Writing Conclusions and Writing Conclusions and Evaluations for your Evaluations for your

design labsdesign labs

Aka Writing Scientific Aka Writing Scientific ExplanationsExplanations

Scientific MethodScientific Method

The way scientists learn and study The way scientists learn and study the world around them.the world around them.

It is a process of observing, It is a process of observing, suggesting explanations, and testing suggesting explanations, and testing ideas.ideas.

Steps of the Scientific MethodSteps of the Scientific Method

The scientific method has four main steps:The scientific method has four main steps:1.1. Make an observation.Make an observation.2.2. Make a Make a hypothesishypothesis – an educated guess – an educated guess

explaining why something is the way it explaining why something is the way it is.is.

3.3. Testing or experimentation – carrying out Testing or experimentation – carrying out an experiment that has been designed to an experiment that has been designed to test the hypothesis (to see if it right or test the hypothesis (to see if it right or wrong).wrong).

4.4. Come up with a Come up with a theory theory – an explanation – an explanation based on results from many based on results from many experiments.experiments.

Why do you have to explain??Why do you have to explain??I know that you think you are done your I know that you think you are done your

activity when you have washed the last activity when you have washed the last test tube, but developing an explanation test tube, but developing an explanation can be the most important part of your can be the most important part of your inquiry activity as it:inquiry activity as it:

can increase your ability to reason and justify your claims

can increase your understanding of the content

can alter your view of science

(McNeill, K.L. & Krajcik, J. (2006, April). Supporting Students’ Construction of Scientific Explanation through Generic versus Context-Specific Written Scaffolds. Paper presented at the American Educational Research Association Annual Meeting, San Francisco, CA. Retrieved March 20, 2010 from http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/summary?doi=10.1.1.112.2734

The classroom process The classroom process of sharing your explanation. Part 1of sharing your explanation. Part 1

Before you submit your explanation to Before you submit your explanation to the teacher for final assessment you will the teacher for final assessment you will first share your explanation with your first share your explanation with your classmates via one of two ways:classmates via one of two ways:

On your page of the class WikispaceOn your page of the class Wikispaceoror

As a GoogleDocAs a GoogleDoc You will need to comment on You will need to comment on fivefive of your of your

classmates’ explanations. Remember to classmates’ explanations. Remember to follow the proper comment netiquette follow the proper comment netiquette that we have talked about in class. that we have talked about in class.

The classroom process The classroom process of sharing your explanation. Part 2of sharing your explanation. Part 2

Tweet your theory/explanation to the Tweet your theory/explanation to the members of the class, including your members of the class, including your teacher.teacher.

Remember you only have 140 Remember you only have 140 characters to state your theory so characters to state your theory so you will have to be concise. You can you will have to be concise. You can give evidence of your supporting give evidence of your supporting logic in the class wiki or on your logic in the class wiki or on your GoogleDoc. GoogleDoc.

What the explanation is…What the explanation is…

Your explanation has to contain Your explanation has to contain three things:three things:

1.1. ClaimClaim2.2. EvidenceEvidence3.3. ReasoningReasoning

(ibid, p. 5)(ibid, p. 5)

What is a claim? What is a claim?

A claim is A claim is an assertion or conclusion that answers the original investigable question.

This has to be a clear statement as to what is the conclusion to YOUR experiment given your data and answer or what YOU found.

What can be considered evidence?What can be considered evidence?

Evidence is considered scientific Evidence is considered scientific data. data.

This data is what you collected This data is what you collected during your experiment and can take during your experiment and can take the form of either quantitative or the form of either quantitative or qualitative data.qualitative data.

You have to use all of your data, You have to use all of your data, unless you specifically state why you unless you specifically state why you are omitting some of your collected are omitting some of your collected data. data.

What is reasoning?What is reasoning? Reasoning can be considered the logical Reasoning can be considered the logical

use of the data and why it supports your use of the data and why it supports your claim.claim.

This is where you get to justify your This is where you get to justify your conclusion.conclusion.

You also should comment on:You also should comment on:1.1. the design and method for collection of the design and method for collection of

datadata2.2. the precision and accuracy of your the precision and accuracy of your

measurements.measurements.3.3. the weaknesses and limitations of your the weaknesses and limitations of your

design.design.

Don’t forget to…Don’t forget to…

write the explanation so others can write the explanation so others can understand it. understand it.

use precise and accurate scientific use precise and accurate scientific language. language.

write clearly so that anyone write clearly so that anyone interested in the explanation can interested in the explanation can understand it. understand it.

articulate your logic. articulate your logic. Wilkes University. (2010, February 4). Topic B: Communicating for Wilkes University. (2010, February 4). Topic B: Communicating for

inquiry based learning. Retrieved March 20, 2010 from inquiry based learning. Retrieved March 20, 2010 from http://moodle1.wilkes.edu/mod/resource/view.php?id=55041http://moodle1.wilkes.edu/mod/resource/view.php?id=55041