Final answer:
The essential part of a scientific investigation is researching existing knowledge to inform the development of a testable hypothesis, which then leads to conducting experiments and communicating the results. This process is part of the scientific method.
Step-by-step explanation:
An important part of doing a scientific investigation about a particular topic is research existing knowledge about the topic. This involves finding out what others have discovered and determining if your question has already been explored. This prior research guides you to formulate a strong hypothesis, which is a tentative explanation that can be tested through experiments. Once you have a hypothesis, you can design and conduct experiments to test it and draw conclusions based on your observations.
The scientific method, a fundamental process used by scientists, includes these steps:
- Making observations.
- Forming a hypothesis.
- Designing and conducting experiments.
- Drawing conclusions.
- Communicating results.
Communicating the results is essential as it allows for peer review and replication of the experiment by others, adding to the body of scientific knowledge. A well-conducted scientific investigation takes time and careful planning, rather than rushing to complete experiments without errors or skipping background research.