The Need for a Universal Scientific Method

By: Brooke E. McKay

Is has been said that the greatest discovery in science was the discovery of the scientific method of discovery. Say that five times fast. So what is the definition of the greatest discovery in science? There are actually countless definitions, which should be a red flag to anyone that whatever “it” is, has not been properly defined.

Is there a standard in science when it comes to the Scientific Method?

The scientific method discussed in textbooks and endless online sources is found in countless forms. Some go as far to say that it doesn’t even exist… It is clear to anyone who does a quick search on the internet that no standardized, single set of steps make up the modern ‘Scientific Method’. You can usually find some common elements among them such as theory, hypothesis or observation however; there is no universal consensus, even among the same science fields, in how or when they should be applied.

How are educators and parents supposed to teach a standardized method of scientific discovery if science itself does not have one? Equally as important, how are scientists being held accountable for the accuracy and reproducibility of their experiments if there is no universal scientific method by which to follow and judge their work?

Is uniformity in science THAT important….how steps are applied can just be moved around or deleted and we should still get the same result right? You would scoff at a builder who began building a home by starting with the roof first and ending with the foundation, or saying you know what, I think indoor plumbing just isn’t important so let’s just leave that out… Yet, this is what we see in many versions of the scientific method with essential parts being left out such as natural law; and theory being used as the final step to the method, the endpoint of scientific discovery.

To establish order there must be an established method to which all scientists must adhere. Allowing every scientist to make up and employ their own version of the scientific method is just as chaotic as letting accountants make up their own tax forms or lawyers setting their own rules in a courtroom. It is this lack of standardization that has contributed to over hundred year period in science where not even one significant new natural law has been discovered. It is time for the public to start demanding that scientists adhere to a standardized universal scientific method to ensure accuracy and accountability. Too many false theories are being taught as fact without physical evidence to back them up and too much money is being wasted on fruitless projects that can’t be reproduced.

We get it, no one wants someone or some method to stifle their creative discovery process however science is about discovering truth in Nature, not creative theories that might seem true but have no actual physical evidence to back them up.

The Universal Model has created a Universal Scientific Method that applies across all scientific fields. It was put in place to help discover new natural laws, which are the real endpoints of true scientific discovery. How do we know it works? Because from it, the UM has so far discovered over 40 significant new natural laws and hundred of extraordinary discoveries. Why not use a method that has already been proven to be successful?

Additional more detailed steps can be added in between the six basic steps however, to preserve the integrity of the process the order and the six included steps are necessary. The UM understands that scientific truth and reason can explain the Universe in a simple way and that there must be a method that can be employed to recognize it. Learn more about the Universal Scientific Method in chapter 2.5 of the Universal Model, A New Millennial Science.

Universal Scientific Method
1.Theory
2.Prediction
3.Testing
4.Observation
5.Evaluation
6.Natural Law

To learn more about the Universal Model click here

Brooke McKay is the daughter of the founder of the Universal Model and its foundations in Millennial Science. She resides in Mesa, Arizona with her husband and their four young boys. As mother of four boys Brooke has four reasons, other than being involved with the UM, that her house is full of rocks, dirt, bugs and experiments. She has a passion for writing, reading, speaking, teaching and learning; especially when it comes to traveling and exploring the world around her. Her favorite thing about being a part of the UM is seeing others eyes light up when they make connections to truth through asking fundamental questions. She is the co-author of the book Introduction to the Universal Model and a blogger and speaker for UMScienceKids.com.