Final answer:
A scientist working towards a scientific theory will first form a hypothesis, which is a tentative explanation based on initial observations that can be tested through subsequent experimentation.
Step-by-step explanation:
Based on the information provided, when a scientist begins work on forming a scientific theory, the logical inference that can be made is that the scientist will first form a hypothesis. A hypothesis is a testable statement that describes how something in the natural world works, which comes after initial observations and before designing and conducting experiments. According to the scientific method, after making an observation, a scientist performs some research and then devises a hypothesis. The hypothesis is a tentative explanation for the observations that can be tested through experiments. Only after forming a hypothesis does a scientist move on to ensuring the methodology is sound, designing experiments, and collecting data.