How to Write an Amazing Lab Report! Guided Notes Mrs. Moody, Science 2016/2017

Home Work: Watch the following Presentation and take the canvas quiz! How to Write a Lab Report THIS OUTLINE WILL HELP YOU ORGANIZE AND COMPLETE A LAB WRITE-UP. There maybe changes or modifications but all sections must be included unless you are instructed otherwise.

TITLE: This is the name of the lab, as given to you in your text book, handout, by the teacher, or created by YOU. The Title should reflect what the experiment is about… Center your title a line or two below your heading. (Name, period, and date)

Step 1. Write the Problem or Question here. (Hey, are we following the steps of the Scientific Method?!) This is also your objective. This short description is answering the question “Why are we doing this lab?” You will want to add some research or observations about your question in the space after you write the question.

Step 2: Write your HYPOTHESIS. What do you think the answer to your question is? What do you think the result of your experiment will be? This is usually written as an “If… then…” statement. Hint #1: If I do this, then I think that this will happen… Hint #2: Take the question that you wrote in Step 1, and turn it into an “If, then” statement! Remember: the “If” represents what you are testing, and the “then” represents what will happen, what you will observe or measure…

Step 3: The Experiment. (Describe how you designed your Experiment.) It’s always good to describe what your Variables in this experiment will be. Independent Variable: What is the one thing you will test or change? Dependent Variable: What will you measure or observe? Constant Variables: What parts of the experiment will stay the same or constant?

Step 3, the Experiment continued: MATERIALS: This section is a recipe list of materials, equipment, chemicals or specimens needed to complete the investigation. Example: 1, 250 mL Beaker filled with 200 mL of water 1, pipette 20 grams of table salt… 1, 25 mL Graduated Cylinder PROCEDURE: These are the step-by-step instructions for doing the investigation. These may already be included in the lab instructions. Example: 1.Add 20 grams of salt to the beaker and stir to dissolve 2.Use the pipette and the Graduated Cylinder to accurately measure 5 mL of the salt solution…

Once you have described your Experiment let’s Do the Experiment! As you complete each Trial… Step 4: Collect Data and make Observations. Record all the information you collect and all the observations you make. There is always some kind of data to write down during and experiment. This could be time, temperatures, quantities, even good and bad things that might have happened during the experiment. Include your DATA TABLE in this part of your report.

Step 5: Analyze: To look for patterns and trends in your data. Include your GRAPH here. Answer the question “What did I learn?” and include Evidence from your Results and Graph!

Step 6: Write your conclusion.(Communicate!) You are basically summarizing your experiment here. First, rewrite your hypothesis then tell the reader if you proved or disproved it. Last, include evidence to support what you just wrote. This is where you explain your results and describe what you think your data means or proves. Use your data and observations to make inferences. (To Infer means to interpret what you observe) Example Conclusion: