I am not a scientist. I am an electrical engineer. However, I am a member of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), and have been for many years. I also faithfully read every weekly AAAS issue of “Science” (although not every article therein – my interests are limited).
The following is a reasonable definition of The Scientific Method:
The principles and empirical processes of discovery and demonstration considered characteristic of or necessary for scientific investigation, generally involving the observation of phenomena, the formulation of a hypothesis concerning the phenomena, experimentation to test the hypothesis, and development of a conclusion that confirms, rejects, or modifies the hypothesis.