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The Myth of the Magical Scientific Method (6897 words) |
 | The "hypothetico-deductive" schema taught to students was not developed as a method at all: It was intended a logical analysis of how scientific theories derive support from evidence, and it was developed in a process that intentionally excluded consideration of the process of discovery in science. |
 | The most obvious failing of the "method" as a guide to furthering (or understanding) scientific progress is that it ignores or distorts the role of careful observation as a source of knowledge. |
 | Scientific observations span the range between surprises like that one, to observations that are made possible by careful preparation, like the invention of the microscope or an archaeological dig, all the way up to observations that require preparatory work of astounding dedication and inventiveness, like those made using the Hubble Space Telescope. |
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Scientific method - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (6843 words) |
 | The scientific method refers to a body of techniques for investigating phenomena and acquiring new knowledge of the natural world, as well as the correction and integration of previous knowledge, based on observable, empirical, measurable evidence, and subject to laws of reasoning. |
 | Scientific quantities are often characterized by their units of measure which can later be described in terms of conventional physical units when communicating the work. |
 | Scientific journals use a process of peer review, in which scientists' manuscripts are submitted by editors of scientific journals to (usually one to three) fellow (usually anonymous) scientists familiar with the field for evaluation. |