Name of Investigator:__________________________________________________________________________________
Date: _______________________________________________________________________________________________
1. QUestion: Define the history or scientific mystery, question, or problem to research:
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Merriam-Webster's defined the scientific method as "the pursuit of knowledge involving the finding and stating of a problem, the collection of facts through observation and experiment, and the making and testing of ideas that need to be proven right or wrong."
In your investigations, start with a question. Write the question using your own words and one or two complete sentences. For example, QUestion:"Do birds feel cold?" Or, “How did the Egyptians build the pyramids?” Consider difficulties/challenges you might encounter in this investigation (such as obtaining evidence, limited resources, the passage of time, confirmation bias). At this point, you might want to choose a different scientific or history mystery, or perhaps ask the question more simply or in another way.
2.Explain:
Brainstorm at least two or three possible explanations (working
hypotheses) which seem most likely to answer your question and
resolve the mystery.
Possible Explanations (Working Hypotheses)
Hypothesis A:___________________________________________________________________________________
Hypothesis B: ___________________________________________________________________________________
Hypothesis C:__________________________________________________________________________________
You may briefly research and ask others for suggestions, but write the hypotheses in your own words. (For example:“Hypothesis A: When they built the pyramids, the Egyptians reduced friction by wetting the sand and pulling the blocks with giant sleds; Hypotheses B: Ancient giant aliens aided the Egyptians.; Hypotheses C: the Egyptians didn't build the pyramids—an earlier, more technologically advanced (lost) civilization built them.)
3.
Sources: Information
regarding your hypotheses. Evaluate the legitimacy/bias of
information about your mystery.
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Ask questions about information sources. What is fact; opinion? Is the information source respected, reliable, and with a good reputation? Is the author/organization legitimate, academic and well-qualified? Write down the source of any information you find. Obtain permission from your supervisor or teacher before visiting any websites. Obey safety rules online. Eliminate questionable resources.
4.
Think: Use reasoning
and the process of elimination to discard hypotheses which are less
likely to be correct. Pro information sources support your
hypotheses; Con sources disprove or debunk it. After considering the
reliability of available information/witnesses, known laws of
science, written scientific studies or reports regarding physical
evidence, evaluate the two or three most likely hypotheses. Beware
logical fallacies in your evaluation.
Possible
Explanations (Working Hypotheses)
Pros (Best Evidence Supports) and Cons (Best Evidence Against)
Hypothesis A Pro:____________________________________________________________________________________
Hypothesis A Con:___________________________________________________________________________________
Hypothesis B Pro: __________________________________________________________________________________
Hypothesis B Con:___________________________________________________________________________________
Hypothesis C Pro:___________________________________________________________________________________
Hypothesis C Con:___________________________________________________________________________________
5. Summary or Conclusion: Choose the hypothesis which has been proven, or is most likely correct. Write your conclusion summary (See QUESTS: Summary Guide).
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QUESTS Summary Guide
Name of Investigator:__________________________________________________________________________________
Date: _______________________________________________________________________________________________
5. Summary: Choose the most likely hypothesis. Write your conclusion (thesis) and summary. Continue on the back or a separate page as necessary. Use the following as a guide to write your Summary.
Answer the question or provide an explanation for the mystery (Thesis): The most likely hypothesis based on available information—steps one through four (list more than one if necessary—you may also determine no explanation is possible due to inconclusive evidence):
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________.
The best (most convincing) evidence or information is:
___________________________________________________________________________________________________.
This hypothesis is likely correct because:
a._________________________________________________________________________________________________,
b._________________________________________________________________________________________________.
Other
conclusions (note which ones) were rejected because:
___________________________________________________________________________________________________.
Possible
consequences or effects if this hypothesis is correct:
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________.
Problems with or objections to my conclusion (such as limited evidence or bias of sources):
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
The
type of reasoning I used (deductive, inductive, or abductive) to
debunk or prove my hypothesis:
___________________________________________________________________________________________________.
Approximate
(estimated) percent of confidence in my conclusion (and why)
:
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
Note: Merriam-Webster explains that the scientific method involves a process of observation, making inferences, and testing inferences. Scientists construct a hypothesis (a proposed explanation or assumption) before extensive researching or testing. If all testing and evidence supports the hypothesis, a theory can be presented in the form of a thesis. The theory is dis-proven if even one example of opposing evidence is discovered. In non-scientific writing, however, the words theory, thesis and hypothesis can be synonyms for explanation, and used interchangeably. (For more detailed information on the scientific method, see Ducksters, https://www.ducksters.com/science/scientificmethod.php.)
Evaluate sources according to Virginia Tech's “Guide to Evaluating Internet Information:” https://guides.lib.vt.edu/c.php?g=134398&p=880873. Consider how you might explore additional ideas/information and how that might change your conclusion. Use Easy Bib (http://www.easybib.com/) to cite your information sources.
"Once
you eliminate the impossible, whatever remains, no matter how
improbable, must be the truth."Arthur
Conan Doyle (author of Sherlock
Holmes book
series)