Name: ______Block ______Date: ______
Final Lab Report: The Effect of Trash Pollution on Aquatic Ecosystems
Format
1. Type on 8 ½ x 11 paper
2. Use size 11 or 12 font. Do not use bold or any stylized fonts except for scientific names which should be written in italics.
3. One inch margins
4. Include a cover sheet. Order sections in the order they are given on this worksheet. The whole report should be 1.5-spaced, do not spread out paragraphs to make the paper appear longer.
Other Hints
1. Define unfamiliar terms in the body of the paper.
2. Spell out numbers ten and below except when discussing your data in the conclusion and discussion sections.
3. Never use contractions in formal academic writing.
4. Write the entire report in third person.
5. Write out all abbreviations the first time you use them, i.e. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
6. Write scientific names correctly (Example: Canis lupos. Can abbreviate C. lupos after that.
7. PROOFREAD!!! Read your paper carefully. Does it make sense? You should have members of your family proofread it as well. Don’t just run your spell check; it will not catch every mistake.
8. NO EXCUSES as to why you do not have the report. Internet issues are not an adequate excuse. If you are concerned, submit early. Public libraries are also an option.
9. In-text Citations: Include citations for any source of information that did not come from you own head. The citation should be located at the end of the first sentence that came from that source and should be in the following form (Author, year). Your paper should be full of in-text citations.
WHAT SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN EACH SECTION?
BACKGROUND PAPER (30): The background information portion of your science research paper should be about 2-4 pages of information related to your topic (use the Background Research Planning Worksheet you were given in class to help outline important information that you need to include).
· General introduction to your topic of study—give info necessary for the reader to understand the content
· Answer questions that you had throughout the project; your reader might need clarification to understand your research.
· Explain previous research done in this area and what is already known about this area of research. How does your project relate to or expand on previous research?
· Conclusion paragraph to wrap up your paper and lead into how you used this information to guide your experiment.
· Quick description of the experiment (NOT DETAILED PROCEDURES) including variables in the experiment. Make sure to discuss the IV and DV with an explanation of how each will be manipulated or measured. Remember to explain unique procedures that might be required to perform your research.
MATERIALS (8):
· 1.5 spaced
· Be very specific
· Do NOT number items—BULLET them
· Specify the size and number of each item listed, for example: (1) 300ml beaker
· Use the specific name of equipment and/or scientific names of all organisms
· All measurements in METRIC units
METHODS (10):
· Each action should be written as a different NUMBERED step.
· Write your procedure so that it can be reproduced exactly, no vague statements.
· Be very specific—include the equipment used in each step
· Include an exact description of how to complete each step and how measurements will be taken
· Include diagrams to illustrate equipment set up
RESULTS (15): The results section of the full lab report includes the 3 parts listed below:
· SUMMARY: This section is a summary of the data/statistical tests in paragraph form and should include, at a minimum, the following items:
o Statement of purpose
o Identification of Variables (IV and DV)
o Whether the data (DV) was qualitative or quantitative; explain why that data type was selected
o A description of the statistics done (what tests did you do? T-test, ANOVA, correlation, etc.) and why
o Include the numbers for the means (averages) for each group. Ex: “The means for organic and inorganic fertilizer were 23.6 cm and 35.6 cm, respectively.”
· TABLES: Columns and rows must be straight and neat
o Make a table for your summary of the descriptive and inferential statistics. Do not include raw data.
o Headings (with UNITS) are required on all columns and rows.
o Give a descriptive title above each table (Table 1: The Effect of Sunlight on Plant Height).
· GRAPHS: Choose the best graph to display your data. Use your graph choice chart to help you make your decision
o The independent variable goes on the X-axis; the dependent variable goes on the Y-axis. Label axes with names and units. Remember to include a key and a descriptive title (Figure 1: The Effect of ______ON ______).
EXPERIMENTAL CONCLUSION (10):
· What was the purpose/significance of the experiment?
· Explain if your null hypothesis failed to reject or was rejected with the supportive evidence your group collected (remember you reject or fail to reject your null based on the p-value, which was calculated using the T-Test, ANOVA, or chi square).
o “The difference in the means of the experimental groups were statistically significant (P<0.05).”
o “There was no statistically significant difference between the means of ___ & ___ (P>0.05).”
· Explain if your hypothesis was supported or unsupported using evidence from your data.
Tips for the Conclusion section:
· When you refer to your hypotheses as explained above, it helps to summarize them in this section so the reader can follow your thought process as you discuss them.
DISCUSSION: (20)
The purpose of thediscussionis to interpret and describe the significance/importance of your findings considering what was already known about theresearch problem being investigated, and to explain any new understandings or insights about the problem after taking the findings (results) into consideration.
· Make factual statements (claims) based on the outcome of your experiment and prior research.
· Give evidence for all your claims. This is an important explanation and the main purpose of the discussion. Include your data. Explain how the data supports the claim. Never leave it up to your reader to draw connections. Tell us the science behind the outcome. Use in-text citations to credit your sources for this information.
· Explain unusual results and/or possible errors in procedures and/or limitations of the experiment. Talk about possible improvements to the procedure. Discuss what worked and what did not work.
· Propose further research questions that you could possibly test later. These questions should be based off what you learned from your experiment, the data collected, and the content researched. These further questions should show reflection of content.
· Propose possible solutions to solve the “trash pollution” problem your group focused on. Plan to execute one.
· Tips for the Discussion section:
o Never make a claim without evidence from your experiment, others’ previous experiments, or research.
o Do not be afraid to discuss problems. Some of the greatest discoveries come from results that are unexpected.
o If the experiment did not answer your questions adequately, discuss new directions you might explore in the future.
o Do not overstate the significance of your findings, but do discuss what new information you found.
o Be concise. This is not creative writing. Stick to the facts and findings; relate it back to the background paper (what other experiments or research has been documented that support your conclusions).
REFERENCES (7): Entries are in alphabetical order, not numbered or bulleted. They should be in APA format.
· Minimum of 12 sources (at least 4 scientific journals; the rest must be reliable sources; no encyclopedias)
· References not cited in the text of your paper should not be in the works cited.