Follow these steps when performing an experiment:
I. State the Problem:
The problem statement is usally a question that you are going to develop an experiment on.
II. Research
Research to discover information about the topic. Don't forget to write the research in your own words and make a bibliography that tells the reader where the information was found.
III. State Your Hypothesis
The hypothesis follows the research. Use the researched information to form a hypothesis.
IV. Describe Your Step by Step Procedure
List the materials used in the experiment and a detailed step by step procedure used in the experiment. Make sure that you write the information so that others can perform the same experiment and get the same results. Be specific!
V. Collect Data
Data can be collected in many ways, depending on the particular experiment. Examples of data include: a log book with records that show the dates and observations, surveys, pictures of the results, details from the number of trials, etc.
VI. Conclusion
Your conclusion should include results of the experiment, reference back to the hypothesis, list variables, use graphs and spreadsheets to explain data, list any problems encountered during the experiment, and ways that you would change the experiment to make it better ("what if's").