communicating findings
The last step in a scientific investigation is communicating what you have learned with others. This is a very important step because it allows others to test your hypothesis. If other researchers get the same results as yours, they add support to the hypothesis. However, if they get different results, they may disprove the hypothesis. When scientists share their results, they should describe their methods and point out any possible problems with the investigation. Results can be communicated in various ways. A scientist usually contributes material through publication in a peer-reviewed scientific journal. Peer-review ensures the material is of an acceptable quality for the scientific community. Scientists also write review articles, book chapters, and even whole books. They also regularly participate in scientific meetings, presenting their material in front of large audiences of their peers.