What is Scientific Investigation?
The research methods and techniques that are used by scientists in order to develop hypotheses, conduct experiments, gather and analyze data, and draw conclusions are known as scientific investigation. Sometimes the evidence does not provide enough solutions but it may lead to new issues for investigation. The methods used by scientists mainly to do scientific investigation involve scientific methods. The steps used by scientists to perform scientific investigation include the following though there may be slight variations-
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Let us study these steps in detail.
Making Observations
Almost every scientific investigation begins with an observation. Suppose you observe in your house that your coffee maker is not working.
Asking a Question
After we observe something unusual we often question ourselves. In this case, you might ask yourself whether there is something wrong with my electrical appliance.
Forming a Hypothesis
The next step comes down to the hypothesis. A hypothesis can be best described as the possible answer to a scientific question. It is very important for the hypothesis to be logical though it can be falsifiable. If we want to prove the hypothesis false, observations must be made that would disprove the hypothesis. In our example, we will see if there is something wrong with only this electrical appliance or all the electrical appliances.
Testing the Hypothesis
Whenever we want to test a hypothesis, a prediction is to be made first. Prediction is a statement that can tell us what might happen under certain conditions. It is often expressed in this manner: If X occurs, Y will happen. Therefore, on the basis of the hypothesis, you make a prediction. In our case, we will plug in another electrical appliance, supposedly a mixer, and check whether it is also not working.
Drawing Conclusions
In this step, we check the results of our test whether the evidence agrees with our prediction and supports our hypothesis or not. It is not always possible that a hypothesis can always be true as someday a piece of evidence might be found that may disprove the hypothesis. In our example, we find out that the mixer we plugged in is working fine.
Communicating Results
This is the last step while performing scientific experiments in which you communicate the results and learnings with others. It is one of the most important steps as it allows others to test your hypothesis. If the other researchers also get the same results while testing your hypothesis, they will add support to the hypothesis. It might also be possible that if the other researchers get different results, in this case, the hypothesis would be disproved.
Do you know?
Scientific investigation is the heart of science. A scientific investigation is conducted through a set of procedures- firstly it starts with making an observation, then asking a question, then comes the stage when one has to form a hypothesis and then test it, finally draw a conclusion and communicate the results. It provides us with answers to matters unbeknownst to us.
FAQs on Scientific Investigation
1. What is the importance of scientific investigation in psychology?
Psychology is a part of the social sciences as it has a subjective nature of the things that it seeks to study. Many psychologists rely on behavioral observations which might lack methodological severity. Therefore, in order to understand the different types of information in psychology and standardize the approach, the scientific methods would be of great help. Scientific investigation allows the psychological data to be replicated and to be confirmed under different circumstances and in many instances by a variety of researchers.
2. What is meant by a scientific hypothesis?
In a scientific method, the initial building block is known as the scientific hypothesis. It includes a guess which is based on prior observation and knowledge and also the explanation of why the guess may or may not be correct. A conceptual framework may be formed when a group of hypotheses comes together. A hypothesis can be declared working if sufficient data and evidence are gathered which supports the hypothesis.
3. What are some of the rules of scientific research?
A scientific method should be objective, neutral and rational and at the same time should be able to either approve or disapprove of the hypothesis. All the producers including obtaining data and evaluation of the variables must be included in the research. The hypothesis should be specific, clear and should directly aim to answer the investigation question. All the data observed must be recorded continuously. The methods used in scientific research must be analyzed with the most appropriate statistical methods.
4. What are some of the characteristics of scientific investigation?
The scientific investigation should be able to define the purpose and facts and should be based on verifiable evidence. The investigation should be systematic and in certain sequential procedures. The scientific research must be replicable in any place or at any time. The facts used in scientific research must be precise and accurate. The scientific investigation should only focus on the priority problems.
5. What are the types of scientific investigations?
The three different types of scientific investigations used to research and develop the explanations for various events in nature are descriptive investigation, experimental investigation, and comparative investigation. All the scientific research is to be done in a systematic order which includes observations, questions, hypotheses, experiments, results, and iteration of results. To learn about all the scientific methods in order students can visit Vedantu.
6. What is the scientific investigation?
The way to know something for certain in the domain of science, a scientific investigation is conducted. It is the heart of science. It provides us with answers to matters unbeknownst to us. A scientific investigation is a procedure of asking questions and then testing probably answers. In some cases, no conclusions are drawn. However, the investigation that has been conducted can be helpful in future endeavors. A scientific investigation is conducted through a set of procedures- firstly it starts with making an observation, then asking a question, then comes the stage when one has to form a hypothesis and then test it, finally draw a conclusion.
7. Describe the six stages of a scientific investigation in brief.
Make Observations, pose a question, form a Hypothesis, test Hypothesis, draw Conclusion, communicate the results- these are the six steps of a scientific investigation. The first and foremost step of a scientific investigation is to make observations. Then the question should be rudimentary, and the motive behind the question should be clear to you as it will help you narrow down the possibilities. In the next step, you have to propose a possible explanation about the question you asked in the previous step. Then you have to cross-check the matters according to your hypothesis to prove the acuteness of it. After this, you have to conclude the process of scientific investigation. In the next step, you have to share the finding with others, so that others can add to your findings or proffer an alternative hypothesis.