​When the information in the data table is analyzed, there are a couple of points that can be made:

• On days 1 through 3, the amount of water given to the plant was 4 ml.

• On days 4 and 5, the amount of water was doubled to 8 ml.

• On day 4, when the plant was given 8 ml of water, the plant grew 3 cm.

​We might come to the conclusion that doubling the amount of water caused the plant to grow faster, but when we look at days 2 and 3, we see the plant also grew 3 cm. Days 2 and 3 only gave the plant 4 ml of water. The amount of information that we have so far in this investigation is not enough for us to conclude that giving a plant more water will cause it to grow faster.

Make predictions. ​

Based on this very short, five‐day investigation of wheatgrass growth, we might begin to make a prediction that more water is a better condition for growing wheatgrass. This answers our investigation question,

Is more water or less water the best condition for growing wheatgrass?​

​We might predict, based on the data we collected, analyzed, and interpreted, that doubling the amount of water a wheatgrass plant will cause it to grow faster. Now we would begin to design a new investigation, based on that prediction. Making predictions is never an “educated guess.” Many times the word hypothesis is defined as “an educated guess.” An educated guess is still just a guess. Based on our observations, we have come to a conclusion that doubling the amount of water will cause a wheatgrass plant to grow faster. We can reword that conclusion to a good scientific prediction:

​If the amount of water a plants receives is doubled, then the plant will grow faster. Notice that this is written as an if...then statement. If this, then that. This is the way a prediction in science is worded. This predication can be tested: an investigation could be designed and carried out to test this prediction. This is a hypothesis: a scientifically testable question, based on evidence and data. No guessing here!

​NEW CONCLUSION