1. THE SCIENTIFIC
PROCESS!
S T A R T E S T R E V I E W

2. THE FIRST THING NEEDED FOR THE
SCIENTIFIC PROCESS
Receiving knowledge of the outside world
through the senses. May also include
recording the new knowledge.
OBSERVATION!!!!!

3. NEXT: INFERENCE & HYPOTHESIS!
Inference!!
The process of
drawing a
conclusion based
on your
observations and
logic.
Hypothesis!!
Your proposed
explanation for the
observed
phenomena.

4. THEN, SET YOUR PARAMETERSParameter:
How far you will be testing your
hypothesis.
How in depth will you be testing?

5. THEN, SET YOUR PARAMETERS
• EXAMPLE: If I wanted to test the lifecycle of frogs
based on location (environment) I would need to
decide what my parameters are.
• Bay Area? California? North America? Americas
(Canada, America, Central America, South America) or the
entire world.

6. INDEPENDENT VS. DEPENDENT
VARIABLES
Manipulated Variable
The variable that is
being changed.
Only ONE variable
changed at a
time!!!!!!!!!!
Responding Variable
The variable that
changes as a
RESULT of the
independent
variable.
(Independent Variable) (Dependent Variable)

7. INDEPENDENT VS. DEPENDENT
VARIABLES
WHICH IS WHICH?
• Measuring the growth of a plant when “watered” with
different liquids.
• Counting the number of people who stop when they see a
dollar on the ground.
• Timing how long someone can run after drinking an energy
drink.

8. CONTROL THE EXPERIMENT!!
Controlled Experiment
This can be accomplished when you only
have ONE variable manipulated at a
time!!
Or else, how do you know which
changed variable caused the results???

9. CONTROL THE EXPERIMENT!!
• If I am testing what will cause people to notice T-
Pain (my fish) more, I will need to create a
controlled experiment.
• I decide to test if a sign hanging above his bowl will
cause people to notice him more, but I also buy a
brighter new plant to put in his bowl.
• I record that 30 more students mention T-pain
throughout the day.
• Which change caused the extra 30 students to
notice him?

10. CONTROL THE EXPERIMENT!!
How would the following experiments be controlled?
• Measuring the growth of a plant when “watered”
with different liquids.
• Counting the number of people who stop when
they see a dollar on the ground.
• Timing how long someone can run after drinking an
energy drink.

11. DATA-DATA-DATA-DATA-
DATA!
Qualitative Data:
Descriptors such as:
Color, gender, text
ure…
What else??
Quantitative Data:
Measureable
Quantities:
Size, temp, mass…
What else???

12. DATA-DATA-DATA-DATA-
DATA!
• Look around the room and on your notes, write
down three qualitative observations and three
quantitative observations.
• When you’re done, look at me.
• When I tell you to, compare answers with your
elbow partner.

13. THEORY VS. LAW
Theory:
Widely tested and
generally
accepted.
We’re talking
WORLD
WIDE, people
Law:
Predictable results
from a set of
conditions.
No one will
argue that if
you drop
something, it
falls down (on
earth)

14. THEORY VS. LAW
• Which comes first? Theory or Law?
• What comes before a theory?
• How many theories do you think actually exist?

15. THEORY VS. LAW
“I have a theory!”
“No. No you
don’t.”

16. GRAPHING!
• Remember: DRY MIX
• Dependent Variable
• Responds to the change
• Y-Axis (that’s where it goes)
• Manipulated Variable
• Independent (you have changed it)
• X-Axis