1. HOW TO WRITE UP YOUR RESEARCH REPORT FROSH 2013-2014

2. First Things Top of the 1 st page: Title of your experiment: should be a sentence or a question that relates your independent and dependent variables. Top of the 1 st page: Title of your experiment: should be a sentence or a question that relates your independent and dependent variables. It’s alright if your title is long – that’s normal for science titles. It’s alright if your title is long – that’s normal for science titles. Your name Your name Your partner’s name Your partner’s name

3. Introduction – 1 st paragraph Stating your problem Complete sentences Complete sentences What are you investigating? What are you investigating? Why did you choose this topic? Why did you choose this topic? Why does it matter in the real world? Why does it matter in the real world? State your hypothesis as an if-then statement. For example – State your hypothesis as an if-then statement. For example – – “If I soak porcelain plates in pop, tea and coffee, then coffee will stain the plates more than tea or pop.” – “If we put bottles of water in the refrigerator and in ice, then the ice will chill the water faster than the refrigerator.”

4. 2 nd paragraph – complete sentences Identifying your variables What was your independent variable? What was your independent variable? What was your dependent variable? What was your dependent variable? What variables were controlled? What variables were controlled? – “Our independent variable was the type of beverage we soaked the porcelain plate in. The dependent variable was the amount of staining on the plate. Our controlled variables were the amount of each beverage, the temperature and amount of light each received, and the time each piece of plate was soaked.”

5. 3 rd paragraph – complete sentences Background research This is the a summary of the literature review you wrote at the beginning! This is the a summary of the literature review you wrote at the beginning!

6. 4 th paragraph: List of materials & equipment – A bulleted list describing what you used and where you obtained it. A bulleted list describing what you used and where you obtained it. What did you use? What did you use? Where did you get it? Where did you get it? Be sure to thank or acknowledge your parents or friends or anyone who helped you get your materials together. Be sure to thank or acknowledge your parents or friends or anyone who helped you get your materials together.

7. 5 th paragraph: Procedure This should be a numbered list of steps. This should be a numbered list of steps. You should write this so that a person who doesn’t know you or your experiment could do the same thing you did and get the same results. You should write this so that a person who doesn’t know you or your experiment could do the same thing you did and get the same results. Don’t forget to include *all* of your data from your trials, not just your averages. Don’t forget to include *all* of your data from your trials, not just your averages. Include a picture or a diagram showing your setup. Be sure to give credit to the photographer if it wasn’t you. Include a picture or a diagram showing your setup. Be sure to give credit to the photographer if it wasn’t you. If yours was a survey project, include a copy of the survey here. If yours was a survey project, include a copy of the survey here.

8. 6 th paragraph: Data analysis, part 1 This is where you record ALL of your observations in a data table. This is where you record ALL of your observations in a data table. Label the independent and dependent variables in the table. Label the independent and dependent variables in the table. Don’t forget to include units! Don’t forget to include units! – Ex: “Time to travel 10 meters (seconds)”

9. 6 th paragraph: Data analysis, part 2 6 th paragraph: Data analysis, part 2 This is where you’ll include your charts or graphs. This is where you’ll include your charts or graphs. What kind of graph will you use – scatter plot or column? What kind of graph will you use – scatter plot or column? – Why did you choose this? If you used a scatter plot, what line or curve best fits the data? If you used a scatter plot, what line or curve best fits the data? – Include the equation and R 2 value. If you used a column graph, be sure to include error bars. If you used a column graph, be sure to include error bars. – If you’re going to print in black & white, fill the columns with different patterns instead of different colors.

10. 6 th paragraph: Data analysis, part 3 6 th paragraph: Data analysis, part 3 Make sure you put your independent variable on the x-axis and the dependent variable on the y-axis. Make sure you put your independent variable on the x-axis and the dependent variable on the y-axis. Use a relevant title at the top of your graph. Use a relevant title at the top of your graph. Be sure to label each axis, including units. Be sure to label each axis, including units. Depending on the type of experiment you did, this is where you’ll include pictures of your results; make sure you give credit to the photographer if it wasn’t you. Depending on the type of experiment you did, this is where you’ll include pictures of your results; make sure you give credit to the photographer if it wasn’t you.

11. 7 th paragraph – complete sentences Conclusion, part 1 This is where you bring it all together. This is where you bring it all together. How were your results obtained from your data? How were your results obtained from your data? What was the purpose of the experiment? What was the purpose of the experiment? What were the major findings? What were the major findings? Was your hypothesis supported or refuted by your data? Was your hypothesis supported or refuted by your data?

12. 7 th paragraph – complete sentences Conclusion, part 2 If you used a scatter plot graph, what do the equation and R 2 value mean about your experiment? If you used a scatter plot graph, what do the equation and R 2 value mean about your experiment? If you used a column graph, do your error bars overlap or not? What does that mean about your experiment? If you used a column graph, do your error bars overlap or not? What does that mean about your experiment? How do your findings compare with those of other researchers or with other reliable sources? (Look back at your Literature Review!) How do your findings compare with those of other researchers or with other reliable sources? (Look back at your Literature Review!) What sources of error were present? (NOTE: “Human error” is not an acceptable answer, because it could have been fixed by repeating your experiment.) What sources of error were present? (NOTE: “Human error” is not an acceptable answer, because it could have been fixed by repeating your experiment.) What recommendations do you have for further study and for improving the experiment? What recommendations do you have for further study and for improving the experiment?

13. 8 th ‘paragraph’ – Works cited List the references you used to get information for this project, including the ones from the literature review. List the references you used to get information for this project, including the ones from the literature review. Go to http://citationmachine.net/index2.php?reqsty leid=1&newstyle=1&stylebox=1 to put each reference into the proper MLA format. Go to http://citationmachine.net/index2.php?reqsty leid=1&newstyle=1&stylebox=1 to put each reference into the proper MLA format. http://citationmachine.net/index2.php?reqsty leid=1&newstyle=1&stylebox=1 http://citationmachine.net/index2.php?reqsty leid=1&newstyle=1&stylebox=1

14. Overall: Have somebody who doesn’t know anything about your project review your report to see if it all makes sense. Have somebody who doesn’t know anything about your project review your report to see if it all makes sense. Check for spelling errors and bad grammar. Check for spelling errors and bad grammar. To hand in: Print and turn in to Mrs. Shepherd-Adams!