The Scientific Method is a Body of Techniques for Investigating Phenomena
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The scientifc method is a body of techniques for investigating phenomena,
acquiring new knowledge, or correcting and integrating previous knowledge.[2] To
be termed scientic, a method of inquiry is commonly based on empirical or
measurable evidence subect to specic principles of reasoning.[!] The Oxford
English Dictionary denes the scientic method as "a method or procedure that
has characteri#ed natural science since the $%th century, consisting in systematicobservation, measurement, and e&periment, and the formulation, testing, and
modication of hypotheses."[']
The scientic method is an ongoing process, which usually begins with
observations about the natural world. (uman beings are naturally inquisitive, so
they often come up with questions about things they see or hear and often develop
ideas )hypotheses* about why things are the way they are. The best hypotheses
lead to predictions that can be tested in various ways, including making further
observations about nature. +n general, the strongest tests of hypotheses come from
carefully controlled and replicated e&periments that gather empirical data.
epending on how well the tests match the predictions, the original hypothesis
may require renement, alteration, e&pansion or even reection. +f a particular
hypothesis becomes very well supported a general theory may be developed. [$]
-lthough procedures vary from one eld of inquiry to another, identiable features
are frequently shared in common between them. The overall process of the
scientic method involves making conectures )hypotheses*, deriving predictions
from them as logical consequences, and then carrying out e&periments based on
those predictions.[][/] -n hypothesis is a conecture, based on knowledge obtained
while formulating the question. The hypothesis might be very specic or it might
be broad. 0cientists then test hypotheses by conducting e&periments. 1ndermodern interpretations, a scientic hypothesis must be falsiable, implying that it
is possible to identify a possible outcome of an e&periment that conicts with
predictions deduced from the hypothesis3 otherwise, the hypothesis cannot be
meaningfully tested.[%]
The purpose of an e&periment is to determine whether observations agree with or
conict with the predictions derived from a hypothesis.[4] 5&periments can take
place in a college lab, on a kitchen table, at 65789s :arge (adron 6ollider, at the
bottom of an ocean, on ;ars, and so on. There are di<iculties in a formulaic
statement of method, however. Though the scientic method is often presented asa &ed sequence of steps, it represents rather a set of general principles.[=] 8ot all
steps take place in every scientic inquiry )or t
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o the same degree*, and are not always in the same order.[$>]
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