So, you've been tasked with becoming a scientist. Lucky you! You already have what it takes, like curiosity. Yes - first and foremost, scientists are curious. They look at the world around them and ask questions like who, what, where, when, why, and how.
How to be curious
Look for problems
Review past experiments
Find other ways
Rethink your views
Research your opinions
Search for information
Build models
Debate with peers
Talk to people with views different from yours
Make sound arguments
To learn more about how to be curious and act like a scientist view this document!
So you have some curiosities. Now what?
Got an idea of something you are curious about? Great! Now let’s take that giant idea and scale it down to something you can study. For example, if you are curious about, “How can we control the worldwide threat of malaria?” you might consider starting with a smaller scale question such as, “Which way of addressing the threat of malaria should receive more funding: developing a vaccine, spraying with DDT, or mandating individual practices such as eliminating standing water or using treated bed nets?”
Watch these videos to see real USDA Forest Service scientists talking about how they develop testable. questions from their curiosity.
Turning Your Curiosity into a Question
Often, scientists are drawn to answer certain types of questions. Sometimes they are interested in observing and documenting the current state of a natural event. Other times, they are interested in tracking how something changes over time, or even experimenting to see how certain conditions affect their topic of interest. We've provided some examples below:
Curiosity
Testable Question
Why is the sky blue?
When is the sky more or less blue?
What objects make the sky appear more or less blue? To what degree?
Is rain polluted?
What are the levels of acidity in the rain water in my backyard?
Is that rain water cleaner than tap water? Is it safe to drink?
Look for problems at home or in school.
Resources
You can learn more about turning your curiosity into a question at Science Buddies or the resources found on our resources page.
To learn more about how to be curious and act like a scientist 
