2.1 Overview of the Scientific Method

Scientific method refers to the body of techniques for investigating phenomena, acquiring new knowledge, or correcting and integrating previous knowledge. It is based on gathering observable, empirical and measurable evidence subject to specific principles of reasoning (Newton, 1726/1999, pp 794-796)

Making new scientific discoveries is not as straightforward and neat as it may first appear. As a student scientist, you read textbooks and conduct ‘cookbook’ practicals in which you follow a series of steps. In practice, creating new knowledge in science is characterized by difficulties, uncertainties and competing hypotheses.

Science is a vast discipline, and how science is done depends on the field of study. Exactly how a scientist conducts their craft depends on what knowledge and answers they are pursuing. For example, astronomers and geologists base their understanding on field observations, whereas physiologists and chemists base their understanding on experiments.  As noted in Chapter 1.2 to a Health care professional, the scientific method means implementing a series of steps based on their understanding and evaluation of their population’s health.

The scientific method means implementing experimental steps to create new knowledge and develop a more sophisticated understanding of a particular topic.

Some philosophers and scientists prefer to see the scientific method as an ideal rather than a rule or a description of the practice of all scientists. Scientists are humans, and this means that we are not perfect and we are different in terms of our motivation, drive and ideas – all of which may result in science being practiced differently.

Scientists may approach their quest for new discoveries differently, but they will always seek evidence that can be obtained in different ways. The scientific method combines rational thought and imagination to predict and explain phenomena, and the work of scientists is always open to scrutiny, criticism and debate.

One of the key things to using the scientific method is “try again”.  In many cases, especially in Health care, making an observation and asking a question requires working with a team for the experimental and analysis, and this may “dismiss” the hypothesis, OR it may simply shift the hypothesis and encourage new research, as in the Yvonne’s health application example in Chapter 1.2.

Figure 2.1.2 shows a cyclic model of the scientific method, indicating its ongoing process.

“Science and the Scientific Method” from How To Do Science by University of Southern Queensland is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License, except where otherwise noted.—Modifications: Used section Knowledge of the scientific method, or ‘how did we come to know it?’, edited, removed figures 1.4 & 1.5.