11 Aug Using the Scientific Method in Daily Life

Assignment 4: Using the Scientific Method in Daily Life – 20 pts(paper due 8/4)

Science is another way of acquiring knowledge, just like common intuition and
philosophy. Its main difference, however, is that it utilizes the scientific method, a step-by-step
methodology for gaining deeper understanding of a phenomenon, whether natural or man-made.
At its most basic level, the scientific method process: observing, explaining, and testing. These
days, however, most people use a 4 to 5-step method: making an observation, proposing a
hypothesis, designing and performing an experiment to test the hypothesis, analyzing the data to
know whether to accept or reject the hypothesis, and if necessary, proposing and testing a new
hypothesis.
The scientific method is useful in problem solving and decision-making in a wide variety
of fields. While the scientific method is commonly associated with scientific experiments, the
reality is that it is more commonly used in daily life. In fact, most scientific inquiries are
triggered by common day-to-day problems. Why do some materials float, and why do others
sink? What makes the rain fall and why is there drought? When these questions were answered,
new innovations were developed, each one making drastic impact in the way individuals conduct
their daily lives. Aside from these material inventions, the use of the scientific method has
actually enabled individuals to solve non-scientific problems such as those encountered in
relationships, work, and even in school. In a sense, the scientific method is the basis for critical
thinking, it enables people to see what is happening around them in an objective manner and
resolve issues with depth and greater understanding.
In this assignment, you will demonstrate how to use the scientific method to make
decisions and solve problems in your everyday life. Identify a specific problem you wish to look
into. This problem should be reasonable, nothing super simple or overly complex since you have
only one week to complete this. It is precisely the restricted timeline that am asking you to carry
out the scientific method, however, you will not be performing any experiment or test your
hypothesis, but instead you will write and describe how you would test your hypothesis. 
To start, you will write a paper introducing your problem and providing some
introductory background of this problem youre observing. Some thought and research should be
done in evaluating what problem you will focus on. You will then propose one (1) testable
hypothesis to explain / solve the problem. State the expected outcomes of your actions and
include criteria for determining whether or not these actions would succeed. Note: Your
hypothesis should be stated very precisely. Also in your write-up, state specifically the main
actions or methods that you intend to put into place to test your hypothesis that you proposed. In
other words, you will describe all the materials you would use and the steps you would carry out
in your experiment to gather your data. Include the results that you would deem as a success and
the results that would be considered a failure. Discuss the decision behind the strategy you would
like to use to test the hypothesis and why you think this approach is best. Your write up should
be 3-4 pages long, typed, and in complete sentences.