Final answer:
The process where one starts with a general statement and arrives at a more specific conclusion is called deductive reasoning, a key component of the scientific method.
Step-by-step explanation:
When students take one or more general statements and work their way down to a more specific conclusion, this process is called deductive reasoning. Deductive reasoning starts with a hypothesis or a general concept and involves examining possibilities that lead to a specific, logical conclusion. For example, a student might start with the general premise that all mammals breathe air and deduce that dolphins, being mammals, also breathe air despite living in the ocean. This is in contrast to inductive reasoning, which moves from specific observations to broad generalizations.
Both inductive reasoning and deductive reasoning are integral to the scientific method, which is used to advance scientific knowledge through hypothesis testing and empirical observations.