Lab #11: Forensic Urinalysis

COVER PAGE (5 points)

  • Makes your lab report look neat and professional
  • Include the following:
  • Appropriate title of lab, centered on the paper
  • The following either centered under the title or in the right lower corner:
  • Your name
  • Date
  • Teacher’s name (Ms. Katuzney), spelled correctly!
  • Period
  • Pictures are optional

Section 1: Introduction(20 points)

  • What was the ultimate goal of the lab?
  • Summarize the task in your own words
  • How does this lab simulate what a forensic scientist would do in his/her lab and, if you are the employer, things you might consider in hiring someone?
  • Background Information

You are expected to do some outside research for this section and provide a list of works cited (APA format – see instructions on side bar on science web site or a librarian. Do not copy and paste URLs from web sites.). If you do not provide citations, you will get a 0 on this section of the lab report (plagiarism???). A paragraph of at least 6-8 sentences is required for each question.

This is a useful web site:

However, you are expected to do further research.

  • What is a urinalysis and how can urinalysis be used as a diagnostic tool (medical)?
  • Give two examples of types of disorders that can be diagnosed using urinalysis.
  • Give a brief explanation of each of the drugs listed in Table 1 from the handout.
  • What is the significance of glucose being found in urine?
  • What are Benedict’s Solution and wide-range (pH) indicator paper? (explain how/why it is used as a chemical indicator)

(Citation(s) required for this background information – no citations = automatic 0 on this section!)

Section 2: Purpose/Problem/Hypothesis (15 points)

  • What is your task?
  • Clear statement of the problem
  • Clear statement of the hypothesis in an “if, then, because” statement. This will have to do with what you expect to find in one of the person’s urine and whether or not you will be able to hire them at your company.
  • Identification of variables
  • Clear identification of independent variable
  • Include types of tests being performed on the urine
  • Clear identification of dependent variable
  • How was this measured (explain which indicators you are using and why)
  • Control
  • Clear statement of what the control is
  • Why it is used
  • Explain what is it used to compare
  • Controlled variables (constants)
  • At least 5 listed
  • Materials list included
  • List only what is actually used in the lab
  • Add any additional materials used even if not on the original list

Section 3: Procedure(10 points)

I have written out the procedure for you. Write a summary of how you will conduct each of the different tests. Do not restate/retype my instructions verbatim.

Section 4: Technology(5 points)

  • Appropriate computer/technology usage

Section 5: Data and Results(15 points)

  • Properly labeled data tables (on Urinalysis Data Analysis Sheet)
  • Make sure the data sheet is neatly completed. It is not necessary to reproduce the data table in the lab report. Be sure to attach the data table from the lab to the lab report.
  • Properly labeled graph (drawn with a computer program)
  • You have been taught how to do this in class. If you need help, do not wait until last minute. See me and I will be happy to help you. Points will be taken off if graph is hand-drawn since you have access to computers with the appropriate software here at school.
  • Qualitative observations
  • Do not do any kind of data analysis here!
  • What kinds of things did you notice as you were performing the lab (like smells, colors, appearance of the substances, etc.)?

Section 6: Conclusion(20 points)

A paragraph of at least 8 – 10 sentences is required to explain everything for both the conclusion and validity sections in a basic way. More may be needed to do a good job!

  • Restate problem
  • Restate hypothesis
  • State whether hypothesis was supported or not
  • Put data table in words!
  • Compare back to the control.
  • Quote actual numbers that you collected during the performance of the lab
  • A discussion, based on the data, which person(s) you can hire/not hire at your company? Be sure to distinguish between testing positive for drugs and testing positive for glucose. This is a critical point when making sense of the lab tests and your findings. Be specific with your reasons.
  • Validity
  • Three major things that makes your experiment invalid
  • Did you do multiple trials? If not, this is one issue.
  • If multiple trials were done, three other issues that compromised the accuracy of your data
  • Not things like “I measured wrong, etc.”
  • If the experiment were to be repeated, what would you do better/more accurately, etc?

Section 7: Mechanics(10 points)

  • Appropriate title
  • Check spelling, grammar, capitalizations, etc. – PROOFREAD!
  • Do not use pronouns of any kind or contractions
  • Appropriate format for bibliography