SECTION FIVE : Conclusion
Focusing on what you learned by doing the lab
Step 1: Write a paragraph summarizing what
you have learned about the scientific concept of the lab from doing the
lab. Back up your statement with details from your lab experience.
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The Conclusion is where you make it clear
to the lab instructor what you learned in the lab experience. Since
the purpose of the lab is to learn something about science, take the
time to write a Conclusion that convinces the lab instructor of what
you have learned.
- Return to the scientific concept you established in the Introduction.
But instead of describing what you know about the scientific concept
in the Conclusion, describe what you learned about the concept from
doing the lab. For example:
- How has your understanding of the concept improved or otherwise
changed from doing the lab?
- What specific aspects of the procedure or data contributed to
your learning?
- What difficulties did you have with the concept before doing the
lab and how were those difficulties alleviated by doing the lab?
- How might what you have learned in the lab be applicable in the
future?
- Be direct in your statement of what you have learned. Don't be afraid
to start out saying, "In this lab, I learned that ...." This
sort of clarity will be appreciated by the reader. Elaborate on your
statement with additional details about what you have learned.
Step 2: If there is anything else you have
learned about from doing the lab, such as the lab procedures or kinds
of analyses you used, describe it in a paragraph or 2.
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- There may be more that you have learned about from the lab experience
than the scientific concept of the lab. If so, write a paragraph describing
it. For example:
- Was there anything in the lab procedure that you found particularly
interesting to learn how to do?
- Did you apply a procedure for analyzing data that was useful to
learn about?
- Did you learn anything about using a spreadsheet or graphing or
creating other visuals?
- Did you learn anything about writing or about science from writing
the report?
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