SAMPLE DISCUSSIONS

EXAMPLE 1

In the experiment, the aim was to find out if the amount of water in
a container affected the rate of seed germination. The experiment
proved that it doesn’t affect the rate, as seen in the results. The
hypothesis stated that the more water there is in a container, the
faster the seeds will germinate. This was not supported as all of the
Comment [j1]: Leave out
seeds germinated at the same time.
statements like this until the
An experiment that was supposed to last for 4 days only lasted for 1, conclusion
as all of the seeds used in the experiment germinated in 20 hours.
Some of the seeds may have germinated in less than 20 hours, but
this cannot be known exactly as they germinated overnight so a close
eye could not be kept on the seeds. Because of this, the results of the
experiment are all exactly the same. To improve the investigation,
the recording of results should start earlier in the day, so that results
can be recorded to know exactly how long it takes for the seeds to
germinate. Also, the container used to put the seeds in was very
deep, so it made it hard to observe the seeds as the container was
too high. It would have made the experiment better if flat containers Comment [j2]: Good
were used, such as Petri dishes, were used. improvements
Taking recordings every 2 hours would also benefit the experiment, Comment [j3]: Avoid
to ensure that the seeds won’t germinate suddenly all around the definite statements as you
same time and so that major changes can be easily recorded and can not know this, use
noticeable. Also, the amount of water placed in the containers ‘might’ or ‘may’
should be reduced, as the seeds inside the container with the 40ml
Comment [j4]: Container
of water didn’t really need that much water and the chances of the
s with 15ml, 20ml and 25ml
seeds drowning could be high. I think containers with 15ml, 20ml and
of water may be a better
25ml of water would be a better choice.
choice
I was not able to record which seeds germinated the Comment [j5]: No
fastest. Without any difference between any of the results, not Pronouns
much can be learned from this experiment except that the seeds
germinated at the same time, which I don’t think is exactly accurate Comment [j6]: This is
because I was not able to record overnight. The reliability of my good, it explains why
results is extremely low as it was not a fair test. Because I had to do something is not fair or
my experiment from home, I did not have 3 exact containers that I reliable
could use to put my seeds in. One of my containers was light blue, Comment [j7]: Grammati
while the two others were dark blue. This made the experiment cal error, get someone to
unfair as the light blue container probably reflected off light. proofread your work to
avoid these
The experiment did not come across any problems, except minor
problems such as having to forgetting to record the results by 5 Comment [j8]: There
minutes. 5 minutes probably wouldn’t have made a difference to the was actually the other
results, but ensuring accuracy in an experiment would make the test problem of different
fairer. coloured containers
recorded above, the timing
of the experiment and the
height of the containers
To extend my investigation, more trials could be made to ensure
accuracy, in case a few beans die throughout the process of
Comment [j9]: Many
recording.
people mentioned having
More water containers with different amounts of water inside could more trials, but few people
also be added. A container containing absolutely no water could be mentioned why, this was
included as well. well done here. This is
actually an improvement
The amount of beans in a dish could be doubled just to make sure rather than an extension
the results are precise.
Comment [j10]: This is
The trend of my experiment was that it the amount of water added an extension as it gives us
to the seed does not make a difference to how fast the seed more varieties of the
germinates, as seen through the results, which show that all of the independent variable
seeds germinated at the same time. Comment [j11]: An
improvement, not an
extension
Comment [j12]: Well
done
 Comment [j13]: No
EXAMPLE 2 personal Pronouns in the
whole Discussion, well done!
The purpose of this investigation is to investigate and gather
information about the affection of the rate of seed germination
when the temperature of water is changed. The hypothesis of this
experiment is that if the temperature of water affects the rate of
seed germination, then the plant that is constantly watered with cold
water will germinate slower. In this investigation, the results show
that none of the seeds have germinated on the first day but most of
the seeds start to germinate on the second day and by the third day,
all of the seeds have germinated. In the cup that was watered with
cold water, 4 seeds have germinated in 24 hours and the remaining
two seeds germinated 12 hours later (36 hours). The average of this
cup is 28 hours. In the cup that was watered with tap water, none of
the seeds have germinated on the first day and in the morning of the
second day but they have all germinated on the second night (36
hours). This cup’s average is 36 hours. In the cup that was watered
with hot water, 2 seeds started to germinate in the second morning
(24 hours) and 3 more seeds germinated 12 hours later (36 hours)
and the last seed germinated in the third morning (48 hours). This
Comment [j14]: Good
cup’s average is 34 hours. summary of results that
includes averages
The results of this experiment is not very reliable, all of the cups that
were used to plant the seeds were the same size and colour, the
temperature of water was the same everyday for each cup but the
amount of water for each cup was not accurate since it was
estimated instead of using a beaker or a measurement cup. Also, the
amount of sunlight was not the same for each plant everyday and
Comment [j15]: Good
this can affect the rate of seed germination. points explaining why the
results are not reliable
The results did not show a clear relationship between the
temperature of water and the rate of seed germination. Seeds that Comment [j16]: This
were watered with cold water germinated the fastest; however, statement shows that there
seeds that were watered with tap water germinated the slowest and was no trend. It is helpful to
seeds watered with hot water germinated moderately. Therefore, it use the word ‘trend’ when
talking about them so that it
is not proved in the results that seeds germinate faster or slower
is easier for your teacher to
when the water temperature was increased or decreased. spot when you are talking
about it
A few problems were faced during this experiment. The first problem
was that the seeds were growing too fast and that they all grew Comment [j17]: You
should leave these sort of
overnight, which does not really prove anything, so this experiment
statements until the
was done again. Another problem was the decision of where the
conclusion
seeds should be placed, since the seeds were put in a very sunny
place in the first trial of the experiment and they all grew overnight,
the seeds were placed in the shade on the second trial for better
results. Also, another problem was that the cotton buds underneath Comment [j18]: Mentio
the seeds were still very wet on the second day after they were ns problems and how they
watered on the first day, so the seeds were watered every second were overcome
day in this experiment.

This investigation can be improved if the amount of water was not

estimated but measured with a beaker or a measuring cup so that
each plant receives the same amount of water. It is suggested that a
thermometer should be used to measure the temperature of the
water instead of using the person’s hands to feel it, so that the Comment [j19]: Great
experiment can be more accurate and reliable. Also, this experiment use of the word ‘suggeted’.
can be improved if the seeds are checked every 4 hours instead of The person is not saying that
every 12 hours so that the time of seeds germination is more precise a thermometer will
definitely improve results
and accurate.
but that it could be a good
This experiment can be extended by using different types of water, idea
for example, distilled water, mineral water, and spring water. In this
experiment, green bean seeds from Hong Kong are used, it is
suggested this experiment to be repeated with green bean seeds
that are from other countries so that a more specific conclusion can
Comment [j20]: Two
be made. ways to extend, increasing
the range ofteh independent
variable and examining
beans from other places to
see if they yield similar
results
EXAMPLE 3

In my experiment, I positioned the three Petri dishes at various Comment [j21]: Pesky
distances from a fan that was constantly blowing, providing each personal pronouns polluting
Petri dish with a different level of airflow. My hypothesis was that perhaps perfect plant papers!
the seeds with high airflow would germinate faster than those with
low and medium airflow.

My results proved this, showing the seeds in high airflow to have Comment [j22]: Save the
germinated faster in the five day period than the seeds at low and big news for the conclusion
medium airflow. In the five days, five of the seeds in high airflow
germinated, three seeds in the medium airflow germinated and four
seeds in the low airflow germinated. The seeds in high airflow began
to germinate very quickly, one of them germinated in less than five
hours whereas in the medium and low airflow, it took two days for a
single seed to germinate. After the high airflow, the seeds in low
airflow germinated the fastest, and the medium germinated the
slowest. Taking two days for one seed to germinate and then taking
another two days for a second seed to germinate which, compared
to the other two sets of seeds, is very slow. In high airflow, only one
seed didn’t germinate. In medium airflow, three seeds didn’t
germinate and in low airflow, two seeds didn’t germinate. It is
assumed that, if given more time, they would have all germinated.

When looking at the results, I noticed some trends. In several Comment [j23]: Good,
occasions, it seemed that when one a seed in one level of airflow this is spelling out that this
germinated, another seed in a different airflow level would paragraph is about trends
germinate as well. For example, as you can see in the graph below on
day 5 at five o’ clock one seed had germinated form each level of
airflow more than there had been at twelve o’ clock on the same day.
Similar instances are shown on day three at twelve o’clock, a seed
from each airflow level germinated between then and five o’clock on
the previous day. Another thing I noticed is that between five o’clock
on day three and five o’clock on day four, there were no changes to
the amount of seeds germinated until twelve o’clock on day five
where, over night, a seed germinated in both the medium and low
airflow groups.

Though out my test, I was careful to eliminate any variables that

would affect the experiments reliability. One thing about the test
that I think is not as fair as I hoped is the results of the seeds in the
low airflow. The seeds were set far away enough that the airflow
from the fan did not reach them very well, creating a low airflow
environment. This would have been fine except I think that the way Comment [j24]: Good
that the seeds were positioned affected the sunlight they each reasoning, but be careful
when making assumptions
received, meaning the low airflow seeds got more sun time. I think
unless you have some other
the low airflow seeds germinated faster than the medium airflow research that you can
seeds purely because it got more sunlight and regardless of the reference that backs it up
airflow because I think that the sun affects plants more than the flow
Comment [j25]: In
of air does. The tests for the medium and high air flow seeds were particular, it would be
completely reliable and were still able to give me appropriate data to expected that the humidity
support my hypothesis. Another thing that may have affected the would be higher near the
experiments reliability is humidity, although I had a de-humidifier low airflow plants as the
running constantly in the room, humidity would be there naturally, wind would have promoted
higher n some days than others which may have affected the speed evaporation and dried out
the cotton wool near the fan
of germination. One big thing that may affect my results is that it is
first. An observation about
not definite that the airflow was the variable that sped up the this would have been good
germination, but rather the cooler temperature produced by the fan. to record.
With the resources I had, I could not think of a way that I could test
Comment [j26]: You
airflow without changing the temperature. might have been able to find
some information if you
researched this. Fans only
During my experiment I had very few problems. The main one that I make us feel cool because
had was that the cotton wool in the Petri dishes kept on flying out of they take the air, warmed by
the dishes at night when the water dried and the fan blew them our bodies, and strip it away
away. To solve this, I placed two small clay balls in the center of the from where it hangs around
dishes, on top of the wool. This meant that they no longer blew away. next to our skin and by
increasing evaporation. If
you had covered the dishes
There are quite a few ways my experiment could be improved. One so that evaporation could
not occur, the fan should not
of the ways is to test more variations of airflow. Instead of having
have affected the
low, medium and high airflow. I could have five different Petri dishes temperature of the seeds as
and number them, one being the closest to the fan and five being the the seeds don’t produce
farthest. I would also improve it by placing it in a room where the heat of their own. Of course
sunlight was spread evenly to keep from repeating the results I then the wind would have
gained from the Petri dish in low airflow. I would also set up an no affect at all on the seeds!
identical experiment beside it, but use a fan heater on the same Comment [j27]: The
power as the fan to eliminate the possibility of the temperature different sunlight you
affecting the plants. I would also run the experiment for two weeks mentioned before was also a
instead of just five days to give all the seeds a chance to germinate to problem
get the maximum data possible. Comment [j28]: Or you
could do it in a dark room.
Sunlight is not essential for
If I were to extend my experiment I would also look into seeing the germination
effect of various temperatures on the seeds and how it affects Comment [j29]: Wouldn’
germination as this could be one of the contributing factors as to t the closer seeds be hotter?
why the high airflow (and lower temperature) seeds germinated
faster. I would also look into how airflow affects the height and Comment [j30]: This is
condition of the plants if I had longer to do the experiment. This great because you are
would be so I could get data on whether high airflow affects the applying something that you
actual plants and not just the speed at which they germinate. noticed as a problem and
thinking of ways that you
could test if it is the case