Figure 1.1: Overview of scientific method.- Introduction
Once you have a general question, background research needs to be undertaken. Your
background research will ensure that you are not investigating something that has already
been researched and answered. It will also tell you about interesting connections, theories,
explanations and methods that people have used in the past to answer questions related
to yours. Science always builds on the work of others, and it ensures that our theories are
constantly improved and refined. It is important to acknowledge the work of the people upon
whose work your theory relies in the form ofreferencing. It is also vital tocommunicateyour
findings so that future scientists can use use your work as a basis for future research.- Identify variables
Your background research will help you identify the factors that influence your question.
Factors that might change during the experiment are calledvariables.8 1.4. How science works