The Scientific Method

Running Head : THE SCIENTIFIC METHOD

The Scientific Method Applied to a Plant Experiment

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The scientific method has been used for several experiments and had been the guiding principle of every discovery . Scientific method is defined as the systematic method of inquiry and is a term which denotes the principles that guide scientific research and experimentation , and also the philosophic bases of those principles ( Scientific Method 2005 . The scientific method can be applied to an experiment

involving a plant and its growth

The first step in a scientific method of inquiry is observation and questioning ( The Scientific Method ' n .d . This is an important step since the problem that concerns something is the springboard for an inquiry or a problem . It will guide the researcher to search for answers regarding something . The researcher makes an observation about something and poses a question that needs an answer . Going back to the plant experiment , it has been observed that when a potted plant is placed near a window , its growth is leaned towards the window . There are several questions that can be raised to direct the study . Is the plant attracted to the window that is why it is growing towards it ? Is the plant attracted to the light that is coming from the window , which it needs to make food and survive , that is why it is growing towards it ? Is the plant attracted to the outside world ? Is the plant attracted to the fresh air outside

The second step in the scientific method is the formulation of a hypothesis ( The Scientific Method ' n .d . The hypothesis is an intelligent guess which is temporary that takes into account a set of facts that can be assumed to be true for purposes of investigation and testing ( Hypothesis ' 2005 . After posing the problems in the first step , it is important to have an idea which needs to be tested for acceptance or rejection . Without anything to test , the researcher can not go on with the experiment stage because there is nothing to prove or disprove . For the plant experiment , a good hypothesis would be if the plant is leaning towards the window , it must be responding to something in the window that serves as its stimuli ' In addition to this , the only stimulus that can be found in the window is the light that streams through the window and the glass . Air , as considered in the questioning stage , is also present inside the room so it must not account for the leaning of the plant

The third step in the scientific method process is the testing or experiment stage ( The Scientific Method ' n .d . This is the stage where the hypothesis will be accepted or rejected and from where the conclusion can be drawn . To test the hypothesis for the plant experiment , 6 plants will be placed in a room . Three of these plants will be...