science where questions
are asked and experiments are preformed to find data, in order to draw logical
conclusions to answer the question. Most chemical laboratory experiments use the
scientific method in order to have a step by step process to find the answers to the
questions. For the manual, Dr. Kims paper on energy savings in the benzene-toluene-
xylene separation process, will be primarily used as an example for each step as her paper
follows the logical reasoning of the scientific method but in a report style. Included in the
references are more papers that also follow the logic of the scientiffic method by various
researchers.

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Sientific Method Manual

Process

SCIENTIFIC METHOD BROKEN DOWN

Ask a Question

The scientific method begins when a question is asked. This leads to the need to find an
answer. It can be a question that is measureable using numbers or observation; qualitative
data, observational data, or quantitative data, numerical data. This is where a Who, What,
When, Where, Why, Which, or How, question is constructed to find new information. The
question can be formulated into a statement when put into a report as seen in the
example.

Example:

Figure 1: (Kim, 2016) this image shows the question and over all purpose of the
experiment.

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Do Background Research

Conduct prior research on the main topics that pertain to your question. This is to
understand the concepts that explain why the experiment may or may not work. It is to
also find past experiments that may answer different parts of your question, so that you
can focus your question. In a report this is all the encessary information included in the
introduction, this can be placed before the question when written out, in order to give
readers an introduction as to what is being talked about.

Example:

Figure 2: (Kim, 2016) this image displays the introduction of the report which
includes necessary information.

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Construct a Hypothesis

Constructing a hypothesis allows for an educated guess, based on background research

and prior knowledge, in order to predict what the outcome of the experiment may be.
This can be constucted in the form of an if, then statement. This sturcture helps to
formulate the purpose and the desired result for the question. This establishes the needed
variables, which will be tested. The independent: input that is changed, the dependent: is
the mesaured change , and any constants: which dont change.

Example:

Figure 3: (Kim, 2016) this image shows how the hypothesis is placed within the
introduction, and worded to give what variables they are looking at and testing.

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Sientific Method Manual

Test with an Experiment

Using the variables outlined in the hypothetical step, desgin an experiment to test the
changing of the independent, so that you can measure the dependent variable and hold
any constant values constant. The experiment is where the hypothesis is tested and raw
data is recorded. This is also a repeatable step because variations and skewed results can
occur. In a report this should always be given verbally as to what was done exactly, a
picture can also be included to help with understanding.

Example:

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Sientific Method Manual

Figure 4: (Kim, 2016) this image shows the part of the process that Kim changed,
she also included a verbal description in the process section of the report.

Analyze the Data

This is where the data is reviewed and calculations are made to find an answer through
numerical or observatory means. This is where the results are discussed and processed
data is included. All relevant data from the experiment should undergo one or more
caclulation to be considered processed data. Then, conclusions are made to answer the
question and whether or not the hypothesis was correct. If correct then the results need to

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be communicated. If the results are not correct then the experiment needs to be re-worked
or re-designed so that an answer can be found.

COMMUNICATION

How to formulate the report

Communication is key when finding an answer. Just because an answer is found doesnt
mean the process is over. Those results and that answer needs to be communicated so that
other scientists can also learn and gain knowledge from the experiment. If the steps
previously stated have been conducted then the components of a report are present. The
previous steps allow for a logical flow of ideas, thus allowing for an ease of
understanding as to what the experiment pertained to. Each step can almost be thought of
as a module of a report to communicate the experiment.

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REFERENCES

Contact Information:

Charles Beasley

Cell: 404-713-7389

Email: Chbe223@uky.edu

Donahue, M. M., Roach, B. J., Downs, J. J., Blevins, T., Baldea, M., & Eldridge, R. B.
(2016).Dividing wall column control: Common practices and key findings. Chemical
Engineering & Processing, 107106-115. doi:10.1016/j.cep.2016.05.013 Retrieved from:
http://www.sciencedirect.com.ezproxy.uky.edu/science/journal/02552701

Kim, Y. H. (2016). Energy Savings in the Benzene-Toluene-Xylene Separation Process

Using Extended Divided-Wall Column. Chemical Engineering & Technology, 39(12),
231 2322.doi:10.1002/ceat.201500605 Retrieved from:
http://eds.b.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.uky.edu/ehost/detail/detail?vid=5&sid=52a11260-
0690-4e5c-907c-31eca9ea91ab
%40sessionmgr120&hid=113&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZSZzY29wZT1zaXRl#
AN=119751862&db=a9h

Kim, Y. H. (2016). Energy saving of benzene separation process for environmentally

friendly gasoline using an extended DWC (divided wall column). Energy, 10058-
65.doi:10.1016/j.energy.2016.01.087 Retrieved from:
http://eds.b.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.uky.edu/ehost/detail/detail?vid=8&sid=09b6ccd0-
8141-47a7-a61b-
a8e61a8ad6e8%40sessionmgr101&hid=113&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZSZzY2
9wZT1zaXRl#AN=114394003&db=a9h

Kumar, S., Gupta, S., & Nanoti, S. M. (2017). Techno-economic evaluation of top,
middle, and bottom divided wall column configurations for benzene, toluene, and xylene

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processing in aromatic production plant. Separation Science & Technology, 52(1),

122-131.doi:10.1080/01496395.2016.1250775 Retrieved from:
http://www.tandfonline.com.ezproxy.uky.edu/doi/full/10.1080/01496395.2016.1250775

Science Buddies. (2017). Steps of the Scientific Method. Project Guide. Retrieved from:
http://www.sciencebuddies.org/science-fair-projects/project_scientific_method.shtml

Thorat, S., McQueen, G., & Luzunaris, P. T. (2014). The Role of Optimal Design and
Application of Heat Tracing Systems to Improve the Energy Conservation in
Petrochemical Facilities. IEEE Transactions On Industry Applications, 50(1), 163-173.
doi:10.1109/TIA.2013.2288214 Retrieved from:
http://eds.b.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.uky.edu/ehost/detail/detail?sid=52a11260-0690-4e5c-
907c-31eca9ea91ab
%40sessionmgr120&vid=0&hid=113&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZSZzY29wZT1
zaXRl#AN=93876032&db=a9h

Timoshenko, A., Anokhina, E., & Akhapkina, O. (2016). Energy-Saving Hydrocarbon

Distillation with Coupled Heat and Material Flows. Chemical Engineering &
Technology, 39(12), 2251-2264. doi:10.1002/ceat.201500645 Retrieved from:
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com.ezproxy.uky.edu/doi/10.1002/ceat.201500645/full

WOINAROSCHY, A. (2016). SMART CITIES WILL NEED CHEMISTRY. Scientific

Bulletin Of The Petru Maior University Of Targu Mures, 13(1), 5-8. Retrieved from:
http://eds.b.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.uky.edu/ehost/detail/detail?vid=8&sid=52a11260-
0690-4e5c-907c-31eca9ea91ab
%40sessionmgr120&hid=113&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZSZzY29wZT1zaXRl#
AN=117883538&db=a9h

Yildirim, ., Kiss, A. A., & Kenig, E. Y. (2011). Dividing wall columns in chemical
process industry: A review on current activities. Separation & Purification
Technology, 80(3), 403-417. doi:10.1016/j.seppur.2011.05.009 Retrieved from:
http://eds.b.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.uky.edu/ehost/detail/detail?vid=5&sid=09b6ccd0-
8141-47a7-a61b-
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a8e61a8ad6e8%40sessionmgr101&hid=113&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZSZzY2
9wZT1zaXRl#AN=63569181&db=a9h

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