Hobbies And Interests
Repeating Experiment
If the scientist disproves a hypothesis, she must repeat the experiment to ensure the results of the experiment were not a mistake. Some data collection methods contain errors or variables that skew the results of the experiment. Repeating the experiment helps ensure that the experimenters catch mistakes.
New Theories
The scientist should come up with a new hypothesis that explains the results of the data. The scientist must repeat the scientific method by designing a new experiment and collecting more data to test the new hypothesis. When the new experiment disproves the new hypothesis, the scientist must formulate an even newer hypothesis until he arrives at one the data will verify.
Publishing
Scientists should publish their results so other scientists and the general public can be informed about the findings. This enables other scientists to look at the experiment methodology and search for errors. They can also repeat the experiment and verify that they receive the same results.
Observation
Scientists observe phenomena to come up with new hypotheses. Since scientists may incorrectly interpret their observations of the phenomenon, the hypothesis itself may be incorrect. Scientists often have to return to the first step of observing the original phenomenon that generated the hypothesis.
Verifying Another Hypothesis
Disproving a hypothesis sometimes proves another hypothesis. There may be only two possibilities in the experiment. For example, experimenters may formulate a hypothesis that holds that water mixes with oil. If the scientists disprove the hypothesis that water mixes with oil, they have logically proven another hypothesis: that water does not mix with oil.
Abandoning the Hypothesis
Some people are emotionally tied to a particular hypothesis, so letting go of the hypothesis can be difficult. However, to remain rational and scientific, the hypothesis must be rejected when evidence disproves it repeatedly or makes the hypothesis seem highly improbable.