The scientific method is a procedure that was developed over centuries to organize the steps in the procedures of scientific investigations. By using the scientific method, scientists use observations and hypotheses, in order to predict the outcome of an experiment, then conduct that experiment and draw conclusions from the observations of the experiment. The scientific method is not only useful for scientists and laboratories but something that can be applied to everyday situations. In fact, science in general is something that permeates everyday life, and an examination of my life can demonstrate this.
Scientific method is a procedure that was developed over centuries to organize the steps in the procedures of scientific investigations. These steps were designed so that the results gathered by scientists would be considered to be verifiable and repeatable, and therefore correct. By using the scientific method, scientists use observations and hypothesis, in order to predict the outcome of an experiment, then conduct that experiment and draw conclusions from the observations of the experiment. ("Understanding and Using the Scientific Method") In other words, the scientific method observes something and formulates a problem associated with it, hypothesizes about it, tests that hypothesis through study and experimentation, observes the results of the experiment, and analyzes and draws conclusions from those experimental results. ("Gould, 2002, p. 52") The scientific method is not only useful for scientists and laboratories but something that can be applied to everyday situations.
In a situation where I arrive home late at night, turn on the light switch, and the light does not come on, it would be appropriate to apply the steps of the scientific method. Firstly I would observe that the light is not turned on, and formulate that there is a problem with the light. My first hypothesis would be that the light bulb has burned out and therefore I would test that hypothesis by carefully moving toward a different light and attempt to turn it on instead. I would be interested if whether or not the second light turned on and if it did, then I could conclude that the first light's bulb needs to be changed. If the second light did not turn on, my analysis would have to be that the power has gone off in the house. At this point I could take the observation that the second light has not turned on, hypothesize that the power is not working, then test that hypothesis going through the five steps of the scientific method again. I would continue to repeat it until I had discovered exactly why the light was not working.
A second, real life situation that has happened to me as well as to many others has been when watching a DVD and it freezes up. When this happened, I formulated a problem by observing that the DVD was not functioning properly. I was then forced to hypothesize about why that may be the case and decided that it was most likely a dirty DVD. In order to test this hypothesis, I devised an experiment whereby I cleaned the DVD and put it back into the machine. If the DVD was dirty, then it should function properly after cleaning; if not, then there is another problem. After replacing the DVD, the movie returned to it proper place and functioned properly. I observed that the DVD was working and then drew the conclusion that the DVD had originally stopped functioning because there was dirt on the DVD.
Part 2
Without getting into too much detail, my day generally begins with me waking up to the sound of a clock radio, and after turning it off, I generally turn on the television to watch the news. After showering and dressing, I eat breakfast, take the medication that I require daily for my health, and then I drive a car to work where I work at a store that is run by the principles of scientific management. Scientific management is the idea that the management of workers along scientific principles can greatly improve both the efficiency and productivity of the entire production process, "obtaining the maximum output of each man and machine." (Taylor, 1915, p. 27) After work, I drive home where I eat dinner, usually a microwave dinner, and then use the computer to do schoolwork for a class I am taking. Before turning in for bed, I take more medication that will ensure that I actually wake up the next morning and repeat the general process.
Almost every aspect of life has been impacted by science and a person cannot go through their day without feeling the effects of it. For instance, when I watch the news, technology, derived from science, allows local television stations to provide "higher quality newscasts;" including weather and traffic. (Rosenstiel, 2008, p. 8) These two things affect how I get to work and having information about possible storms or traffic problems can get me to work more efficiently. Science structures what I do at work, how I do it, and why; not to mention the computers necessary for such daily operations as inventory and production. And while science has made my commute and work more efficient, it has also allowed for millions of people to live in my city.
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