An overview of the scientific method is presented in the figure below. It is important to realize that this is a general description of one way scientists approach their studies. Even though it is systematic and allows for creativity and flexibility, there is no absolute path for discovering the answer to a question. Some scientific studies might start with an observation; others might start with a question based on previous work. Sometimes a scientific study might begin with a hypothesis to be tested, while other times an accidental discovery may trigger a finding that leads to a hypothesis.
