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Companion Scenario: Spontaneous Generation

Interpretation for Conclusion

Conclusions tie together your introduction and methods with the results This is the point, usually in a paper, but can also be a presentation, where you deliver and explain the results as they pertain to your original hypothesis. However, equally important, this is the point where supported and unsupported hypotheses open up new observations, questions and additional (new 0 hypotheses that were derived from conducting the last experiment.


Imagine an experiment like being lost in a cave. You have a basic idea of the direction you should be heading if you want out. Some turns (supported hypotheses) bring you to major intersections that will ultimately lead you out. However, other turns (unsupported hypotheses) do two things: (1) They eliminate possible ways out that prove unfruitful and (2) they open up realizations about the cave that were possible not realized or not completely obvious. These realizations lead to future experiments  that may be performed. Often, unsupported hypotheses lead researches to ultimately better understand what they were studying than an initial supported hypothesis.  Using our cave analogy, these could be frozen water, specialized plants only found in that one cave, or any number of other things that are related to the condition of the cave.