How to Write a Conclusion for a Science Project
A conclusion is the last part or paragraph of an essay. It is simply the opposite of an introduction paragraph as it enhances a tone of closure for the readers. As the final section of a paper, a conclusion brings everything together based on the theme. Because of the crucial role of a conclusion in any paper, you need to equip yourself with skills on how to write a conclusion for a science project.
A science project conclusion should provide answers to all possible questions, and leave the audience satisfied. Revisit the body and introduction of the essay to get the main points before you do a summary. Keep the conclusion brief, avoiding unnecessary repetition.
Tips on How to Write a Conclusion for a Science Project
To achieve a sense of closure as you wrap up your essay, stick to the following guidelines:
Link your conclusion to the first paragraph of your project. Here, use specific words appearing in the first paragraph to show that you are linking the two paragraphs.
Conclude your project by revisiting the topic sentences in the body and rephrasing the points. From these points, show how your findings support your hypothesis.
This conclusion excerpt of A Scientific Report on Climate Change illustrates:
“This report recommends adoption of safe farming practices by farmers to curb emission of greenhouse gases to the atmosphere.”
Write a flawless conclusion. Proofread your conclusion to eliminate any errors. Perfect science projects speak a lot about your commitment to research and fine details, which is the bottom line of projects.
The tone of the paragraph should automatically signal the mood of closure. If readers finish reading your essay without noticing that it is over, then your conclusion has not achieved its objective. Having your audience in mind will help you know how to write a conclusion for a science project regardless of the topic.
What to Avoid when Writing a Conclusion for a Science Project
Most people assume they are experts in writing a conclusion for a science project. This is untrue. Common mistakes in conclusion writing demonstrate how writers concentrate on the introduction and devote less energy on the conclusion. Here are some of the don’ts to observe when ending your paper.
Avoid plain summaries: Give a brief summary of the entire paper. Where your paper is short, say, less than ten pages, work on a short paragraph conclusion of less than 7 sentences. Short essays appear to be less demanding as compared to long ones, which may require a longer conclusion paragraph. In such papers, you must restate the main points in your conclusion.
Avoid outdated phrases like ‘to sum up’, ‘in conclusion’, or ‘in summary.’ These phrases are common and applicable in oral presentation i.e. when delivering a speech. Readers will obviously know when the paper is ending. Dwelling on something trivial adds no value to your project apart from irritating your audience. The readers may also consider you lazy.
This conclusion of A Scientific Report on Climate Change is an excellent way of avoiding outdated phrases:
“This report has analyzed the effects of human activities on climate change. It has also explained how man has contributed to climate change since 1750s”
The author starts the conclusion by referring back to the aim of the report.
Avoid apologies: Sticking to your position is the basic principle of writing a conclusion for any science project. Avoid the pressure of making apologies and emotional appeals. Maintain your stance as appearing apologetic of your findings takes away the credibility. Readers will believe your results if you sum up your points authoritatively.
Guidelines on How to Write a Conclusion for a Science Project
Science is a complex discipline that calls for perfect results. This is because your final project may solely depend on your efforts through experimental research. Science reports also differ in their structure. From the introduction to the conclusion, every step counts. Thus, it is important to master writing conclusions for science projects before you face this assignment.
A science project reveals how well you have mastered the subject matter to apply it in solving a scientific problem. In a science project, a conclusion emphasizes your results and gives the audience an overview of the experiment. At this stage, provide evidence that you understand the objectives of the project by penning a strong conclusion.
The following section gives tips on how to write a conclusion for a science project.
Outlining a Science Project Conclusion
Go over your project to confirm that you covered all the parts, which you will use to come up with your conclusion. Take your time to think about the objectives of the project and if you achieved what you were expected to learn.
Apart from reviewing the body of the project, go back to your introduction. Going back to your first paragraph ensures that the two paragraphs are in harmony. It is an excellent idea in brainstorming an idea that you wish to include in your conclusion.
Apply the RERUN method. RERUN is a major tool to consider when writing a conclusion for a science project. It allows you to identify various elements of a conclusion. It helps in capturing the main components of an experiment. RERUN stands for Restate, Explain, Results, Uncertainties, and New.
When writing a science project conclusion, describe the assignment and restate the experiment, you conducted. Apart from this, explain the objectives of the project. Ask yourself whether you know your target. Briefly explain the procedures you used to complete your assignment. Additionally, explain the results.
In this type of science project, explain the presence of errors and uncertainties. Bring out the hardships you may have gone through in search for answers. Also, expound on new ideas that may have come up from the experiments.
Consider adding other sections. While the RERUN method offers an appropriate approach, you may consider adding more. Do not hesitate to dwell on what you learned from the project
How to Write a Conclusion for a Science Project Effectively
To finish your science project strongly, you must introduce your experiment in your final paragraph. Start your conclusion by going back to the body of your project and giving a brief overview of your work. Give a description of the project in one or two sentences and expound on the objectives. This ensures continuity of ideas from the introduction, body and the conclusion.
Let the audience know if you did the experiment several times and give reasons. Also, bring out any changes you made in your project and the effect of those changes. Remember to brainstorm ways of explaining your experimental findings in details. You may refer to your notes and pay special attention to the results.
Figuring out how to write a conclusion for a science project should not be a problem if you have correct results. Give a brief of your results, especially those that support your hypothesis. Like in other essay conclusions, do not capture everything but focus on important data that you have.
Use phrases like ‘The results showed that…’ to help the reader link your conclusion and the findings. Avoid giving raw data in your final paragraph. Since the reader has gone through your entire paper, summarize the main points, calculate the mean or give an interval within which the results occur. Do not assume that the reader still remembers the results.
Did your findings support your hypothesis? In science projects, you conduct experiments to support a hypothesis. A hypothesis states the expected outcome. It is the foundation of your project as it gives bearing to the research process.
Here is an example from How Concussions Occur:
“From the above discussion, everyone is at risk of concussions but those who undertake physical activities are at a higher risk. Since some of the effects are permanent, people should be cautious.”
The conclusion states the findings of the research by saying that everyone is at risk of concussions even though sportsmen are at a higher risk.
Create a link between the results and the hypothesis. From the results, deduce whether they supported the hypothesis or otherwise. Go ahead and give a comment on the implication of the results on your entire project. Clarify why the results supported your hypothesis.
Wrapping up Your Science Project Conclusion
The final stage when writing a conclusion for a science project is summarizing your work. Since this is the last part of your project, make all the clarifications. For example, capture the errors, which may have influenced the results.
Remember that science is about accurate results. By stating the errors, you enhance the credibility of your work. Explain to the reader anything unexpected that you encountered as you worked on the project.
This science report titled ‘Which Battery is Better?’ has a good example of a conclusion:
“In my hypothesis, I had stated that Energizer lasts longer when use in various appliances. My findings fully support my hypothesis. I believe my tests were accurate and I had no problems.”
The author evaluates the experiment by putting the hypothesis to test. The conclusion also captures the accuracy of the process. Click here for the full report.
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References:
http://www.sciencebuddies.org/science-fair-projects/project_conclusions.shtml
http://www.writing.ucsb.edu/faculty/donelan/concl.html
http://writingcenter.fas.harvard.edu/pages/ending-essay-conclusions