What is the Scientific Method?

Those of you who have seen the Salma Hayek-Penelope Cruz starrer movie Bandidas, must have immensely enjoyed the opening scene where Quentin Cooke (Steve Zahn) demonstrates the scientific method of criminal investigation to an auditorium full of police personnel! Although the demo ends in a hilarious note where he declares that the deceased lady is not, in fact a lady at all but a man wearing horse hair wig, the practical techniques and logical deductions which he uses to come to the conclusion on the case is excellently impressive and impeccable! So, what is the scientific method all about? This article is an attempt to understand the steps of the scientific method along with its purpose to see how it is a better way of investigating into any matter/subject than the orthodox methods.

What is the Scientific Method Based On?

This investigative method is based upon formulation and testing of a hypothesis which is arrived at by carefully accumulating and analyzing material, specific, empirical and measurable evidence. All the evidential information is collected after sharp scrutiny, careful observation and experimentations. The premise of the investigation is kept as objective as possible giving no room to speculations, assumptions or vague deductions. The aim is to arrive at an accurate and narrowed down conclusion by pitching a number of possible hypotheses together and eliminating the weaker ones so that the strongest hypothesis is left in the end, which forms the result or finding of the investigation. The scientific method of investigation often borrows from many other fields of science such as natural sciences, cognitive sciences, social sciences, formal sciences, life sciences, applied sciences, etc.

Steps of the Scientific Method

Before proceeding towards outlining the steps of scientific investigation method, we must note one very important aspect related to these steps - the steps of constructing hypotheses for unraveling the dark areas of investigation under the scientific method must be repeatable so that the same steps can be used in future investigations to predict the same or similar possible outcomes. Now, let's check out the steps that are typically involved in any scientific investigation.

1. The first step involves asking the what, when, where, how and why about the given situation. Out of the possible answers to these queries spring the various hypotheses about different facets of an investigation.
2. Next comes carrying out an intensive research of the background and intimately related aspects of the case. For gathering background and historical information regarding the case, one can make use of parties related to the case, published data pertaining to it or any other resource from where as much relevant information as possible can be accessed regarding the subject at hand.
3. The third step involves developing a hypothesis regarding the situation at hand, emphasizing upon the circumstances and reasons behind such an occurrence, based upon collaborating the answers to the questions asked in step 1 and the real time information gathered under step 2.
4. Next, you test the validity of your hypotheses by conducting experiments to prove the feasibility of each hypothesis in the light of the information and circumstantial evidence gathered while doing research into the subject.
5. Once you have tested your hypotheses and come up with one that holds water in face of all experiments and eliminative processes, you need to analyze all the data you have gathered to construct the hypothesis and come to a conclusion that answers, as close to accuracy as possible, the doubts regarding the matter at hand.
6. Once you've reached a conclusion and are certain of its viability after testing its feasibility against all possible arguments and counter possibilities, it is time for you to communicate your discovery out of the investigation to the relevant people.
7. One very important step of scientific investigation, which should, without fail, be a part of all other steps, is documenting and archiving the methods employed and results obtained in each step.

That precisely answers the titular question. To put it short, a method of investigation which follows along a logical path of observation, deductions, careful collection and analysis of relevant data, form and test hypotheses to reach as close to an accurate uncovering of the case as possible is what a scientific method of investigation is all about. It is opposed to beating around the bush and relying upon assumptions and intuitions to arrive at a conclusion!