Test

The scientific method is a logical sequence of techniques designed to conduct experiments and gain new knowledge or modify previous knowledge. It helps advance invention and innovation by attempting to remove bias from the person conducting the experiment. To accomplish its goals, the scientific method is divided into several steps.

The first step in the scientific method is observation. This step is the beginning of an experiment. In many cases, simple curiosity can spur the desire for further inquiry. For example, observing tomatoes in a garden and wondering why some are larger than others could pique an interest for more information.

Asking a question about the observation allows the experimenter to narrow the focus of the investigation. In the case of the tomatoes, asking what caused the difference in sizes could lead to forming a hypothesis, which is the next step.

A hypothesis is a possible answer to a question formed after an observation. In many cases, intuition helps form a hypothesis. A hypothesis allows the experimenter to use deductive reasoning, which migrates the thinking from a general idea to a specific idea.

In the next step, an experiment can be conducted to test a hypothesis. The experiment is the most important step of the scientific method and must be controlled.

After the experiment has been conducted, the data collected must be analyzed and a conclusion must be drawn. The information extracted from the data can be used to support or discredit a hypothesis.

Pseudoscience is a belief system which attempts to gain legitimacy and scientific acceptance by appearing scientific. Pseudoscience fails to conform to the scientific method because it does not abide by the rules or testing of the scientific method. As such, there are no replication and verification experiments conducted with pseudoscience.

Born in 1578 and educated at King’s College, Canterbury and Cambridge University, William Harvey was a physician who was the first...