Scientific research is a dynamic process that allows us to acquire new knowledge and understand the world around us. Here are the key steps to starting a scientific investigation:

1. Observation: The first step is to observe a phenomenon, event, or problem. This observation may arise from curiosity, detecting a pattern, or identifying a need, leading to formulating a question: why does this happen? How does it work? What is the cause?

2. Problem definition: The problem to be investigated is clearly defined based on the question generated in the observation stage. It must be relevant, interesting, and address a specific area of knowledge.

3. Formulation of the hypothesis: A hypothesis is an assumption or prediction about the relationship between variables. It is a tentative answer to the question posed. The hypothesis must be testable and capable of being evaluated through experimentation or analysis.

4. Experimentation: In this stage, the hypothesis is tested through experiments, observations, or data analysis. Data is collected and compared to the predictions of the hypothesis.

5. Evaluation and analysis: The results obtained are evaluated objectively. The data is analyzed, and conclusions are drawn. If the results are consistent with the hypothesis, it is confirmed. If they are not, it is adjusted or discarded.

6. Communication of results: The findings are communicated to the scientific community and the general public. This can be done through publications.