As
scientists gather data and later try to make sense of (interpret)
it, they look closely for patterns or relationships that might "tell"
them something significant. They use their imaginations and think
logically about this new information and relate it to what they
already know and to others' findings. Then they make an overall
statement or explanation. They also think about how findings connect
to larger ideas. (Other people may interpret the data differently
and pose alternative explanations, which can spark further research.)
The data might offer little help in answering a question or supporting
a hypothesis, but could suggest other questions or avenues of research.