What is the first step of the scientific method?

The first step of the scientific method is observation. During this step, a researcher notices something and wonders how it works or what causes it.

A researcher cannot develop a hypothesis without first observing something and gathering information about it. A researcher observing tomato plants, for example, might notice that some of the plants look healthy while others have white spots. The researcher would record this observation and then gather relevant information. After collecting information, the researcher forms a hypothesis. In this case, the researcher might decide to investigate whether the plants with white spots are getting more or less water than the healthy plants.