Scientific Method

1. Scientific Method By : Dimitri Badani

2. Solving a problem scientifically • Scientificts use the same types of skills that you do to solve problems and answer questions. • Althought scientistis dont always find the answers to their questions, they also use critical thinking in their search.

3. State the Problem • Suppose that a veterinary technican wants to find out whether different types of cat litter cause irritation to cats skin. • The technican begins by observing something she cannot explain. • A pet owner brings his four cats to the clinic to be boarded while he travels.

4. Gather the Information • Laboratory observations and experiments are the ways to collect information. • Some data also are gather from fieldwork. • Fieldwork ments that are done outside of the laboratory.

5. Form a Hypothesis • Based on the information, the text thing the veterinary technican does in form of hyphotesis. • The hypothesis is the prediction that can be tested from the experiment.

6. Perform an Experiment • The tecnician gets the owners permision to test her hypothesis by performing an experiment. • In a experiment, the hypothesis is tested using controlled conditions. • The tecnician reads the labels on 2 brands of cat litter and finds that the ingridients of each are the same except that 1 contains a deodorant.

7. Analyzing the Data • Thenal veterinary technician observes both cats for one week. • During this time, she collects data on how often and when the cats scratch or chew. • This data is recorded in a journal. • The data show that the control cat scratches and chews more often than the experimental cat does.

8. Draw Conclusions • The technician then draws the conclusion-a logical answer to a question based on data and observations- that the deodorant in the cat litter probaly irritated the skin of the 2 cats. • To accept or reject the hypothesis is in the next step. • If she rejects it new experiments would be necessary.