Nutrition Science and Everyday Application - beta v 0.1

The Scientific Method
Similar to the method by which a police detective investigates a crime, nutritional scientists
discover the health effects of food and nutrients by first making an observation and posing a
question that they’d like to answer. Then they formulate a hypothesis, test their hypothesis
through experiments, and finally interpret the results. After analyzing additional evidence
from multiple sources, they may form a conclusion on whether the food suspect fits the
claim. This organized process of inquiry used in forensic science, nutritional science, and
every other science is called the scientific method.
The basis of what we know about nutrition is derived from research, and the scientific
method underlies how research is conducted. The steps of the scientific method include:
1. Observation/Question: The researcher first makes an observation and comes up with
a research question to investigate.
2. Hypothesis: The researcher formulates a hypothesis, or educated guess, that would
explain the observation or question and that can be tested through scientific experiments.
3. Experiment: The researcher designs and conducts an experiment. A good design takes
into account what has been done previously. Thus, before beginning a new study, the
researcher undertakes a thorough review of published research in order to ensure that their
work advances the field.
4. Analysis: The researcher collects and analyzes data that will either support or refute
the hypothesis. If the hypothesis is not supported, researchers create a new hypothesis and
conduct a new experiment. If the hypothesis is supported, researchers will design additional
experiments to try to replicate the findings or to test them in different ways.
5. Conclusion: After multiple experiments consistently support a hypothesis, researchers
can offer a conclusion or theory.
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