the science experiment

Scientific method is a simple concept:

1. Ask a Question
   
2. Do Background Research
   
3. Construct a Hypothesis
   
4. Test Your Hypothesis by Doing an Experiment
   
5. Analyze Your Data
   
6. Draw a Conclusion
   
7. Communicate Your Results
   

I was never very good at this in junior high science class, but I get it now.

Scientific method in practice at the Grapes household:

1. Question: was the UTI home test strip I just used too old to be accurate?
   
2. Background Research: the bottle says they expired in 2008, and it's 2010. Symptoms of a UTI include frequent and urgent needs to urinate and burning sensation during urination. I may old test strips that give Me a positive result, but I also have those symptoms.
   
3. Hypothesis: if just anyone pees on the test strip and it turns bright purple then the strip is too old to provide an accurate result (or we BOTH have UTIs).
   
4. Experiment to Test Hypothesis:
   Me: husband, can you come pee on this?
   Husband: what?
   Me: I need you to pee on this.
   Husband: ok. (sidenote: I love that this was his answer.)
   
5. Analyze Data: mine was bright purple, my husband's was pee colored.
   
6. Conclusion: the test strip works fine and I have a UTI.
   
7. Communicate Your Results: hi, Dr. P, where do I go to get a UTI treated on a Saturday morning?