Name ________________________________________________ Class 10. _____
Madie & Brotherton. 2001. Biology Activity Manuel. Heinemann. (vi-6)
The Scientific Method
- Make an observation – scientific inquiry starts when you made an observation
- Ask a question – ask a question about your observation
- Formulate a hypothesis – a hypothesis is a simple statement that attempts to answer a question- it is not itself a question. A good hypothesis should be able to be tested by experimentation.
- Design an experiment – design a step-by-step account of how you will proceed
· control: an environment where all variables are kept constant and untested
· independent variable: the experimental variable which is manipulated (ex. sunlight)
· dependent variables: all variables effected by the manipulation of the independent variable (ex. plant growth)
· constant variables: all other conditions/variables that do not change
- Carry out the experiment
- Record your data –this should be an understandable record of your measurements and observations
- Summarizing results – analyze data and make a summary statement
- Evaluating experimental procedure – explain how the experiment could be improved (repeat if necessary)
- Making a concluding statement – explain if your hypothesis was supported or not
Assessing Reliability, Accuracy, and Validity
1. Reliability
· Reliability has to do with Repetition.
· Reliability of a test is a measure of how consistent and reproducible the test results are on consecutive trials
2. Accuracy
· Accuracy is how close the measurement is to the Ideal value
3. Validity
· Validity has to do with control of Variables and doing a proper experiment
· Validity of a test means that the test measures what is supposed to measure and not something else.
