Scientific Method - Why it matters

I've been giving a lot of thought to this topic lately, mostly because I have seen my students struggle through it without really developing an enduring understanding of what the Scientific Method actually means to the Scientific community. As students of the discipline, it is incumbent upon each of us to appreciate why Scientific Method lies is the bedrock upon which all Scientific inquiry and research is built.  

Unfortunately, it seems to be an issue that is glossed over and fails to be appreciated by students of science until they actually have first-hand experience in designing an experiment or carrying it through to fruition.  

As a process, the Scientific Method is relatively simple as it is set forth.  The true beauty of having such a standardized protocol lies in that it calls for repeatability, which in turn, demands an intellectual honesty that will be put to the test by anyone who seeks to verify the outcomes.  

Think about it; where else in all of Humanity's intellectual endeavors is there such a process that not only invites scrutiny, it openly calls for verification of the findings.  

My chief concern for all students who are first introduced to the Scientific Method, is their risk of having such a powerful construct dismissed as some musty process that only need be committed to short-term memory - something to be forgotten after an exam. As such, this post's aim is to expand upon the Scientific Method is for its own sake.

The Scientific Method - established during the *Renaissance - arose as a means of broadening our understanding for how the world works.  It provides a common knowledge and a set of best practices for exploring the unknown.  It offers a systematic way to share to what we have discovered.  Because of that, Scientific Method provides a standardized means of communication for all of the sciences.

Steps for the Scientific Method:

While there no hard and fast rules about the steps every scientist goes about conducting research, there are some guidelines - five total - that serve to lay out a thumb-nail understanding of best practices.  

1]  Make an observation:  you see something, which draws your attention.

2]  Describe the observation:  this helps you to come up with some sort of generalized rule which we call a "hypothesis" - which is consistent with what we have observed.  

3]  Use your hypothesis to make predictions about future experiments:  This is an attempt to explain what you have seen and why you think it is happening.

4]  Test your prediction: by performing more experiments and making more observations.  This will help you in developing new or improved hypothesis based on these results.  Being prepared to modify your hypothesis is critical.  Never be afraid to admit your hypothesis might be flawed - because that is where great answers await discovery.  

5]  Repeat the patterns of observation and whatever refinements you have made to your hypothesis:  Regardless of however many iterations are required - and until there are no longer any discrepancies between what you are observing and your hypothesis - the key to this process is repeatability.  The greater the number of accurate observations you make, the greater the chance your hypothesis is accurate.   

You can look up the word,  "iteration" (<-click here) - which in this context, describes the evolution of applying what you are observing and changing your hypothesis the way of eliminating any discrepancies along your path though the scientific discovery process.

So, why is a discovery or a question to be so thoroughly investigated using the Scientific Method?  

It helps us to understand our world better.  It keeps us all honest - not only in the Scientific community, but in our world.  

Beyond that is the enduring value or practicality that an intellectual device such as Scientific Method has to offer;  it is invaluable for formulating good questions that address complicated, and often divisive topics.  Such utility helps Humans - who are notorious for relying upon feelings rather than facts - when making critical decisions with far-reaching consequences.   This ties into what I recently wrote a student regarding truth, academic honesty and their far-reaching implications:

Science, Mathematics and even the Social Sciences demand the highest integrity from us.  They have so much potential for profoundly impacting the world in which we live, and because of that, being truthful is an absolute imperative for anyone who chooses any of those disciplines as a career choice.  Being honest and doing the right thing quite often comes at such a high personal price, but nothing that is ever worth doing - or being - is ever easy. 

I value the Scientific Method because it compels us to constantly remind ourselves that the goal underlying all discoveries and scientific revelations is this; the truth will always prevail. 

It is imperative that we have ways of testing for truth.  Therein lies the beauty of having an education.  The light of knowledge is the only thing I know of that has the potential for eliminating the shadows of ignorance.  And yet, there is so much we still know so little about that it makes us vulnerable to manipulation by those who only know only a little more than we do.  

Such people rely on our ignorance to achieve what they deem to be beneficial to the world.  

Because the word, ignorance" has such negative connotations for most people, its definition bears worth mentioning; being ignorant has nothing to do with being stupid  It simply means that we don't know, and because no one likes appearing 'stupid,' it is a common practice try to mask ignorance through pretending to understand.  People untrained in the discipline of Scientific Method tend to agree when they should be questioning.  Or worse yet, they buy the slightest bit of truth when it is packaged in with a deceptive lie.  To that end, I maintain that there is nothing wrong with being skeptical.  Because, falseness relies on much bolstering, truth stands on its own.

Truth, like "True North" never changes.  Maps may come and go over time, but ,"True North" never changes.  The challenge we all face in this ever-changing world has to do with staying aligned to "True North."  

As a teacher, my responsibility is to offer you sufficient guidance that empowers you to apply what you have learned once you are left on your own.  It is my hope that you will remember what you have been taught, so that when you navigate in strange territory, the skepticism and honesty honed by using the Scientific Method - and Occam's Razor - will help you in applying your knowledge of "True North."  I am confident that such a skill-set will not only get you through it,  you will be better for it in the end. 

*Many people have an issue with usage of Wikipedia as a source - You can read my thoughts about it it by clicking here.