Lesson 1

Conducting Scientific
Research
Learning Target:

⬗ Demonstrate understanding of the meaning of

scientific research, steps in conducting the
scientific research, how to conduct scientific
research, conduct experiments, use statistics,
and write a research paper.

2
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 Scientific research
⬗ Define as the systematic way of collecting
information for the purpose of widening
knowledge about the natural world and/or for
useful applications.
Importance and Use of Scientific
Investigation
⬗ Solve a problem
⬗ Explain a natural phenomenon
⬗ Improve quality of life
Importance and Use of Scientific
Investigation
⬗ Solve a problem
⬗ Explain a natural phenomenon
⬗ Improve quality of life
⬗ Discover and formulate new concepts and
theories.
 Steps in Conducting a Scientific
Research
⬗ Step 1: Identifying and Stating a Scientific Problem
⬗ Step 2: Reviewing Related Literature
⬗ Step 3: Formulating a Hypothesis
⬗ Step 4: Designing and Conducting the Experiment
⬗ Step 5: Gathering, Organizing, and Interpreting Data
⬗ Step 6: Making Conclusion

Title: Effect of Organic Fertilizer on the Growth Of Tomato Plants

Title: Effect of Organic Fertilizer on the Growth Of Tomato Plants
 Identifying and Stating a
Step Scientific Problem
⬗
1
Identifying a scientific problem is the very first step in
doing a research study.
⬗ A research problem can be identified by observation.
- Quantitative observation
- Qualitative observation
Sample Problem: (can be found on page 7 of your textbook)

Maria Paula has a vegetable garden in her backyard. One

morning, she notice that many of her tomato plants have stunted
growth.
She thought of buying commercial fertilizer but she wants
to save money. Thus, she thought of making organic fertilizer
from fish bones and manure by composting.
She was able to identify the problem through her
investigation by making organic fertilizer for her tomato plants.
⬗ Interrogative form
A research problem is stated in question form.
⬗ Declarative form
A research problem is stated in declarative statement.

Sample Problem:

Maria Paula stated the research problem for her investigation below:
Interrogative form: “What is the effect of organic fertilizer on the
growth rate (height) of tomato plants?”
Declarative form: “The study aims to investigate the effect of
organic fertilizer on the growth rate of tomato plants”
 Important Concepts in Writing a Research
Problem
⬗ Independent variables – The independent variable is the
factor that causes the effects. Organic Fertilizer
⬗ Dependent variables – The dependent variable is the
factor or condition that might be affected.
Growth rate of tomato plants
 Step Reviewing Related Literature
⬗
2
Related Literatures are important relevant to your study.
⬗ These information will help you thoroughly understand
what you need to know about your chosen problem, the
variables of your study, procedures you have to use in the
experiment, and how to formulate the hypothesis.
⬗ Sources of these information are books, articles, journals,
science magazines, and the internet.
In the sample problem:

Maria Paula searched for important information

relevant to her problem to understand the suitable kinds
of materials to make good organic fertilizer. The
information she collected made her understand how
organic fertilizer affects the growth of plants.
Researching about this also made her formulate the
necessary procedures for her experiment.
Basic Guidelines in Writing the Relate Literature

1. Paraphrase borrowed information. Paraphrasing means

writing in your own words.
2. Cite the author or the source of barrowed information.
In APA (American Psychological Association) format, the
author-date method is used to cite the source of
information.
Basic Guidelines in Writing the Relate Literature
3. Make sure not to commit plagiarism. Plagiarism means
presenting someone else’s work or ideas as your own,
with or without their consent, by incorporating it into your
work without full acknowledgement.
4. Document the references where you borrowed the
information. This should include the names of the
authors, year of publication, title of the book or article,
and name of publishing company.
 Step Formulating Hypotheses
⬗
3
A hypothesis is a kind of prediction which expresses how
the independent variable affects the dependent variable in
an experiment.
⬗ It is used as a temporary solution to the scientific problem.
⬗ Three basic types of hypotheses: null, alternative, and
cause and effect hypotheses.
⬗ Alternative hypothesis is a prediction which expresses that the
independent variable will affect the dependent variable.
⬗ Null hypothesis is a prediction that a particular independent
variable does not or will not show any effect. This is the
opposite of the alternative hypothesis.
⬗ Cause and effect hypothesis is much like the statement of
alternative hypothesis but using the “if… then” clause. This type
of statement is much clearer about how the independent variable
could affect the dependent variable.
 Maria Paula formulated the following hypotheses as her
temporary answer to the problem of her investigation. Either of
these hypotheses statements can be used by Maria Paula.
Null: The organic fertilizer does not affect the growth rate of
the tomato plants
Alternative: The organic fertilizer does affect the growth rate
of the tomato plants
Cause and Effect: If the organic fertilizer is used, then the
growth rate of tomato plants is affected.
 Designing and Conducting
Step Experiments
4
⬗ An experiment is a set of procedures used by an
investigator to collect necessary information needed to
verify or test the truthfulness of the hypothesis or to answer
a scientific problem.
 Set-up of the experiment
Variables Experimental group (with Experimental group
organic fertilizer) (without organic fertilizer)
Independent variable Organic fertilizer Without fertilizer
Growth of tomato plants in Growth of tomato plants in
Dependent
terms of height terms of height
is the factor that affects the dependent variable
Kind of Tomato plants Kind of Tomato plants
Type of soil Type of soil
Controlled variables is the factor that might be affected
Amount of water Amount of water
Amount of sunlight Amount of sunlight
Replication 10factors
are the Tomatothat
Plants 10 Tomato
are not change Plants
or should not be
changed in the experiment
is the number of times the experiment is repeated.
This may also mean the number of samples use for
treatment.
What is Experimental Design?

⬗ Experimental design is the blueprint of the procedures that

enable the researcher to test hypotheses by reaching valid
conclusions.
⬗ This blueprint deals with
- How samples to be selected for the experimental and
control groups;
- The ways through which the variables are to be
manipulated and controlled;
- The ways in which extraneous variables are to be
controlled;
- How observation are to be made; and
- The type of statistical analysis to be employed.
 Types of Experimental Design

1. Complete Randomized Design (CRD)

In this type of experimental design, the treatments are given to the
experimental samples in completely randomize manner so that every
samples has a chance to be given treatment.
This type of design is used when the experimental samples are
homogeneous, which means that the samples share the similar
characteristics such as age, gender, weight, type of species, and type of
management of sample.
 Types of Experimental Design

2. Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD)

This experimental design is considered to be more useful type of
design than the CRD.
This type makes blocks or experimental groups to remedy the
discrepancy that might be brought in the experiment due to the differences
of the samples. This type of design is used when the experimental samples
are heterogenous.
 Conducting an Experiment

⬗ An experiment and its procedure is always based on experimental

design.
 Step Gathering and Organizing Data
5
⬗ Organizing and presenting data can be done by using tables
and graphs.
⬗ Graphs are very useful in showing the relationship of
independent and dependent variables.
 Growth Rate (height in cm) of Tomato Plants after
three weeks

Treatments Replications
Mean
1 2 3 4 5

T1 25% Organic
7.25 7.40 6.75 7.20 6.85 7.09
Fertilizer
T2 50% Organic
8.55 8.25 8.46 8.20 8.75 8.44
Fertilizer
T3 75% Organic
10.60 10.25 11.65 11.30 11.45 11.05
Fertilizer
T4 100% Organic
11.75 11.35 12.20 10.90 11.24 11.50
Fertilizer
 Means height of the plants (in cm) from each treatment
14

12

10

0
Treatment 1 Treatment 2 Treatment 3 Treatment 4

Series 1
 Common Statistical Tools Used in Science
Research

⬗ After organizing your data into table form and graph, you
may also use some statistical tools to help you come up
with a solid interpretation of the collected numerical data.
⬗ T-test for two independent samples
⬗ Analysis of variance (ANOVA)
 Step Making Conclusion
6
⬗ A conclusion is a statement that answer the scientific
problem raised at the beginning of the study.
⬗ Conclusion should be made based on the results of the
experiment.
Sample Scientific Problem: What is the effect of the organic
fertilizer on the growth rate of tomato plants?

Conclusion: The organic fertilizer increased the growth rate of

tomato plants. Data show that the growth rate of tomato plants
grown in organic fertilizer is comparable to the growth of
tomato plants grown in inorganic fertilizer.
Recap

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Thank you and
God bless!! Life Gems:
• Daily each of us faces potential problems. Perhaps
they're presented by family, school, employment, community, or
world situations.
• Each problem solved by relying on divine Truth is a
steppingstone to the solution of the one problem each of us must
eventually resolve. 
“With God all things are possible”
~ Matthew 19:26