Scientific Method
The scientific term for a testable prediction
hypothesis
How we test a hypothesis
With an experiment
An example of how scientists collect data during an experiment.
Counting/measuring
Scientists make sense of the observations they made during an experiment by ______ them.
analyzing
You might have a burning question, but it's likely that your question has already been answered by someone else. You should do this before you decide to run an experiment.
Do research/conduct a literature review
The first step in the Scientific Method
ask a question
scientific law
A good hypothesis is one that can be _____ through an experiment.
tested
supported
This is the variable that you measure in an experiment.
The dependent variable
An experiment involves at least two groups. In one group, called the _____ group, nothing changes.
control
This science is the study of living things
Biology/biological science
Manipulating this variable leads to a change in the variable to be measured, the dependent variable.
independent variable
You might _____ your hypothesis if your experiment disproved it.
reject
The independent variable
The ______ variable changes because the independent variable was manipulated.
dependent
A ______ is often written as an if ______ then ______ statement.
hypothesis
An experiment often involves at least two groups. In one group, called the _____ group, something changes which can be measured.
experiment
Your experiment needs these two things to run. Both things start with the letter "m."
methods and materials
Science is designed to be shared. This is one way that scientists share what they learned with the world.
Writing up a report
A value that never changes, such as the boiling point of water.
a constant
_____ is when an experiment is influenced by a motivation beyond just creating knowledge.
Bias
When we talk about hypotheses, we think about one variable as the "cause" and another variable as the "effect." What variable is the "cause" and what variable is the "effect" in a hypothesis?
The independent variable is the "cause" and the dependent variable is the "effect."
You might be excited about your experiment's results/findings, but they have a long way to go before they become law. Other scientists may try to _____ your experiment to test if your results hold up.
Copy/repeat