Conducting Your Own Research Project

Interpreting your results could actually be the most difficult part of your project. Interpreting the results goes beyond the numbers - you generally have to answer the questions "why did it happen" and "is it important".

Player "X" has gone into the record books with the single fastest serve in tennis. "Why?" Why is this player's serve faster than the other players. Is it important? Should you do what this player does? Does this make Player "X" the best player in the world?

This is when your background research study that you conducted early in your project will payoff. You will take the knowledge that you learned to understand and explain your results.

This is also an area where experience is important. So don't hesitate to review your results with your teacher, coach or other person you feel can shed light on your interpretation of your results. Professional researchers, scientists and engineers very often have their colleagues review their results.