Scientific method
Interplay between observation, experiment, and theory in science
Summary
The scientific method is an empirical method for acquiring knowledge through careful observation, rigorous skepticism, hypothesis testing, and experimental validation. Developed from ancient and medieval practices, it acknowledges that cognitive assumptions can distort the interpretation of the observation. The scientific method has characterized science since at least the 17th century. Scientific inquiry includes creating a testable hypothesis through inductive reasoning, testing it through experiments and statistical analysis, and adjusting or discarding the hypothesis based on the results.
Originally created by ManningBartlett
10/15/2001, 3:48:25 AM
Modified
5/6/2026, 5:25:28 AM
Recent revisions
links
nope: /* Elements of the scientific method */ /* Context */ /* Elements of inquiry */ – all three are supposed to work, otherwise [[Template:Anchor/doc]] wouldn't/shouldn't recommend it – Undid revision [[Special:Diff/1344505009|1344505009]] by [[Special:Contributions/Ancheta Wis|Ancheta Wis]] ([[User talk:Ancheta Wis|talk]])
Undid revision [[Special:Diff/1344462066|1344462066]] by [[Special:Contributions/Andrybak|Andrybak]] ([[User talk:Andrybak|talk]]) This breaks the edit history; try clicking the arrow in history to see what breaks
/* Elements of inquiry */ tweak anchors ([[Template:Anchor/doc]]: "If the target is a section, it should always be substituted within the ==heading== and before the section title"); invert image in dark mode
replaced archive.today link and removed duplicate wikilinks
/* See also */ already in body per [[WP:SEEALSO]] / [[WP:OVERLINK]], no reds
/* Deductive and inductive reasoning */ Move anchor down; it was breaking the header.
/* Relationship with mathematics */ | Altered template type. Add: date, title, authors 1-2. | [[:en:WP:UCB|Use this tool]]. [[:en:WP:DBUG|Report bugs]]. | #UCB_Gadget
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Added doi. | [[:en:WP:UCB|Use this bot]]. [[:en:WP:DBUG|Report bugs]]. | Suggested by Abductive | #UCB_toolbar
/* History */ fixing unclear sentence by simplifying; a more complicated solution would have required "historiography" as second word, not history
Sources about Newton's impact.
fixed {{citation}} and {{cite book}} errors by removing offending isbn numbers (perhaps, bots can find and add the right isbn numbers)
/* Certainty, probabilities, and statistical inference */ shorter discussion of uncertainty estimates
/* Education */ compressed text on educational criticism
/* Confirmation theory */ cleaned up redundant text
/* Confirmation theory */ shortened the description of good theories
/* Confirmation */ streamlined the paragraph about peer review
/* Deductive and inductive reasoning{{anchor|i&d}} */ clearer wording
/* Overview */ clearer wording
