Scientific Method Vocabulary

This is the first step of the scientific process. It has to do with using your senses to gather information.

• Creating a hypothesis

• Making an observation

• Conducting an experiment

• Posing a question

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS1-8

The process of making an inference. An interpretation based on observations and prior knowledge.

• Experimenting

• Asking

• Guessing

• Inferring

The process of grouping things based on their similarities

• Classifying

• Modeling

• Questioning

• Analyzing

Creating representations of complex objects or processes.

• Classifying

• Making models

• Analyzing

• Inferring

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS1-1

NGSS.MS-PS1-4

An observation that deals with a number or amount (mass, height, length, temperature, etc.)

• Quantitative observation

• Qualitative observation

An observation that describes using your five senses (sight, smell, touch, taste, hearing). It also uses NO numbers.

• Quantitative observations

• Qualitative observations

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS1-8

A testable prediction that has been made based on an observation or question (or both).

• model

• theory

• hypothesis

• inference

The variable that changes as a result of the experiment; the outcome.

• dependent variable

• independent variable

• control variable

The variable in an experiment that a scientist purposely changes; the cause

• dependent variable

• independent variable

• control variable

A variable that is kept constant during a controlled experiment.

• dependent variable

• independent variable

• control variable