Carrying Out an Investigation in Science

Investigation Steps – Asking a Question

1. Gather ideas

What could we investigate?

What could we measure or observe?

Investigation Steps : Asking a Question

2.Ask yourself what are you trying to find out

You need a question to investigate....

How? What? When?

Investigation Steps: Choosing what to change (making a fair test)

3. Plan what you will change

• What will you change? (only

ONE thing)

• what will you measure?

• what will you keep the same?

(The things which could change are called variables)

Investigation Steps: Making a Prediction

4. Make a prediction

(A Prediction is often known as a Hypothesis)

• What do you think will happen to the variable you are measuring or observing........ when you change the variable you are interested in.

Investigation Steps: Planning the Enquiry

5. Plan the practical work• How will you carry out the experiment? What

will you do?

• Design the experiment.

• List what you need.

• Describe how you will use the equipment. Make a diagram if you want.

Investigation Steps: Collecting Evidence

6. Carry out the experiment.

• Note carefully what happens.

Investigation Steps: Recording and Presenting

7. Record the results

• Produce a table of results.

• The table includes the independent variable (what you were changing) and the dependent variable (what you were measuring).

• Use the results table to help

you construct a bar chart or

graph of your results.

Investigation Steps: Recording and Presenting

8. Explain the resultsExplain what your results show.Decide whether your prediction was correct.Make a conclusion about what you have found out and explain it clearly.Make a note of things you might change if you were to do the enquiry again.Report back to the rest of the class.

SO......How do I carry out an Investigation in Science?

1. Gather ideas

2. Ask yourself what are you trying to find out .

3. Plan what you will change

4. Make a prediction

5. Plan the practical work (Diagram)

6. Carry out the experiment.

6. Record the results

7. Explain the results