The scientific method or process is considered fundamental to the scientific investigation and acquisition of new knowledge based upon physical evidence. Scientists propose new assertions about our world in the form of theories: observations, hypotheses, and deductions. Predictions from these theories are tested by experiment. If a prediction turns out to be correct, the theory survives. Any theory which is cogent enough to make predictions can then be tested reproducibly in this way. The method is commonly taken as the underlying logic of scientific practice. The scientific method is essentially an extremely cautious means of building a supportable, evidenced understanding of our world.
There is a fundamental assumption in scientific method and this is that the scientific "laws" should always be space-time position independant or space-time position bounded. This assumption is made to preserve that experiments and their results are also space-time position independant or space-time position bounded, so that it is not necessary to repeat experiments to all space-time co-ordinates in order to be able to proove a scientific theory. If the laws that govern experiments are position dependant and/or cannot be bounded in a specific space-time position, then the experiments have to be repeated to all space-time co-ordinates (or to all bounded space-time co-ordinates the scientific theory requires), in order for the scientific theory to be prooved.(Web,1)
The scientific method's essential elements are iterations and recursions of the following four steps:
1. Characterization
2. Hypothesis (a theoretical, hypothetical explanation)
3. Prediction (logical deduction from the hypothesis)
4. Experiment (test of all of the above)
The above is an hypothetico-deductive method, and includes observation in the first and fourth steps. Each step is subject to peer review for possible mistakes. These activities do not describe all that scientists do mostly to experimental sciences (e.g., physics, chemistry)
