Result or conclusion? Students' differentiation between experimental results and conclusions

Abstract

Science curricula often require students to collect, record, and describe experimental observations and results, as well as to draw conclusions. The first purpose of this study is to document and analyze students' performance regarding the differentiation between results and conclusions, while they are engaged in scientific investigations within biology classrooms. The second purpose is to describe and analyze teachers' thinking regarding this issue. The findings show that while learning biology in school, students often have difficulties in differentiating between experimental results and conclusions. Although teachers were highly aware of their students' difficulties and held a rich set of ideas about the sources of those difficulties, the instructional means they used were insufficient. Two hypotheses are suggested as the source of students' difficulties. Further research is needed to investigate those hypotheses and to formulate recommendations for improved instructional means.

Keywords:

• Students' reasoning
• Inquiry skills
• Results and conclusions