Formal Lab Report Instructions
The report should be formatted just like this document. Use the bold headings and then a colon for each section.
Title: Make a descriptive title for your experiment. This is the title you will also use for your presentation and project board. It should clearly state what the experiment is about.
Purpose: What is the point of doing the lab? What does it model or demonstrate? This should be one or two sentences.
Procedure: List steps, in a number format, that are required to complete the lab. You should make changes on the one you previously turned in and was graded.
Hand-draw and label a simple diagram to illustrate the basic set up of the lab.
Experimental Design:
Hypothesis- It is easiest to use the If….then… statement format. Hypothesis must include “why”. It should not be more than one or maybe two sentences.
Independent variable(s): Conditions/factors that the experimenter is changing
Dependent variable(s): What will be measured? What data will you record in your data table?
Control(s): no treatment group, used to detect an unanticipated factor
Constants: a listing of the factors that are kept constant during the experiment.
Data: Complete your data table with the data you collected during your experimentation.It must have a descriptive title. You must have made corrections as indicated when you first turned this in.
Analysis: Copy and then answer the questionsthat are posted on the webpage for your particular lab.
Make a graph on the computerConstruct a line-of-best-fit to communicate the general pattern. Be sure to label both axes, title graph, and write a caption briefly stating the main conclusion. Generally speaking, bar graphs are for discrete data while line graphs are for continuous data.
Conclusion: Compose a paragraph, or two that includes the following points:
What were the major findings in the lab? Restate the hypothesis and evaluate it (Was the hypothesis supported by the data? Explain. Use some of your data as evidence!).If there was a problem that occurred during the lab or you have data that does not seem accurate, you must explain.
What were the errors or procedural steps that could be improved? Suggest improvements.