Lab Report Check List

Lab Report Check list

Prep material: Lab handouts (chem.gmu.edu/results), blue lab manual, your own pre-lab notes/observations

Lab Reports–Expect to use both Microsoft Word and Excel

·  Organization–

o  Title Page,Purpose, Procedure, Results & Calculations, and Discussion/Conclusion, References, and prelab

·  Format

o  Double spaced, 11-12 point font

o  No personal pronouns – no “I”, “we” “she” “he”

Grading Rubric

·  Title Page(cover page): Title header (clear and large), name, the date, class section, lab partners, and lab TA

·  Results –

o  Raw data from either or your lab manual or class data obtained from the chem.gmu.edu/results retrieval

o  Have class calculated data table, based upon what is needed for data analysis (read handouts given or via chem.gmu.edu/results)

o  Figures and table

§  Should be labeled “Figure 1”, “Figure 2”, “Table 1”, “Table 2”,

§  Label the x and y axis in graphs

§  Label columns with the proper units, trial, and chemical (ie penny #1 mass (g) or volume of NaOH (mL))

§  Large tables (easily read), embedded within word document, try not to have it break over pages

·  Calculations: may be handwritten in pen if necessary. Section class data will be posted on excel at tha4.pbworks.com.

o  Show sample calculations using your own individual values and unknowns

§  Ie grams of CO2=20 g CO2 x (1 mol/44 g CO2 ) = 0.45 mol CO2

o  You do not have to show sample calculations for the entire class, but you do have to solve it in your excel spreadsheet

o  Use proper sig figs

o  Values and equations should be properly superscript or subscript IE C2O4 should be written as C2O4

·  Discussion/Conclusion–

o  DO NOT follow the discussion questions in the lab notebook.

o  About 1 page double spaced for your conclusion (at most 2 pages)

o  Refer to your previous figures and tables as (table 1) or (figure 1) in your calculations

o  observations should be quantitative, specific, and serve a purpose in your discussion

o  Cite any external information in your discussion

Focus your discussion with strategies like these: