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Scientific Method Molecules
Background: Scientific inquiry in biology starts by
observing the living species around us. Science is a way of knowing. It
is not the only way, but it is a good way. Other ways of knowing
include mathematics, logic, history, philosophy, and theology.

What separates science from the other methods of seeking truth is
that it is testable (i.e. one can devise experiments to test the
validity of an idea); it is falsifiable (i.e. an experiment can reveal
if an idea is false); and, it involves natural causality (i.e. the
method involves and depends upon the natural laws of the universe which
cause things to happen in a predictable and repeatable manner.)

Observation: Scientific inquiry begins when something interesting gets your attention.

Question: Following an observation, a question
arises in your mind. It may be something like: “I wonder what…? Or “I
wonder how …? Or, “I wonder why…?

Assignment details:

In this assignment, we will take a look at science and the scientific
method. Then, you will design a (pretend) scientific study to answer a
specific question based upon an observation.

First, choose ONE of the following Observations /Questions:

Option A:

Observation: During the winter, you spread salt
daily on your driveway to melt the snow. In the springtime, when the
lawn begins to grow, you notice that there is no grass growing for about
3 inches from the driveway. Furthermore, the grass seems to be growing
more slowly up to about 1 foot from the driveway.

Question: Might grass growth be inhibited by salt?

Option B:

Observation: Your neighbor added a farmer’s porch to
his house and painted the ceiling of it blue. When you asked him why,
he told you he had read that the sky blue ceiling would fool wasps into
thinking it was the sky and they would not build any nests under the
eaves of the porch or along the ceiling.

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Question: Would a blue ceiling really deter wasps from building nests on the porch?

Option C:

Observation: When taking a hike, you notice that a
ruby-throated hummingbird seems interested in your red hat. It hovers
over the hat and then darts away.

Question: Do ruby-throated hummingbirds prefer some colors more than others when visiting flowers?

After choosing ONE of the above options (observation and question), you will do
some library /Internet research about the subject. Once you have become
familiar with the topic, propose a testable hypothesis to answer the
question; and, follow the rest of scientific method to determine if your
hypothesis is correct by designing a controlled experiment.

You will not actually do the experiment or collect results.
Rather you will propose a workable controlled experiment and make up
what would seem to be reasonable results. You will then discuss those
imagined results and draw a conclusion (based upon your imagined
results) about whether or not to accept your hypothesis.

Complete the steps of the scientific method for your choice
of observation and question using the directions below. Use these
headings in your paper, please.

Introduction:

The Introduction is an investigation of what is currently known about
the question being asked. Before one proposes a hypothesis or dashes
off to the lab to do an experiment, a thorough search is made in the
existing literature about the specific question and about topics related
to the question. Once one is familiar with what is known about the
question under consideration, one is in a position to propose a
reasonable hypothesis to test the question.

Hypothesis:

This is an educated guess, or “best” guess, about what might be the
explanation for the question asked. A hypothesis should be a one
sentence statement (not a question) that can be tested in an experiment.
The ability to test a hypothesis implies that it has a natural,
repeatable cause.

Prediction:

What do you predict as an outcome for the controlled experiment (i.e.
results) if the hypothesis is true? This should be in the form of an
“If…….., then……….” statement.

Controlled Experimental Method:

The hypothesis is tested in a controlled experiment. A controlled experiment compares a “Control” (i.e. the normal, unmodified, or unrestricted, or uninhibited set-up, based on the observation) to one or several “Experimental”
set-ups. The conditions in the experimental set-ups are identical to
the Control in every way, e.g. temperature, composition, shape, kind,
etc., except for the one Experimental variable that is being
tested. The results obtained from the Experimental set-ups will be
compared to each other and to those obtained from the Control. If done
correctly, any differences in the results may be attributed to the
Experimental variable under consideration.

When designing an experiment, it is important to use multiples, (i.e.
replicates), for each set-up, to avoid drawing the wrong conclusion. If
the experiment only has one control and only one experimental set up
with just one test subject in each, there is always the chance that a
single living organism (test subject) could get sick or even die for
reasons not caused by the experimental variable. And, because living
organisms are genetically different, the results from just one test
subject in a given set up may not be typical for the species as a whole.
This could result in errors when interpreting the results. This kind of
problem is avoided by using multiple controls and multiple experimental
set-ups with multiple test subjects.