The Scientific Method
- The first step of the scientific method includes observation of the phenomenon. During this process, people examine and interpret the surrounding objects and events based on their previous knowledge and experience (Reilly, 2018). Such a preliminary step allows individuals to discover the potential advantages and drawbacks of certain processes and locate the gaps in the common and scientific knowledge about the world;
- The problem statement is the second step of the scientific method, which requires determining the exact issue that the research aims to address (Nasution & Aulia, 2019). While in the present case, with Bunny’s refusal to eat, the problem can be easily and clearly identified, during the analysis of more complex social phenomena, it may be challenging to define one single aspect that will be studied.
- Next, hypothesis formulation is the process of initial guessing what may be the reason for the appearance of a certain event or behavior or the consequence of certain actions and events (Gray, 2021).
- After drafting the hypothesis, it is necessary to collect and interpret the data concerning the studied problem. The former may include various methods such as conducting experiments, interviews, focus groups and/or surveys, document analysis, and ethnographic fieldwork, to name a few (Gray, 2021). As for the latter, for instance, the researcher may apply statistical tools (regression or cluster analysis) or use content analysis to explain the raw data.
- Finally, the received results help to understand whether the initial hypothesis was right or wrong and draw a conclusion.
Testable Hypothesis
- The food was suggested by the salesperson, who is assumed to be a professional and, thus, be able to help to choose the products that are suitable for most of the dogs;
- The smell of oranges and lemons is most probably present in the food. In this regard, London (2021) argues that most dogs dislike the smell and taste of citrus fruits.
Evidence Collected About Buddy
All this information must be considered for the research. Any aspect of the situation could lead to a problem that is to be solved.
Outline of Experiment
The experiment involves the sequential study of the dog’s behavior and its reaction to a change in some factors, such as food and bowl.
Experiment Details
The way the dog food was stored is the independent variable because it is the factor that presumable affects Buddy’s willingness to eat and can be manipulated.
Buddy’s willingness to eat is a dependent variable as it presumably changes as the manner in which the food is stored changes. It can consist of the two opposite states: whether Buddy does not eat the offered food and whether Buddy eats the offered food.
These requirements must be met, as changes in the pattern lead to inconsistent results, as well as a dog’s stress, which can further distort the results of the experiment.
Confirmation of the hypothesis would make it possible to understand that the dog is healthy and can eat food advised by a professional.
The refutation of the hypothesis would force us to look for other ways to find a solution to the problem. Stress, food and time preferences and many other factors would need to be investigated.
Testable Questions For Friend
The questions would inevitably involve factors that I had previously encountered.
Analysis of the Neighbor’s Hypothesis
There are no possible ways to identify whether the dog feels that his owner is unlucky when she travels. The researchers can only know that the dog is sad, anxious, or depressed, which can be tested to be related to the owner’s absence. Yet, it is impossible to know whether the dog is sad, for instance, because he feels that the owner is unlucky or because he feels that the owner abandoned him.
Resources
Gray, D. E. (2021). Doing research in the real world. SAGE Publications.
Nasution, M. K., & Aulia, I. (2019). Design of the research problem statement. Journal of Physics: Conference Series, 1235(1), 012115. Web.
Reilly, F. E. (2018). Charles Peirce’s theory of scientific method. Fordham University Press.
London, K. B. (2021). Does your dog hate citrus? Web.