Quick Explanation of the Scientific Method

I was trying to explain the Scientific Method to a friend, who had heard the term but didn't understand what it meant. Here is my incredibly brief explanation.

First, it was developed in the early 17th Century by the philosopher Francis Bacon. He in turn built on some early work in this regard from the Arab scientist Alhazen, who had come up with similar concepts about 600 years before.

Bacon's scientific method essentially has the following steps for a scientist.

1. Make observations.
2. Form a theory to explain what you have observed.
3. Conduct an experiment to see whether your theory works.
4. If it works as expected (essentially proving your theory), share it with other scientists to establish a peer review of your work.

 All too often, we forget about the importance of step 4. It's really critical to open up your observations, experiments, and theory to others. This allows them to "poke holes" in your work and highlight mistakes you might have made.