8 Steps to Scientific Method

The first step in the scientific method is to identify the problem. No serious research is possible without the clarity of purpose to understand what is actually the topic of discussion. The second is to ask an appropriate and specific question. For example, "What causes X to happen?" or "Why is Y impossible?" are both specific and clear ways to approach an investigation. The third step is to .

The first step in the scientific method is to identify the problem. Identifying the problem allows the scientist to formulate the question, which is the second step. The scientist must ask an appropriate and specific question in relationship to the problem. The third step is to develop the hypothesis. The hypothesis is one of the most important parts of the scientific method, since it is the expected outcome and must be tested. The fourth step in the scientific method is to actually conduct the experiment. "Conduct the experiment" simplifies an otherwise extremely complex process. Planning out and executing the experiment is one of the most time-consuming and complex parts of the scientific method, and might need to be repeated several times in order to correct errors or collect additional data. The fifth step is to record all the details of the experiment. Details are important as part of the scientific theory is to be able to repeat something over and over again. Without details of how the first experiment occurred there would be the possibility of other variables. The sixth step of the scientific method is to repeat the experiment. This guards against an oddity in the first experiment and further reduces the chance of variable impacts. The seventh step is to analyze the results of the experiment. Oftentimes the hypothesis is the discovered outcome but that is not necessarily the case. The results can sometimes disprove the hypothesis, leading to an alternate hypothesis and a whole new experiment. The conclusion is the last and final step of the scientific method and explains the overall results. All major scientific theories at one point were nothing more than hypotheses. They required constant and rigorous experimental testing before they could become scientific theories, which are proven lynchpins of the physical and scientific world.