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Primary Science · Year 5Chapter 1 · Working scientifically: planning and reporting
Year 5 Science · Working scientifically: planning and reporting · Lesson 1.5

Year 5 Science: Reporting findings, evidence and trust

Part of the Year 5 Science working scientifically: planning and reporting chapter. Chapter overview · whole chapter on one page

1.5

Reporting findings, evidence and trust

Year 5
WS5: report and present findings, including conclusions, causal relationships and degree of trust in results, WS6: identify scientific evidence used to support or refute ideas or arguments
Story. Priya’s group writes a report that says: “Higher ramps make cars roll further.” Mr Patel asks: “Can you show me the evidence? How sure can we be?”

A report says what you did, what you found and what you conclude. The conclusion must match the results, and it should say no more than the evidence shows.

A causal relationship means that one thing causes a change in another. To show a cause, the test must be fair, so that only one thing changed. A pattern in results alone does not prove a cause.

The degree of trust in a result depends on how it was obtained. Results are more trusted when the test was fair, the measurements were precise, and the readings were repeated and agree.

Evidence can support an idea, when it agrees with it, or refute it, when it does not.

IdeaFairtestCollectevidenceSupport orrefute the idea
Four boxes in a row: idea, fair test, collect evidence, support or refute the idea.

The steps of a scientific enquiry go round in a loop: an idea leads to a test, the test gives evidence, and the evidence supports or refutes the idea.

Key ideas

  • A conclusion must match the results.
  • A causal relationship is when one thing causes a change in another, shown by a fair test.
  • Repeat readings, precise measurements and a fair test all increase the degree of trust.
  • Evidence supports an idea when it agrees with the idea, and refutes it when it does not.
Worked example 1.5.1
Look at the scatter graph in section 1.4. Does the graph support the conclusion that a higher ramp makes the car roll further? Write yes or no.
02468101214010203040506070ramp height (cm)distance rolled (cm)

Method. Check the direction of the pattern.

  1. Look at the points. The distance rises as the ramp height rises, for every height tested.
    rises
  2. Decide. So the evidence supports the conclusion.
    supports
  3. Write the answer.
    yes

Check. The evidence agrees with the conclusion. ✓

Worked example 1.5.2
Priya repeats her test three times, and gets similar results each time. Does repeating the test increase the degree of trust? Write yes or no.

Method. Think about repeat readings.

  1. Think about the repeats. Repeating a test shows whether the results agree.
    agree
  2. Decide. Results that agree are more trusted, so the answer is yes.
    yes
  3. Write the answer.
    yes

Check. Repeating the test helps show the result is reliable. ✓

Worked example 1.5.3
Mo’s results show no change at all in the distance when the ramp is made higher. Does this evidence support or refute the idea that a higher ramp makes the car roll further? Write the word.

Method. Compare the evidence with the idea.

  1. Read the results. The results show no change in the distance.
    no change
  2. Compare. The evidence does not agree with the idea, so it refutes it.
    does not agree
  3. Write the answer.
    refute

Check. Evidence that does not agree with an idea refutes it. ✓

Watch out

Watch out: a pattern in results does not prove a cause unless the test was fair. If two things changed at once, you cannot tell which one caused the result.

Try it (with your teacher or a grown-up). Repeat the book-ramp test from section 1.1 three times. Write a short report with three parts: what you did, what you found, and your conclusion. Say whether your conclusion matches your results, and give one reason why you can trust them.

Exam tip

Grown-up tip. Ask: “Does your conclusion match your results? How do you know the test was fair?” Let your child read the report aloud.

Exercise 1E  Reporting findings, evidence and trust

1
FWhat is the name of the part of a report that says what the results show? Write one word.
2
FMust a conclusion match the results? Write yes or no.
3
FWhich increases the degree of trust in a result: repeating the test, or doing it once? Write the word.
4
FFill in the gap: a causal relationship means one thing ___ another. Write the word.
5
FAli changes two things at once, and the car rolls further. Does this test show clearly what caused the change? Write yes or no.
6
FMo’s evidence agrees with his idea. Does the evidence support or refute the idea? Write the word.
7
FPriya’s evidence does not agree with her idea. Does the evidence support or refute the idea? Write the word.
8
FLook at the flow diagram in section 1.5. Which box comes directly after the box that says Fair test? Write the words.
9
PSWorking scientifically. Evaluate the evidence for a claim. Aisha says: “The car rolls further because it is blue.” Is this conclusion supported by a fair test? Write yes or no.
10
PSWrite one way to increase the degree of trust in a set of results.
11
PSRuby’s three results are 41 cm, 45 cm and 43 cm. They agree closely. Does this make her results more trusted? Write yes or no.
12
RExplain why two results that agree are more trusted than one single result. Write one sentence.

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