Peer Review & Conclusions

A conclusion is where the experiment ends and the explanation begins. It is not the place for guesses or wishful thinking — it is where you state what your data actually shows. Real scientists then ask other scientists to check their work. That checking is called peer review, and it is what separates a careful conclusion from a rushed one.

A Strong Conclusion: Claim, Evidence, Reasoning

1. Claim — one clear sentence answering your original question.
2. Evidence — specific numbers and observations from your data.
3. Reasoning — why the evidence supports the claim, using science ideas you already know.
4. Next step — a new question or change you would make next time.

Common Conclusion Mistakes

• Overstating — saying "this proves" when one trial only suggests something.
• Ignoring data — skipping the trials that did not match your hypothesis.
• Restating the hypothesis — repeating what you predicted instead of explaining what you found.
• No numbers — writing "the plant grew a lot" instead of "the plant grew 4 cm (about 1.6 in) in 7 days".
• No reasoning — listing data without explaining why it answers the question.

How Peer Review Works

1. Write — finish your conclusion using claim, evidence, and reasoning.
2. Share — exchange your work with a partner or small group.
3. Review — read carefully and give specific, kind feedback.
4. Revise — use the feedback to fix unclear parts or weak evidence.

Giving Feedback Respectfully

• Comment on the work, not the person — say "this sentence is unclear", not "you are confusing".
• Be specific — point to the line or number you mean.
• Ask before you fix — "did you mean...?" works better than rewriting their sentence.
• Name one strength along with each suggestion.