What is the scientific method and what are its steps?

  • Jul 26, 2021
click fraud protection

The scientific method is a research process, which is used in the development of scientific knowledge, which complies with measurement and empirical criteria, the fundamentals and the execution of different tests of reasoning.

This means, this method is based on an analysis mechanism that supports the understanding of scientific experiences of those that are not. Through its application various investigations are carried out, where knowledge is produced that leads to different advances in science.

Advertisements

It is a method that can be defined as an abstraction of various activities, which allows users to researchers explain the material and cognitive processes that can develop new knowledge.

In this article you will find:

Characteristics of the scientific method

What is the scientific method

Advertisements

This method comprises a number of important features such as the following:

It is real: It is based on information and observation of specific measures and data, which can be quantitative or qualitative.

Advertisements

Is objective: Through this method it is expected to provide all knowledge based on concrete facts, setting aside the beliefs or values ​​of the researcher.

Requires systematic and controlled experimentation: This is due to the approach of the experimentation process, which has to be done carefully so that none of the factors become a threat to the safety of the experiment, even though the error exists experimental.

Advertisements

It is didactic: Many of the daily processes are analyzed through this system, therefore, it can encourage many young people to take an interest in science.

Requires empirical verification: All knowledge obtains scientific character when it is verified and has passed the verification test with reality.

Advertisements

You need inductive reasoning: Sometimes it is usually very useful when observing various particular phenomena, with the purpose of generalization, although it is not considered as a sufficient advance for the advancement of the knowledge.

Self-corrects: As conceptual inconsistencies arise, this system modifies or rejects its own conclusions. Nowadays it is common for this to happen due to technological progress, which in this sense decreases time.

It is precise and of a logical order: This method does not work in any way, since the steps of its procedure cannot be missed and in no way can the logical order be altered, because then the conclusion would not have any kind of validity.

Requires deductive reasoning: When formulating the hypothesis, certain possible practical consequences are deduced, to later be verified, it is important to clearly specify these deductions.

Requires consistency of analysis and synthesis: Through the analysis, all the parts that comprise reality can be identified and through the synthesis each of the parts that are identified are included in the construction of the understanding of a phenomenon.

Principles of the scientific method

Among the fundamental principles of this process are the following:

Refutability

This principle focuses on the scientific claim that is supported in a certain experiment that can be false or refuted through an experimental counterexample, which proves that it does not have a theoretical interpretation universal.

In case the theory cannot be refuted by means of the counterexample, the statement will be accepted but verified, since the theories are not totally real.

Reproducibility

It is based on the repetition of a certain experiment, which is carried out by any person in a controlled way in order to obtain the same results and in this way the verification and its universal verification by the community can be scientifically affirmed scientific

How to conduct an investigation

It is widely understood that the main objective of the scientific method is the key to manage to project a modality that is exact in order to obtain the reality of the phenomenon to be studied.

Through different questions, the scientific research process is developed, which is key to developing the phenomenon to be investigated.

There is no strategy that starts a scientific process, since can be based on personal experience in a certain matter, an analysis of a news item or scientific journal, an unsolved problem or simply out of interest to solve some factor in daily life.

What are the steps of the scientific method

This method must carefully follow certain steps that guarantee good scientific results, since its base is mainly based on empirically verifiable evidence. One way to do this when conducting the investigation is by following each of the following steps:

The observation: It is the initial step that centralizes the senses in nature and its phenomena and thus obtain the information that is needed to project into the problem.

Induction: It is the attempt of fundamental compilation of the factors that are based on the observed phenomenon.

The questions: It is about the formulation of questions that are related to what is observed.

The hypothesis: It is the stage where the assumptions are formulated taking into account all the questions formulated during the observation.

The experiment: Through the experiment the hypothesis can be tested.

The conclusion: It is where the analysis of the result of the experiment is carried out and a conclusion of this is made, since it is when the scientist realizes if his hypothesis is false or true.

The scientific method is the procedure of experimentation that is used to make the investigation of the observations and their time to get answers to possible questions, however, not all scientists or researchers use this type of methodology.

Today there are different versions of research depending on the objective that you want to study. Although the version can be modified, its purpose remains the same in order to discover the relationship that allows cause and effect, investigate evidence, ask questions and see if the information collected can be verified.

instagram viewer