Evaluation / Discussion / Conclusion
Content
- A conclusion should be explicitly stated based on
a reasonable interpretation of the data. A laboratory may be conclusive (that
is conclusion can confirm or be consistent with the the hypothesis, or disprove
or be inconsistent with the hypothesis) It is also possible for the results
to be inconclusive. The conclusion should be based on a reasonable
interpretation of the data.
- The relationship that was determined experimentally
between the dependent variable and the independent variable should be described.
It is not sufficient just to indicate the relationship but also explain the
theoretical relationship and the type of relationship (proportional, exponential,
etc.)
- The difference between an experimental result and
the established (known) values or to a hypothesis should be expressed as a
fraction or a percent. (e.g.DX/X or DX/X
x 100%)
- Comparisons between the
experimental data and established or hypothesized values should be made considering
the uncertainty of the experimental value and the uncertainty of the accepted
value. If the values do not compare within the ranges of the uncertainties
than the student should conclude that other factors are causing the difference.
- If there are limitations to the experiment (e.g. aerodynamic forces were
not considered) then they should be stated explicitly.
- Specific suggested improvements to the laboratory methodology should be
suggested. It is not sufficient to list the possible improvements but also
how these improvements would be done and what effect that would have on the
data collected an analyzed in the experiment. see
random vs systematic error. Each type of error should be dealt with and
dealt with differently in terms of designing an improved experiment.
Format
Assessment Link
IB09 Physics Home