Hobbies And Interests
Observation
Make an observation of the situation. For example, if you wanted to know why guppies in the Caribbean hypothetically experience a decrease in population during the summer, you would begin by observing everything you could about the guppies' life cycle and habitat. You can also apply the scientific method to a non-scientific situation. For example, if you have not received your mail for several days, learn more about the situation by observing the mail carrier to ensure that she visits your block.
Question
The next step in the scientific method is to establish a specific question that you are attempting to answer. Avoid questions that are broad and all encompassing. For example, rather than asking what the effects of global warming are on aquatic populations, ask why guppies experience a population decrease during warmer months or ask why you have not been receiving your mail.
Hypothesis
After establishing a question, make a hypothesis predicting the answer to your question. Your hypothesis must answer your question in a way that can be tested to prove or disprove your prediction. For example, you might hypothesize that global warming has caused water temperatures to increase during the summer to a temperature that kills many guppies. You may hypothesize that you have not been getting mail because your change of address is taking a very long time to process. Developing a hypothesis gives you a place to begin your research or experimentation.
Testing
After making a prediction, test your ideas. For example, you can test your hypothesis that global warming is impacting guppies by raising a controlled guppy population in which you maintain a lower water temperature than guppies experience naturally during summer months in the Caribbean. Testing can be done by experimentation or research or both. You can watch for you mail carrier and ask her why you have not been receiving your mail.
Conclusion
Making a conclusion requires reflecting on the results of tests and establishing whether or not your original hypothesis was correct. For example, you may conclude that many guppies die during the summer as a natural form of population control not involving temperature.or your mail carrier may tell you that she has been putting your mail in another mailbox, disproving your hypotheses. Your conclusion will answer the original question or at least eliminate the hypothesis as a possible answer.