English for

Making Conclusions 
Your hypothesis is supported by data that supports your prediction. Does this evidence establish the 
validity of your theory? No, a hypothesis cannot be proved to be true beyond a reasonable doubt. This is because 
it is impossible to look at every piece of evidence that might exist, and someday evidence that refutes the 
hypothesis could be discovered. Nevertheless, a hypothesis is more likely to be correct the more evidence there 
is to support it. 
Communicating Results 
The final stage of a scientific investigation is sharing your findings with others. This is a crucial step 
because it enables others to examine your theory. If other researchers arrive at the same conclusions, this lends 
credence to the hypothesis. If they discover otherwise, they might prove the theory wrong. 
When scientists present their findings, they ought to explain their research procedures and highlight 
any potential flaws. For instance, perhaps you scared away birds while you were watching moths. Your 
investigation now contains a flaw as a result of this. The birds avoided the moths while you were watching 
them, as you predicted, but not for the reason you assumed. Future studies may be able to avoid this error thanks 
to the creative thinking of other researchers. 

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Summary 
•
The scientific investigation, carried out using the scientific method, is at the core of science. A plan for 
raising questions and putting potential solutions to the test is a scientific investigation. 
•
Observations are frequently the first step in a scientific investigation. Questions frequently follow 
observations. 
•
A hypothesis is a potential explanation for a scientific question based on current scientific 
understanding. 
•
Evidence is any type of data that may agree or disagree with a prediction in order to support or refute 
a hypothesis. A prediction is a statement that predicts what will occur under specific circumstances. 
Evidence can help form conclusions. 
•
The sharing of findings with others is the last step in a scientific investigation
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