The Scientific Method
High-Yield Summary
- The scientific method is 8 ordered steps researchers use to investigate a question and draw reproducible conclusions.
- An unsupported hypothesis means revision, not failure — science is iterative.
- FINER (Feasible, Interesting, Novel, Ethical, Relevant) judges whether a research question is worth pursuing at all — separate from the scientific method's procedural steps.
- Reproducibility (the final step) is what actually builds confidence in a result.
The 8 Steps of the Scientific Method
- 1Generate a testable question — turn an observation into something specific and measurable.
- 2Gather data resources — review existing literature to find what's known and where the gaps are.
- 3Form a hypothesis — usually an if-then statement.
- 4Collect new data — run the experiment, holding other variables constant to isolate the effect.
- 5Analyze the data — apply statistics (averages, significance tests) to see if results support the hypothesis.
- 6Interpret the data — compare findings to the hypothesis; an unsupported result means revise, not quit.
- 7Publish the findings — transparency lets others review methods and build on the work.
- 8Verify the results — other scientists reproducing the finding is what builds confidence in it.
FINER Criteria (Is This Question Worth Studying?)
- Feasible
- Can it realistically be done with available resources, time, and technology?
- Interesting
- Does it engage the scientific community and invite further work?
- Novel
- Does it add something new or a unique angle?
- Ethical
- Does it meet ethical standards — informed consent, minimizing harm, respecting rights?
- Relevant
- Does it have practical implications or advance broader understanding?
Common MCAT Trap
- A hypothesis that isn't supported by the data is not a failed experiment — it's a signal to revise the hypothesis or redesign the study, not to abandon the question.
- FINER evaluates the question itself (worth pursuing?), not the experiment's execution — don't confuse it with the 8 procedural steps.
Quick Recall
Which FINER criterion fails if a study proposes growing plants on Mars?
A hypothesis isn't supported by the data. What's the correct next step?