Test and Share Your Findings

Mastering the Scientific Method

Why are some kids sad? What makes the wind blow? How do birds fly? Our world is full of fascinating phenomena. To understand these mysteries, we can use a process first recognized by the scientist and philosopher Ibn al-Haytham in the 11th century. Also known as Alhazen, he is considered the father of optics and the scientific method.

The scientific method consists of six steps:

1. Observe and Ask Questions

2. Research

3. Formulate a Hypothesis

4. Test Your Hypothesis

5. Analyze and Conclude

6. Share Results

The goal of the scientific method is to discover the truth. Let’s walk through these steps.

Step 1: Observe and Ask Questions

Observation helps us generate questions that can be tested. A well-formulated question turns curiosity into a focused investigation. For instance, if you notice that women smile more than men, you might ask: Why do women smile more often?

Step 2: Research

Find out if others have explored similar questions. Use search terms like “study on…” or “research about…” to find relevant information. For example, you might research how happiness varies by gender or the science of smiling across different cultures.

Step 3: Formulate a Hypothesis

A hypothesis is a testable theory. Based on your observations and research, you might hypothesize: Women smile more than men because they are generally happier.

Step 4: Test Your Hypothesis

Design an experiment to test your hypothesis fairly, ensuring consistent conditions. For example, you could observe men and women during a conversation, count their smiles, and ask them to rate their happiness. Ensure your sample is diverse—perhaps 300 men and 300 women. But be cautious of biases, such as the interviewer’s gender or the conversation topic.

Step 5: Analyze and Conclude

Once your experiment is complete, analyze the data to see if it supports or refutes your hypothesis. Depending on the results, you may need to refine your hypothesis or testing method. This step may be repeated as necessary to find accurate results.

Step 6: Share Results

When you’re confident in your findings, report them. Detail your methods so others can review and replicate your work. Scientific results should be reproducible. Even failed results can be valuable, as they can provide new insights. Before publishing, ensure:

• A) The Theory is Falsifiable: Scientific theories cannot be proven definitively, only supported by evidence. For example, while we cannot prove that “hamsters can fly” is false in all possible scenarios, we can find ample evidence suggesting it is unlikely.

• B) Correlation is Not Causation: Distinguish between correlation and causation. For instance, the presence of both churches and bars in towns may be correlated with larger town sizes, not necessarily indicating that one causes the other.

• C) Avoid Selective Reporting: Present all relevant facts. Misleading claims, such as Colgate’s “80% of dentists recommend,” which didn’t mention other brands also recommended, can be unethical and misleading.

To illustrate, consider this example: I have two coins. One is bigger, and it’s worth more money. But is the size of the coin the reason for its higher value? My sample size is small, so it’s not enough to draw a conclusion.

To apply the scientific method to study local currency, you could develop and test hypotheses about coin value and size. This approach helps ensure accurate, repeatable results.