In a science research or science project, you will have the opportunity to participate in a discovery process and at the same time learn new things when you indulge yourself into science fairs. It is not certain that you will have to discover something though, but in a sense, you perform the same procedure and experience by which the scientific discoveries were made. Advances in science move forward slowly, with each experiment building upon a previous one and preparing researchers for the next. Advancement in medicine, biotechnology, agriculture and virtually all scientific disciplines moves one step at a time. A typical science fair project is one that would allow you to see and experience what it is like to take a couple or two of these steps for yourself. The following example typifies how science and discoveries moves forward a single step at a time.

Controlling a particular type of insect pest without using harmful pesticides that causes destructive side effects is a problem that can only be solved by a series of scientific research and experiments. To start with, field studies could find ways or search for natural predators for the infesting insects. A laboratory or field study may then be performed to prove whether the natural enemy can be that effective for the control of such insects or at what extent be its effectiveness. The insect’s life cycle would have been studied as well as the way each type of insect will fit into the local ecosystem.

A more in-depth study might then be performed to determine the population dynamics of these natural enemies of the pest; whether or not they are capable of controlling the pests. The questions about what will happen with the introduction of these predators to the life cycles of other animals within the local ecosystem will come into consideration. What would happen to the entire ecosystem if the number of these predators dramatically increased by artificial means? Experiments might find that some of the pest’s enemies are incapable of controlling the insect. Those experiments would still be invaluable; however, they would provide information after information that would keep scientist on the correct track. Once a natural enemy is discovered to be a likely candidate, small-scale testings can be performed until a more stable solution to the problem is found.

As you can see in the example above, each experiment was necessary before the next could be performed, and the entire progression was necessary before a successful conclusion could be reached. Most scientific research, no matter how simple or how sophisticated, follows a protocol that demands consistency and, most importantly, the ability to repeat an experiment to see if the results would be the same. When one scientist or research team finds some new revelation, other team of scientists must verify its accuracy. The scientific method was devised to provide the researchers a framework to follow for their experiments. The method should assure a highly focused, more accurate and reproducible sequence of events. The basics of the scientific method are further discussed on the following articles.