What is the systematic process used by scientists to study nature?

The systematic process used by scientists to study nature fundamentally encompasses a variety of methods, but it is best described by the term "research." Research refers to the comprehensive approach that includes formulating questions, designing experiments, collecting data, analyzing results, and drawing conclusions based on empirical evidence. This broad perspective emphasizes that scientists engage in a structured yet flexible framework to explore phenomena and contribute to our understanding of the natural world.

While experimentation, observation, and hypothesis formulation are integral components of scientific inquiry, they each represent specific aspects of the overall research process rather than it in its entirety. Experimentation is one method used within research to test hypotheses, observation involves gathering information about a phenomenon, and a hypothesis is an initial, testable prediction that guides the research. Collectively, these methods illustrate the steps within the larger umbrella of research, which systematically drives the exploration and understanding of nature.