Asked by T

A student finds after applying a certain lotion to a scar, the scar is gone in two days without any side effects. He asks several of his friends who also have scars to use the same lotion. What step of the scientific method is he using?

A) gathering data
B) stating the problem
C) testing a hypothesis
D) drawing a conclusion

Is the answer C?
Answered by PsyDAG
Disagree. How is the student testing his hypothesis? He is just asking questions.
Answered by T
So then he's gathering data?
Answered by Ms. Sue
Yes, he's gathering data.
Answered by T
Thank you Ms. Sue!
Answered by T
Nvm, it was C. I was correct. Oh well
Answered by Ms. Sue
You're welcome, T.
Answered by Ms. Sue
PsyDAG has been a tutor on Jiskha for many years.
Answered by DrBob222
I agree with PsyDAG and Ms. Sue. He is gathering data. I think C is incorrect. He hasn't postulated a hypothesis at this point.
Answered by T
It would make sense that he's gathering data but my school said that was wrong.
Answered by Ms. Sue
Three of us experienced tutors -- two with PhD degrees -- agree that A is correct.

We find many of these online school answers are wrong.
Answered by T
Ohh okay
Answered by cheerleader
U tell him Ms. Sue
Answered by B
His data gathering has a specific implied purpose. So yes he is gathering data (or will be - see below), and only gathering data to assess the validity of an implied hypothesis along the lines of "This lotion removes/heals scars from human skin." Because of this implied hypothesis he has only distributed his request to other humans that he knows have a scar, and is requesting that they try that specific lotion.

If he were merely gathering data, he would additionally be noting whether each person/animal/plant/object he came contact with had a certain temperature/color/flavor/etc.

In this case his data gathering is not random, but is focused and directed to the answering of a specific question.

Finally, his data gathering has not yet begun in the scenario given. He has no results to record at this time, only the request of participation and a vague procedure with which to explore his hypothesis.
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