Question

What important step did Susan neglect in her scientific research design when she observed coho salmon in their natural habitat, recorded observations of their life cycle, and immediately wrote a scientific paper with a hypothesis?

Answer 1

The important step that Susan neglected in her scientific research design is conducting experiments or controlled studies to test her hypothesis.

In the scientific method, after making observations and forming a hypothesis, the next step typically involves designing experiments or controlled studies to gather data and test the hypothesis. This process allows researchers to systematically collect and analyze data under controlled conditions to draw valid conclusions and support or refute their initial hypothesis.

Susan went from making observations to immediately writing a scientific paper with a hypothesis, skipping the crucial step of experimental testing. In many scientific disciplines, including biology, it's essential to perform experiments or gather additional empirical evidence to confirm or refine the hypothesis and ensure the validity of the findings.