Observing and recording is an important step in the Scientific Method. Your observations and the data you collect help you answer your question or problem and form your conclusion. It might be a good idea to have a friend help you do this step.

Qualitative Data

Observe means to examine carefully. You observe what is happening in the experiment by using your senses, but not all of them! Some of the senses are not safe to use when you’re doing an experiment, such as touch and taste. What is and is not safe to use can change from experiment to experiment. This kind of data is called qualitative because you’re not using any kind of instrument to collect it. You can organize your observations using things like charts or just write them down as notes.

Quantitative Data