(a)  Science Project Grading - Biology Honors (08-09)

Student’s Name ______Class Period ______Date ______

Project Title ______

General Format:

q  Entire report (excepting raw data) must be word processed, font 12, 1.5 spacing

q  Report must be in exact order of the following grading rubric

Separate each section with double spacing and a new, bold subheading

q  Sentences: Introduction, problem statement, hypothesis, prediction, result statement, analysis, procedure (can be in list, sentence form)

q  Include title page

q  Reference list on last page

Reference – use noodletools.com, MLA formatting.

q  All data neatly in data tables, including all units in metric

q  Appendices: include raw data, photos, and MSDS chemical forms

q  Journal: you must hand in your journal – everything dated, all raw data must be in the journal, or, stapled in the journal if you used an instrument to collect data

q  All CALCULATIONS must be shown in the journal AND in the lab report.

q  Parenthetical (in-text) reference must be used in the introduction, the hypothesis, and the analysis. This is not just for exact quotes, but also referencing ideas you obtained from a given reference.

See noodle tools for exact format. (You can click on the end of your reference after entering it in Noodle Tools, and it will show you its parenthetical reference.)

q  The Analysis must focus on WHY you got your results or WHY you think you got the results, based on reading from the references. The key word is EXPLAIN what happened, incorporating scientific concepts including biochemical/molecular wherever possible.

q  ATTACH THIS ENTIRE GRADING TO THE END OF YOUR REPORT

Written Report Grading Rubric

Category

/ Scoring Criteria / Value / Score
Introduction
/ Outstanding background research, including info., specific to research topic and procedure; parenthetical references included; at least 2 pages / 10
Adequate research, specific to research topic and procedure; parenthetical references included; at least 2 pages
Inadequate research or not specific to research topic and procedure; parenthetical references not sufficient
/ POINTS
Procedure
Materials and units
/ All materials neatly listed and all numbers include units / 2 - POINTS
All numbers with metric units or report rejected
Problem Statement / hypothesis / prediction / Correctly stated; prediction “leads to” procedure
(for each missing, not correctly minus 2) / 8
POINTS
Prelab
/ Description of procedure outstanding / 3
Description of procedure inadequate / 1-2
No Prelab / 0
POINTS
Experiment:
Parts needed:
Independent variable / methodology to measure
Dependent variables / methodology to measure
Control group with adequate organisms
Experimental groups with adequate organisms
Controlled variables
All of above parts clearly identified and clearly described / 15
Each of above is 3 points
POINTS
Procedure: Detailed description and repeatability / Described in detail, step by step, “cookbook” format; entirely repeatable. Procedure demonstrates properly designed experiment. / 10
Lacking some details; mostly repeatable; problems with exp. design
Lacking sufficient detail; minimally repeatable
POINTS
Results
/ All tables/charts clearly and properly labeled, all data shown / 6
Data tables included but not complete
Inadequate tables/charts
POINTS
Result statement
/ Appropriate summary of all data – NO analysis / 2
Summary of most data / 1
POINTS
Analysis
Graphs / Clearly demonstrate relationships between independent and dependent variable; correct formats and labeling; Included all necessary graphs for analysis / 6
Demonstrate relationships, but formatting or labeling not entirely correct
Graphs acceptably done, but too few graphs to adequately analyze data and/or not correctly done
POINTS
Interpretation of data / Careful analysis of meaning of data; all statements made based on data / 12
Data analysis satisfactory
Data analysis lacking in detail
Use of concepts from reference materials / Clearly stated links to references; parenthetical references correctly formatted
Relationships to references not clearly stated; unsatisfactory parenthetical referencing
POINTS
Relevancy and Application / Excellent discussion of potential relevancy and application of data to the “real world” / 4
Minimal discussion of potential relevancy and application of data to the “real world”
POINTS
Conclusion / Accept or reject hypothesis and give reasons / 2
POINTS
POINTS
Proposed follow-up experiments / Clear statements of possible additional questions and procedures to follow-up on the experiment / 3
Adequate statement of follow-ups
POINTS
Problems faced / Clear statement of problems dealt with in carrying out experiment AND how these problems were dealt with / 3
Satisfactory statement of problems dealt with
POINTS
Organization / neatness / Entire report well organized and neatly done; title page complete / 4
Report lacking good organization or neatness
POINTS
Reference List
/ Adequate references, correctly formatted / 5
Adequate references, incorrectly formatted
Inadequate references, correctly formatted
POINTS
Appendices
MSDS forms / 2
Journal – dates, all data, calculatins, etc. / 5
PHOTOS – must be included / Must be included
POINTS