scientific method
Let an agent explain the scientific method by steps, variants, evidence quality and limits, and help evaluate claims.
Research draft, second pass
A second pass drafted this model: the structure a model of this thing needs, and what is known about it in the world. The line under this one says how the second half was obtained - researched against sources, or recalled without web access, in which case nothing here was read anywhere and every claim is a lead to verify. Unreviewed either way.
written by Claude from model knowledge without web access - no source was read, every claim is a lead to verify
Researched by: Claude
Purpose and description
Let an agent explain the scientific method by steps, variants, evidence quality and limits, and help evaluate claims.
A systematic approach to building knowledge through observation, forming hypotheses, making predictions, testing them by experiment or observation, and revising theories, with controls, replication and peer review.
What it is for: Producing reliable, testable knowledge.
It can be design a fair test; evaluate study quality; distinguish science from pseudoscience; teach scientific thinking.
Distinguishing features
Testable claims
Controls and replication
Open to revision
Not a single fixed recipe
What it looks like
Hypotheses, experiments, data, analyses and publications.
How it is recognised
Hypothesis, prediction, test, conclusion
Controls and blinding such as sham comparators
Methods vary by field
Related models
is a kind of - category
is used by - practice
produces - output
is related to - reasoning
In practice
Families and kinds
hypothetico-deductive method
experimental method with controls
observational and field methods
computational and modelling methods
meta-analysis and systematic review
Standards and regulation
Research integrity codes
Reporting guidelines such as CONSORT and PRISMA
Research ethics review
Failure modes and hazards
Confirmation bias
p-hacking and selective reporting
Overclaiming from single studies
Also called
+66
Where this came from
wikidata · CC0 1.0
Drafted structure
Bundle to layer to finding to question, as the second pass will find it: 4 bundles · 8 layers · 8 findings · 16 questions.
Steps How it works.
Steps structure inquiry.
Hypothesis
Testable claim.
Hypothesis
Hypothesis.
- Is the hypothesis testable and falsifiable? boundary
- What prediction follows? definition
Test
Experiment or observation.
Test
Testing.
- How is the prediction tested, with which controls? definition
- How large is the sample? measurement
Quality Evidence strength.
Quality varies.
Design
Controls and blinding.
Design
Study design.
- Does the design control for bias, for example with randomisation or blinding? boundary
- Was it preregistered? provenance
Replication
Confirmation.
Replication
Replication.
- Has the result been replicated independently? provenance
- Is there a systematic review? provenance
Evaluation Claims.
Claims need checking.
Claims
Science or not.
Claims
Evaluating claims.
- Is a claim based on scientific method or on anecdote? boundary
- What evidence supports it? provenance
Uncertainty
Limits.
Uncertainty
Uncertainty.
- What are the limits and uncertainties? boundary
- Are they reported? provenance
Teaching Learning.
Scientific thinking can be taught.
Fair test
Activities.
Fair test
Fair tests.
- How can a fair test be designed at school? action
- Which variables are controlled? definition
Variants
Across fields.
Variants
Field variants.
- How does the method differ across fields? definition
- Is there one scientific method? boundary
What the second pass must settle
- Should method variants be separate entries?
- How should reporting guidelines be linked?
- How should field differences be recorded?