Step 4: Conclude with New Questions
What was it all about?
A good conclusion is a new beginning, not an ending. In your conclusion
you’ll probably:
• briefly review what you investigated and why
• briefly review your hypothesis and what you found out about it
• talk about how factors you might not have expected affected your results
• explain what new questions or investigations might develop from the work you've done
Should you keep going?
Scientists try out new ideas and experiments, but they also look
back on past work to build on it. Now that you’ve proven —
or more likely challenged — your hypothesis, explain what
further investigating you could do to continue to learn more about
your topic. Give a few possibilities for how you could take your
work one step further.
What new questions do you have?
Scientists are question-askers at heart. One way to show you’re
really thinking about your subject is to include new investigation
ideas that occurred to you as you learned about your topic. What
new questions are you interested to ask based on what you’ve
learned?
Example in Action
See
an excerpt from a student scientist's report.
If you did it again, what would you do differently?
You'll gain knowledge about your topic through observation and research,
but by going through the process of observing, researching, and
experimenting, you'll also learn about the best way to do those
things. Reflect on what you learned from the experience and what
you might have done differently knowing what you know now.
Example in Action
See an excerpt from a
student scientist's report.
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