The scientific method Sandi Moffatt University of Phoenix December 16, 2012 PSY/315

The scientific method The scientific method is a way scientist and psychologist study and test a hypothesis. A hypothesis is a guess of the outcome of your research. However there is still a scientific process to coming up with a hypothesis. After you have come up with a question determine the characteristics of the comparison distribution. Determine the cutoff sample score on the comparison distribution at which the null hypothesis should be rejected. Determine your sample’s score on the comparison distribution. Decide whether to reject the null hypothesis then. Then after that psychologist use the scientific method to prove a theory or hypothesis (Arthur Aron, Elaine N. Aron, Elliot J. Coups, 2009). Scientific method is used to collect data and answer questions. This method consist of formulation of the problem, design of the study, collection of data, analysis of data, and the final conclusion of the data.
There are two main types of data primary and secondary data. Primary data is data collected straight from the source. An example of this is when companies and government agency’s do surveys to get statistics from a certain area or to answer a certain question. While secondary data is collected by research and getting information from a creditable source that has already done studies in that field.
Statistics play an important part in research and learning about the world around us. Using statistics and the scientific, method is ways to prove or disprove theories. Statistics can give you a good idea if your theory is true. With existing statistics you can compare research and hypothesize the out come of your personal research. Psychologists and scientist around the world use statistical methods to make since of numbers by comparing them, this is often done with the use of computers now days. There are two branches of the statistical method .The first branch of the statistical method is descriptive statistics .Psychologists use descriptive statistics to summarize and describe a group of numbers from a research study. The second branch of the statistical method is the inferential statistics. Psychologists use inferential statistics to draw conclusions and to make inferences that are based on the numbers from a research study but that go beyond the numbers (Arthur Aron, Elaine N. Aron, Elliot J. Coups, 2009).
In conclusion scientist and psychologist have been using this method to study people and science for years. Using the scientific method correctly not only helps to answer your question precisely and accurately but also add creditability to your research and makes it easier for other to use your work as secondary data. Statistics and