Assignment 1: Applications of the Scientific Method 1
Light Travels in Straight Lines
Erica L. Finney
Professor Alisha Etheredge
SCI110026VA016-1148-001 (Introduction to Physical Science)
November 1st, 2014
THE SCIENTIFIC METHOD
Light Travels in Straight Lines
The Scientific Method is, “An orderly technique of investigation that is supposed to
account for scientific progress. The method consists of the following steps: (1) Careful
observations of nature. (2) Deduction of natural laws. (3) Formation of hypothesis—
generalizations of those laws to previously unobserved phenomena. (4) Experimental or
observational testing of the validity of the predictions thus made. Actually, scientific discoveries
rarely occur in this idealized, wholly rational, and orderly fashion.” It generally has the following
steps: (1) Problem to solve, (2) Observing/Researching, (3) Hypothesizing, (4) Experimenting,
(5) Statistical verification, (6) Theorizing the hypothesis, (7) Making predictions, and (8)
