Edit this Article. We use cookies to make wikiHow great. By using our site, you agree to our cookie policy. Cookie Settings. Learn why people trust wikiHow. Download Article Explore this Article parts. Tips and Warnings. Related Articles. Article Summary. Part 1. Wonder "why? Explore the root causes behind everyday events, and try to predict what will happen next. If you already have the seed of a theory in your head, observe the subjects of that idea and try to gather as much information as possible.
Write down the "hows," the "whys," and the links between causes and effects as you piece them together. If you walk through the world with a curious eye, you may be suddenly struck by an idea. Develop a theory to explain a law.
In general, a scientific law is the description of an observed phenomenon. It doesn't explain why the phenomenon exists or what causes it. The explanation of the phenomenon is called a scientific theory. It is a common misconception that theories turn into laws with enough research. Research the academic precedents to your theory. Learn what has already been tested, proven, and refuted. Find out everything that you can about your subject, and determine whether anyone has asked the same questions before.
Learn from the past so that you don't make the same mistakes. This includes equations, observations, and existing theories. If you are addressing a new phenomenon, try to build upon related theories that have already been proven. Find out whether anyone has already developed your theory. Before you go any further, try to make reasonably sure that no one else has already explored this topic.
If you can't find anything, feel free to develop your theory. If someone has already made a similar theory, read through their work and see if you can build on it. Build a hypothesis. A hypothesis is an educated guess or proposition that aims to explain a set of facts or natural phenomena. Propose a possible reality that follows logically from your observations — look for patterns, and think about what might cause those things to happen.
The independent variable is a potential cause that you can tweak and control, while the dependent variable is a phenomenon that you observe or measure. If you are going to use the scientific method to develop your theory, then your hypothesis must be measurable. You cannot prove a theory without numbers to back it up. Try to come up with several hypotheses that might explain your observations.
Compare these hypotheses. Consider where they overlap and where they split. Example hypothesis: " If skin cancer is related to ultraviolet light, then people with a high exposure to UV light will have a higher frequency of skin cancer.
Know that every theory starts as a hypothesis. Be careful not to confuse the two. A theory is a well-tested explanation for why a pattern exists, while a hypothesis is only a predicted reason for this pattern.
A theory is always backed by evidence. A hypothesis, however, is only a suggested possible outcome, and it may or may not hold true.
Part 2. Design an experiment. According to the scientific method , your theory must be testable. Be sure to perform your test in a controlled environment: try to isolate the event and your proposed cause the dependent and independent variable from anything that might complicate the results. Be precise, and look out for external factors. Make sure that your experiments are repeatable. In most cases, it is not enough to simply prove a hypothesis once. Your peers should be able to recreate your experiment themselves and get the same results.
Have peers or advisers review your testing procedure. Ask someone to look over your work and confirm that your logic is sound. If you are working with partners, make sure that everyone gives their input. Find support. Depending on your field of study, it may be hard to run complex experiments without access to certain equipment and resources.
Scientific gear can be expensive and tricky to procure. If you are enrolled in a university, speak with any professors and researchers who might be able to help. If you aren't in school, consider reaching out to professors or graduate students at a local university. For instance, contact the physics department if you want to explore a theory of physics. If you find a far-away university that is doing a lot of exciting research in your field, consider emailing them to ask about their research, their results, or their advice for your project.
Keep precise records. Again, experiments must be reproducible: other people must be able to set up a test in the same way that you did and get the same result. Keep accurate records of everything you do in your test. Be sure to keep all your data. If you're in academia, there are archives which store the raw data gathered in the process of scientific research. If other scientists need to find out about your experiment, they can consult these archives or ask you for your data.
Make sure that you can provide all the details. Evaluate the results. Compare your predictions against each other and against the outcomes of your experiments.
Look for patterns. Ask yourself whether the results suggest anything new, and consider whether there's anything that you've forgotten. Whether or not the data confirms the hypothesis, look out for hidden or "exogenous" variables that may have influenced the results. Establish certainty. If the results do not support your hypothesis, reject the prediction as incorrect. If you are able to prove the hypothesis, then the theory is one step closer to being confirmed.
Always document your results with as much detail as possible. If a test procedure and its results cannot be reproduced, it will be much less useful. Make sure that the results do not change each time you do the experiment. Repeat the tests until you're sure. Many theories get abandoned after being refuted by experiment. However, if your new theory explains something that previous theories can't, it may be an important scientific advance.
Part 3. Draw a conclusion. Determine whether your theory is valid, and make sure that your experimental results are repeatable. If you accept the theory, you should not be able to disprove it with the tools and information at your disposal.
Do not, however, try to spin your theory into absolute fact. Share your results. You will likely amass a lot of information in your quest to prove your theory. When you are confident that your results are repeatable and your conclusions are valid, try to distill your theory into a paper others can study and understand.
Lay out your process in a logical order: first, write an "abstract" that summarizes your theory; then, lay forth your hypothesis, your experimental procedure, and your results. Try to distill your theory into a series of points or arguments. Finally, end the paper with an explanation of your conclusions. For the social researcher there may not be any firm conclusions drawn to allow this process to take place; it is usual that research leads to more research and further questions being explored.
Definitive answers may be difficult to ascertain - there may be a host of reasons given and these reasons may change over time. Research findings from both the scientific and the social research community do, however, need to be discussed more widely prior to their becoming accepted. Within academia this can involve presenting findings and papers at conferences and seminars. This means that the findings from the research undertaken do not exist in isolation.
Other academics may wish to carry out similar experiments etc. The researcher may be asked to review their work prior to publication or indeed it may be rejected. Whilst this is the case, it is important to remember that even though theories may come to be discredited over time - as thinking about a subject changes - they can prove highly influential. A good example here, might be the work of Sigmund Freud.
Gaining an understanding around the behaviour of people and society is much more problematic people are inconsistent and society is constantly changing than within the natural sciences, where natural phenomena are generally more consistent. It is also important to note that within this realm, it is easier to appreciate that understandings and theories created are specific to the people or persons who are creating the theory, the time and place in which they were writing, i.
Their observations as are our own are biased, that is, seen through their eyes and understood from their own background, assumptions etc. Theories and ideas, therefore, can be built upon and expanded and can be discredited. Even so, certain theoretical perspectives have had enormous influence around our thinking, understanding and practice within our society, such as the work of Sigmund Freud.
Our understanding about ourselves changes and evolves throughout time as society changes. Education is about gaining an understanding about how and why people, society, and the natural world work. Search SkillsYouNeed:. We'll never share your email address and you can unsubscribe at any time.
What is Theory? See also: Sources of Information.
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