Which of the following is the first step in the scientific method?

Answer (Detailed Solution Below)

Option 2 : Problem of Awareness

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Scientific methods are defined as controlled, systematic investigations that are rooted in objective reality and that aim to develop general knowledge about natural phenomena. 

• Problem-solving is a mental process and is part of the larger problem process that includes problem finding and problem shaping. Considered the most complex of all intellectual functions, problem-solving has been defined as a higher-order cognitive process that requires the modulation and control of more routine or fundamental skills.
• Problem-solving occurs when an organism or an artificial intelligence system needs to move from a given state to the desired goal state.
• The first step to solve the problem is to understand its different aspects and nature i.e. to figure out just what issues, obstacles, and goals are involved.

The steps of the scientific method are stating the problem, forming a hypothesis, testing the hypothesis/conducting experiment, and drawing a conclusion based on test results and reports.

• Stating the problem/ problem of Awareness - The first step in the scientific method is to identify and analyze a problem. Data regarding the problem can be collected using a variety of methods.
• Forming a hypothesis-A hypothesis is a statement that provides an educated prediction or proposed solution.
• Testing the hypothesis/conducting experiment-This is when an activity is created to confirm (or not confirm) the hypothesis.
• Verification of Hypothesis-Once the experiment is complete, the results can be analyzed. The results should either confirm the hypothesis as true or false.
• Drawing a conclusion based on test results- It is the last step of problem-solving during this stage when relevant information is collected.

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The scientific method is a systematic way of learning about the world around us and answering questions. The key difference between the scientific method and other ways of acquiring knowledge are forming a hypothesis and then testing it with an experiment.

The number of steps can vary from one description to another (which mainly happens when data and analysis are separated into separate steps), however, this is a fairly standard list of the six scientific method steps that you are expected to know for any science class:

1. Purpose/Question
   Ask a question.
2. Research
   Conduct background research. Write down your sources so you can cite your references. In the modern era, a lot of your research may be conducted online. Scroll to the bottom of articles to check the references. Even if you can't access the full text of a published article, you can usually view the abstract to see the summary of other experiments. Interview experts on a topic. The more you know about a subject, the easier it will be to conduct your investigation.
3. Hypothesis
   Propose a hypothesis. This is a sort of educated guess about what you expect. It is a statement used to predict the outcome of an experiment. Usually, a hypothesis is written in terms of cause and effect. Alternatively, it may describe the relationship between two phenomena. One type of hypothesis is the null hypothesis or the no-difference hypothesis. This is an easy type of hypothesis to test because it assumes changing a variable will have no effect on the outcome. In reality, you probably expect a change but rejecting a hypothesis may be more useful than accepting one.
4. Experiment
   Design and perform an experiment to test your hypothesis. An experiment has an independent and dependent variable. You change or control the independent variable and record the effect it has on the dependent variable. It's important to change only one variable for an experiment rather than try to combine the effects of variables in an experiment. For example, if you want to test the effects of light intensity and fertilizer concentration on the growth rate of a plant, you're really looking at two separate experiments.
5. Data/Analysis
   Record observations and analyze the meaning of the data. Often, you'll prepare a table or graph of the data. Don't throw out data points you think are bad or that don't support your predictions. Some of the most incredible discoveries in science were made because the data looked wrong! Once you have the data, you may need to perform a mathematical analysis to support or refute your hypothesis.
6. Conclusion
   Conclude whether to accept or reject your hypothesis. There is no right or wrong outcome to an experiment, so either result is fine. Accepting a hypothesis does not necessarily mean it's correct! Sometimes repeating an experiment may give a different result. In other cases, a hypothesis may predict an outcome, yet you might draw an incorrect conclusion. Communicate your results. The results may be compiled into a lab report or formally submitted as a paper. Whether you accept or reject the hypothesis, you likely learned something about the subject and may wish to revise the original hypothesis or form a new one for a future experiment.

Sometimes the scientific method is taught with seven steps instead of six. In this model, the first step of the scientific method is to make observations. Really, even if you don't make observations formally, you think about prior experiences with a subject in order to ask a question or solve a problem.

Formal observations are a type of brainstorming that can help you find an idea and form a hypothesis. Observe your subject and record everything about it. Include colors, timing, sounds, temperatures, changes, behavior, and anything that strikes you as interesting or significant.

When you design an experiment, you are controlling and measuring variables. There are three types of variables:

• Controlled Variables: You can have as many controlled variables as you like. These are parts of the experiment that you try to keep constant throughout an experiment so that they won't interfere with your test. Writing down controlled variables is a good idea because it helps make your experiment reproducible, which is important in science! If you have trouble duplicating results from one experiment to another, there may be a controlled variable that you missed.
• Independent Variable: This is the variable you control.
• Dependent Variable: This is the variable you measure. It is called the dependent variable because it depends on the independent variable.

By Indeed Editorial Team

Updated June 13, 2022 | Published January 22, 2021

Updated June 13, 2022

Published January 22, 2021

A career in science involves the use of various processes and methods to reach conclusions. If you plan to pursue a scientific career path, it is helpful to understand some key methods that you might use and encounter in your daily tasks.

One of the most commonly used processes is the scientific method, which involves following a series of steps to test a hypothesis and reach a conclusion. In this article, we will discuss what the scientific method is, the seven steps to take and how to use it in scientific applications.

What is the scientific method?

The scientific method is a process used when conducting experiments and exploring observations. Some areas of science rely more heavily on this method to answer questions, as they are more easily tested than other areas. The goal of this method is to discover the relationships between cause and effect in various situations and applications.

When following the scientific method, scientists must ask questions, gather and look at the evidence and determine whether the answers to their questions can be found through that evidence. Scientists also use the method to determine whether all information presented and found can combine to create a logical answer. The scientific method provides a way to apply logical and rational problem-solving methods to scientific questions.

Related: What Is a Scientist? Definition and Types of Scientists

The seven steps of the scientific method

Based on the type of question being asked, the type of science being applied and the laws that apply to that particular branch of science, you may need to modify the method and alter or remove one or several of the steps. Here are the seven steps of the scientific method illustrated by an example scientific hypothesis:

1. Ask a question

The first step in the scientific method is asking a question that you want to answer. This question will include one of the key starters, which are how, what when, why, where, who or which. The question you ask should also be measurable and answerable through experimentation. It is often something that can be measured with a numerical result, although behavioral results are part of the scientific method as well.

Example: Perhaps, you want to test an experiment about the causal relationship between music and certain domesticated animals.

A good question to begin with might be: ”Does music impact the behavior of certain species of domesticated animals, such as canines and felines?”

2. Perform research

With your question formulated, conduct preliminary background research to prepare yourself for the experiment. You can find information through online searches or in your local library, depending on the question you are asking and the nature of the background data. You may also find previous studies and experiments that can help with your process and conclusions.

In this case, you might start by reviewing previous scientific studies for animal experiments related to their reactions to music. Key to finding pertinent information might be looking at studies about animal behavior concerning art or domestic animals directly affected by music.

Related: How To Become a Research Scientist

3. Establish your hypothesis

A hypothesis is an educated guess that seeks to answer a question that can be systematically tested. Your hypothesis should also include your predictions that you can measure through experimentation and research.

Example: Based on your research, you start to fine-tune your thoughts about what will probably happen: “If I play classical music, my dog and cat will remain in the room with me. If I play rock-and-roll music, my dog and cat will leave the room.”

4. Test your hypothesis by conducting an experiment

Next, test your hypothesis by experimenting. Your experiment is a way to quantifiably test your predictions and should be able to be repeated by another scientist.

Example: You decide to test it out: You bring the cat and dog into the same room where a sound system is available. You play classical music at a low volume. Both animals remain in the room. Then, you change scientist the music to rock-and-roll at the same volume. Both animals remain in the room.

5. Make an observation

Assess your scientific process and make sure that the conditions remain the same throughout all testing measures. If you change any factors in your experiment, keep all others the same to maintain fairness. After you complete the experiment, repeat it a few more times to make sure the results are accurate.

Example: In reviewing the cause and effect of your experiment, you observe that despite what you had thought would happen, did not. More specifically, the type of music being played did not impact the reaction of the animals.

Therefore, you adjust your hypothesis to state that the animals will react based on the volume of the music. You conduct another experiment, playing classical music at a low volume and then at a high volume. The animals remain in the room when the music is quiet and leave the room when the music is loud.

6. Analyze the results and draw a conclusion

You can now take your experiment findings and analyze them to determine if they support your hypothesis.

Drawing a conclusion means determining whether what you believed would happen did happen. If it did not happen, you can create a new hypothesis and return to step four, and conduct a new experiment to prove your new theory. If what you hypothesized happened during the experimentation phase, the final step is putting together your findings and presenting them to others.

Example: You determine the behavior of animals is more affected by the volume of music being played rather than the type of music played.

7. Present the findings

The method for presenting your findings depends on your scientific position and level. If you are entering a project into the science fair, you will likely communicate your findings in a written report, on a display board or during a presentation at the event. If you are a scientist by profession, you may present your findings in a scientific publication or to your supervisors.

Example: You write a formal report and prepare an oral presentation to share your findings.

Related: 10 Fascinating Science Careers