Scientific Method Example

  1. It is possible the student is falling asleep in class because the classroom is dimly lit. 
  2. Test:
    • I would test this hypothesis by installing brighter lights and asking our teacher to present lectures as usual. I will alter conditions by changing the brightness of the lights.
    • If the student stays awake during class time, this would support my hypothesis.
    • If the student falls alseep during class time, this would falsify my hypothesis.
  3. An example of an untestable, unfalsifiable explanation would be that the student suffers from a generational curse of eternal sleepiness. 

Comments

  1. Nikita I. June 10, 2025 at 10:12 AM

    This is actually a very testable hypothesis you created, since it involves changing a variable to try and produce a different result! But, your untestable hypothesis makes me think of an actual neurological disorder called narcolepsy, where a person falls asleep into a deep slumber at any given time, so your untestable hypothesis may actually be testable (the student can get themselves tested for narcolepsy). Great post!

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  2. Diya BoiniJune 10, 2025 at 2:05 PM

    Hello Jackson,
    Your observations and reasonings for why the student would be falling asleep in class could be very valid. In fact, your hypothesis is very testable, where you, as the students, are able to manipulate variables to be able to test whether or not this student is sleeping to the dim lights or not. However, one thing that I would like to suggest is to implement this test over a couple of days. If you are able to create a data set of lights being turned on and off over the course of a couple of days, you can gather more evidence to support your hypothesis of whether or not the lights are a factor for why this student is sleepy during class. A data set of results like I described would be able to eliminate outliers, coincidences, and other external factors that may interfere with your hypothesis!

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  3. SpencerJune 11, 2025 at 2:50 PM

    Hi Jackson,
    The hypothesis, test, and predictions are all good. My concern is that the generational curse can be tested by going to his other family members (Dad, Mom, Grandpa, Grandma) to see if they also have this kind of drowsiness. Over all, good work.

    ReplyDelete
  4. L RodriguezJune 12, 2025 at 9:28 AM

    Testable Hypothesis (4/5) - Good, though I would have liked a little bit of an explanation as to why it being "dimly lit" causes him to fall asleep. I get it, but in science, we leave nothing to an assumption of understanding. We state everything as clearly as possible. Don't leave your reader guessing.

    Test (5/5) - Good test.

    Support (5/5) - Good.

    Falsify (5/5) - Very good.

    Untestable Hypothesis (8/10) - Interesting, but if it is "generational", does that mean his parents and other ancestors had this same "curse"? That it occurs in a detectable pattern of occurrence that can be mapped and traced (as it clearly has since it is identified as "generational")? If it is detectable, doesn't that mean it is testable?

    ReplyDelete
  5. Robert WrightJune 12, 2025 at 8:25 PM

    Hey Jackson, lighting can definitely have substantial effects on the mood of a class, or any indoor setting. I believe your hypothesis is a sound, logical one, and replacing the lights with different colors and brightness would be easy to replicate and verify, or falsify your hypothesis.

    ReplyDelete

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