Question: Your question. Must be able to find the answer through scientific experimentation.

Example:What is the average speed for my catapult?

Hypothesis: Your prediction and it must agree with the question.

example: If I grow plants under red, green and blue lights, then the plants under the green light will grow best.

DO NOT begin with 'I Think', 'My hypothesis is.." or 'I predict"

Also...DO NOT give the reasons why you are making this prediction. You will explain all of that in your conclusion.

Independent Variable: you change this on purpose (cause)

Dependent Variable: changes because you changed something (effect)

Example: In the above experiment the color of the lights is your independent variable. This will have an effect on plant growth so plant growth is your dependent variable. (Plant growth depends on the light.)

Materials:List all the materials needed to conduct the experiment, including all measurements, brands, types etc (if applicable). Please don't list pen, pencil or notebook. These items are a given!

Procedures:Step by step how to conduct the experiment. Can be a numbered list in order.

Observations: A detailed written account of what you observed during the experiment.

Results: Raw data collected during the experiment (measurements, times, temperatures, etc.)Also any charts/graphs/tables that you organized the data into. It is always best to organize data into an appropriate chart, table, graph etc.

NOTE:Sometimes you can combine the Observations/Results into one section. You might have a data table or chart that includes the observations you made during the experiment.

Analysis: Explain the data you collected in words. First set the stage by giving a general description of the chart, graph, etc. (example: the line graph shows how the temperature of the water increased over time as heat energy was added.)

Next, describe the specific data in the chart or graph. Include times, temperatures and explain any significant data points. (example: The starting temperature of the water was 25*C. As heat energy was added the temperature rose steadily for 18 minutes. At 19 minutes the temperature remained at 100*C for the last 5 minutes.)

Observations are not included in the analysis. Only data.

Conclusion: The conclusion is a summary of your experiment from start to finish. Beginby explaining the purposeof the experiment. Restate your hypothesis andgive reasons why you made the prediction you did.Indicate if you hypothesis was correct or incorrect. Use factual information from your research to support your conclusion. If your hypothesis was incorrect, give possible reasons why. You should also address anything that might have had an impact on your results, and suggest some ways that you might be able to make the experiment better (i.e. better control over variables, experimental conditions, etc.)

Example:The purpose of the experiment was to find the boiling point of water.My hypothesis was incorrect. I predicted that the water would boil at 100*C. After adding heat energy to the water in the beaker, the water reached a steady temperature of 104*C. The steady temperature indicated that the water reached the boiling point (the temperature at which a liquid changes into a gas). According to my research the boiling point of water is 100*C. One possibility for a temperature higher than 100*c is that the thermometer was touching the bottom of the beaker and probably giving a false reading. The thermometer itself might not be very accurate either. I could get better results if I kept the thermometer off the bottom of the beaker and if I used a thermometer that I knew was accurate. Also, since I used tap water there could be something in the water that had an impact on the boiling point. I might get more accurate results if I used distilled water instead of tap water.

If your hypothesis was incorrect, give some possible reasons why and how you could test your hypothesis again.