The scientific method is a systematic approach used to gain knowledge.
It involves: identifying a problem; forming a hypothesis about the problem;
testing the problem; drawing conclusions from the results; re-evaluating the
hypothesis and repeating the process again if required.
Steps in a scientific evaluation could consist of:
- Observation.
Observing the phenomenon and describing it is the first step to take. Which
characteristics of the phenomenon need explaining?
- Form a hypothesis.
The next step in the procedure is to come up with some possible explanations
for the phenomenon under investigation. Ideally it is best to form as many
explanations as possible. Hypotheses should account for all the observations
made. If a hypothesis fails to account for even one observation, it is either
false or needs to be re-examined.
- Testing.
Observational or experimental testing of the hypothesis is done to see if
it stands up to scrutiny. A good theory will explain all observations and
is ideally capable of making predictions. Strict control of procedures is
needed to eliminate bias of any kind: intentional or accidental.
When testing a theory, it should be tested for falsification: the theory should
be tried to be proved wrong. Searching for confirmatory evidence can lead
to the fallacy of confirmation.
- Replication.
If a phenomenon is real and a hypothesis has been formulated to describe it,
then it will be able to be reproduced by other experimenters. Replication
and peer review (where the hypothesis is examined by one's peers) are an important
step in the process of a theory being accepted.
By following rigorous methods of observation and testing, scientific theories
become accepted. Science, however, is a self-correcting process. If new evidence
comes to light which falsifies a theory, the whole process begins again and
the theory is either amended or rejected.
