July 22, 2014
The
Scientific Method has been used for years and is a traditional methodology to
research. It is used often in day-to-day life as well. “The scientific method
is a techniques method for testing ideas with observations.” (Withgott,
2013)
The method of science had multiple steps that sometime require repeating. The
steps are observation, questions, hypothesis, predictions, test and the
results. The repetition comes in the latter steps: prediction, test and
results. In these different steps of the scientific method involves many variables
that play a role in the outcome or the desired outcome. The implementation of
the scientific method has influenced the western culture.
In
the western culture the scientific method has broaden the knowledge of many
people on many different levels. The western culture in my opinion is a culture
that is being influenced to growing to new heights as technology and science is
progressively influencing the path socially and culturally.
The culture has continually growing and changing. The method of science or
experimenting is as well. There have been so many things revealed due to the
scientific method that has allowed the culture to grow. Not only grow but to
pass on knowledge that has been gain through the experimenting, testing and
failed attempts of experimenting. Understanding why things happen in the world
is something people question often and this method has answered questions that
have come up over the years. The western culture has been enhanced
scientifically with Aristotle’s contribution in the development of
“measurements and observations” to Roger Bacon’s development of “hypothesizing
and experimenting” the western culture has been forever changed in the way
observations are processed. (Shuttleworth, 2014)
The
first step is simply making an observation. We make observations every day that
cause us to question, which is the second step, or peak out curiosity. When we
observe something we automatically ask questions. Children are great at
observation and question asking when something sparks their interest. Children
are mini scientist. I have a six year old who makes observations and follow his
observations up with questions very often. He seeks understanding in all
things. A popular question of his is “why does it rain or where do clouds come
from?” Asking questions is important to a scientist. The questions lead to
developing a hypothesis. The hypothesis is the answer to the logical question.
The logical answer that I give my son in response is to look it up and see what
scientist say or what a specific book/website has for an answer. Of course he
has his own predictions, step four in the process. His predictions are based on
what he has learned the book or website we find the answer on and he will
remember the answer until he hears or learns something different. While flying
to our vacation destination this summer he was able to see the cloud up close
which began a whole set of new questions and observations. In the predicting
and testing phase is where children have the most fun because of the ability to
guess and test their guesses. I believe this is why science so popular in
elementary school. Children are curious and when they can see action behind
something they are curious about it excites them. The predicting and the
testing phase is where things can also go wrong which may result in starting
over or rethinking the hypothesis.
In
the application of the scientific method obviously scientist are not the only
ones that put the method to good. In the “day-to-day problem-solving doesn't
require such formality. But it does require a logical approach and a
progression of thinking that results in a testable hypothesis.” (Harris, 2008) Reading about
the scientific method has heightened my senses to being aware of when it is
being used around me or in the world today.
Works Cited
Harris, W. (2008, 1 14). How the Scientific Method
Works. Retrieved from HowStuffWorks.com:
http://science.howstuffworks.com/innovation/scientific-experiments/scientific-method8.htm
Shuttleworth, M. (2014, July 21). Explorable
Psychology Experiments. Retrieved from Explorable Psychology Experiments:
https://explorable.com/history-of-the-scientific-method
Withgott, J., & Laposata, M. (2013). Environment:the
science behind the stories (5th Ed.). New York: Pearson Benjamin Cummings.
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