Assignment 1: Applications of the Scientific Method
Due Week 4 and worth 160 points
The scientific method is
useful in problem solving and decision-making in a wide variety of fields. In this
assignment, you will demonstrate how to use the scientific method to make
decisions and solve problems in your field of study or everyday life.
Identify a specific problem
often faced in your field of study or everyday life. Research your problem and assess
your data / research. Examples of such problems could be:
1.
Business
1.
Developing a new product that
is superior to competitor’s brands; or
2.
Establishing a price for a new
product using the law of supply and demand;
2.
Information Systems and
Technology
1.
The use of personal electronic
devices for work purpose, or
2.
Determining in the most
cost-effective computer for your business;
3.
Criminal Justice
1.
The reliability of eyewitness
testimony, or
2.
Determining what evidence
reveals to you about a crime;
4.
Everyday Life
1.
Selecting a particular brand
of detergent, or
2.
Determining the most
cost-efficient transportation / route for your commute.
Write a three to five (3-5)
page paper in which you:
1.
Explain the scientific method
and describe the overall manner in which you would apply it in your field of
study or everyday life.
2.
Propose one (1) testable
hypothesis to explain / solve the problem you have selected. State the expected
outcomes of your actions and include criteria for determining whether or not
these actions would succeed.Note: Your hypothesis should be stated very
precisely.
3.
Describe the main actions that
you intend to put into place to test the hypothesis that you proposed in
Question 2. Describe the way in which you would evaluate the success of your
program. Include the results that you would deem as a success and the results
that would be considered a failure.
4.
Discuss the wisdom behind the
strategy you would use to test the hypothesis from Question 3, and describe the
additional steps you might take, depending on the results of your test.Note: These additional steps
might be to revise your original hypothesis (if the results were
unsatisfactory) or to propose new hypotheses. The goal is to continuously
improve your understanding of the factors influencing your outcomes, to be able
to achieve greater results over time.
5.
Use at least two (2) quality
resources / references in this assignment.Note: Wikipedia and personal
blogs do not qualify as quality resources.
Your report must follow these
formatting requirements:
·
Be typed, double spaced, using
Times New Roman font (size 12), with one-inch margins on all sides; citations
and references must follow APA or school-specific format. Check with your
professor for any additional instructions.
·
Include a cover page containing
the title of the assignment, the student’s name, the professor’s name, the
course title, and the date. The cover page and the reference page are not
included in the required assignment page length.
