What is the first step in the scientific method?

The initial step in the scientific method is making observations. This phase involves gathering information and noticing phenomena, which inspires questions or ideas for further investigation. Observations serve as the foundation for the entire scientific process, allowing researchers to identify patterns, relationships, and areas for study. By making observations, practitioners collect the necessary context about the subject in question, which ultimately leads to the formation of a hypothesis and the design of experiments to test that hypothesis.

Other parts of the scientific method, such as formulating a hypothesis, conducting experiments, and analyzing results, rely heavily on the observations made at the start. Without these keen observations, one would lack a starting point to develop hypotheses or to understand what needs further examination through experimentation.