scientific method essay

Fill out the scientific method table below, outlining the conventional procedures that social science researchers must take in order to do successful research. Completing both columns of the table by adding as many rows as needed, saving it as an MS Word document, and submitting it to your Assignment Tab by the end of Week 2 is required. Column 1 requests that you name each stage of the Scientific Method, whereas Column 2 requests that you describe the objective of each step. Good references to consult when completing this table are the Hunt and Colander text that some of you may have used in BEHS 210 (chapter 1) and you can also search the Internet for "Steps in the Scientific Method."  The Hunt and Colander text discusses 9 steps in the Scientific Method whereas the number of steps found on other web sites may vary because some collapse the 9 steps used by Hunt and Colander, so Hunt and Colander would be the best and clearest source for this exercise. List any references you use below the table using an appropriate citation style (e.g. APA, MLA, ASA).

Each column of the completed table is worth 5 points; points will only be deducted if any steps are missing or the purpose of a step is incorrect or not clearly explained.

Steps in the Scientific Method

Explain the Purpose of Each Step

Observation

Observation portrays curiosity by a researcher. It involves taking note of a phenomenon and noticing a gap in knowledge that needs investigation.

Problem definition

This is an expression of a concern in the observation made. It presents a research gap

Literature Review

This involves reading prior information available with regards to the topic. It enables the researcher to familiarize with what has been done by others.

4. Observe some more

Once an initial observation is made, a researcher with a scientific inclination will want to find more about the phenomenon. It is an aspect of wondering how and why something happens. It may involve carrying out an initial research to understand a phenomenon. It facilitates the creation of research questions.

5. Creation of a theoretical framework and hypotheses formulation

This is a step dependent on the literature review carried out. Theoretical framework is created based on available sources of information which guides relationships. Hypotheses are formulated as informed guesses to the research questions. Information gathered from the background research can also be used to formulate the hypotheses. These assumptions provide a guideline for in-depth scientific investigations.

6. Choice of the research design

A research design is a methodological approach a researcher opts to use in collecting data. It may be qualitative or quantitative in nature.

7. Collecting data

In scientific research, data is collected by carrying out experiments within a well-designed and controlled environment. This is a crucial step since it proves the legitimacy of a hypothesis. It further aids in the formulation of theories. For experiments to be accepted as scientific proof to an assumption, specific criteria need to be met. That’s why they need to be in a controlled setting. Trials are conducted to correct sufficient data for analysis.

8. Analyze results

To testing the hypothesis data collected need to be analyzed. If the analysis correctly explains the hypothesis, then the research is complete, however, if it does not, the researcher will have to formulate a new hypothesis till it is proved by the experiment.

9. Conclusion

Based on the data analysis, the conclusion is made as to whether or not to accept a hypothesis. It is simply the communication of findings.

References

Colander, E. F. (2011). Social Science: An Introduction to the Study of Society. Pearson.

Helmenstine, A. M. (2017, March 30). 6 Steps of the Scientific Method: Scientific Method Steps. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/steps-of-the-scientific-method-p2-606045

KhanAcademy. (n.d.). The scientific method: How the scientific method is used to test a hypothesis. Retrieved August 29, 2017, from https://www.khanacademy.org/science/biology/intro-to-biology/science-of-biology/a/the-science-of-biology

Scientific Method Steps. (n.d.). Retrieved August 29, 2017, from http://www.schoolofdragons.com/how-to-train-your-dragon/the-scientific-method/scientific-method-steps

Shuttleworth, M. (2014, May 3). Steps of the Scientific Method. Retrieved August 29, 2017, from https://explorable.com/steps-of-the-scientific-method

Steps of the Scientific Method. (n.d.). Retrieved August 29, 2017, from https://www.sciencebuddies.org/science-fair-projects/science-fair/steps-of-the-scientific-method