Which sequence correctly represents the typical steps of the scientific method?

• A. Question, Observation, Hypothesis, Experiment, Conclusion, Analysis
• B. Observation, Question, Experiment, Hypothesis, Analysis, Conclusion
• C. Observation, Question, Hypothesis, Experiment, Analysis, Conclusion
• D. Hypothesis, Experiment, Observation, Analysis, Question, Conclusion

Answer: (C)

The sequence starts with making observations, then asking a question, then proposing a hypothesis, then performing experiments, then analyzing the data, and finally drawing a conclusion. This order matters because you first gather information about what you’re studying, which naturally leads to a specific question. With a question in mind, you state a testable hypothesis—something you can predict and test. You then design and carry out experiments to collect evidence relevant to that prediction. After collecting data, you analyze what it shows to identify patterns or relationships, and only then do you state a conclusion about whether the hypothesis was supported, revised, or refuted. This flow keeps testing grounded in observed phenomena and ensures interpretations are evidence-based. Other sequences mix up steps—for example, testing without a clear hypothesis, or drawing conclusions before analyzing results, or asking a question before you’ve gathered information—which makes the process less coherent and harder to justify scientifically.