H OW TO W RITE A F ORMAL L AB R EPORT

A F ORMAL L AB R EPORT I NCLUDES THE FOLLOWING SECTIONS Title Background Information Background Questions Objective/Purpose/Hypothesis Procedure Data and Results Equations/Calculations Conclusion Sources of Error

T ITLE The title includes: The title of the lab in the table of contents as well as on the first page of your lab write up Your Lab Partners Date Page Number Table of Contents Pg:1 Measurements Measurement Joe Smith 1/2/10 Pg. 1 Table of contents This is the first page of your Lab notebook – in the front RIGHT Hand side !! This is the first page of the Lab you are doing AGAIN, right hand side !!

B ACKGROUND I NFORMATION This includes a short summary of important information about the lab All equations you will use in the lab Measurement Joe Smith 1/2/10 Pg. 1 Background Information Standard measurement occurs using meters, liters and grams. You can convert between these units using t-chart conversions. Equations : Density=mass/volume Percent Error= actual-theoretical/theoretical X100 Table of contents

B ACKGROUND Q UESTIONS These will be asked on your lab worksheet handout Answer these questions using your notes and your book Either re-write the question or re-state the question in the answer Background Questions: 1.What is the standard measurement for mass? Grams 2.What is the standard measurement for volume? Liters Pg. 2 Don’t forget to number your pages Notice nothing has been written on the left side of the page!!!! Keep the left side of the page for calculations! Table of contents

O BJECTIVE /P URPOSE /H YPOTHESIS Objective and Purpose will be listed in your lab worksheet, simply copy them into your notebook Create a hypothesis based on the purpose/objective of the lab Pg. 2 Background Questions: 1.What is the standard measurement for mass? Grams 2.What is the standard measurement for volume? Liters Objective: Become familiar with measurement tools in lab Purpose: To understand how to use different tools and convert between units Hypothesis: The 10 milliliter graduated cylinder will be the most accurate Table of contents

P ROCEDURE List the procedure from the lab worksheet in your lab notebook Include materials and any safety warnings Pg. 3 Materials: Graduated Cylinders (10ml, 25ml, 100ml) Balance Weigh boats Safety : Be careful with the glass instruments Procedure: Fill the 100ml graduated cylinder with 10ml of water Then put that water into the 25 ml graduated cylinder and record the actual volume by reading the meniscus Etc…….. Table of contents

D ATA T ABLE The data table includes any measurements you take in lab Data Table Pg. 4 Volum e 100ml25ml10ml 8ml6ml These are only things measured in lab, for example here was the first two steps of measuring how much water was in the 100 ml graduated cylinder Table of contents

R ESULTS T ABLE The results table includes anything that you have calculated! Pg. 5 Results Table MarbleMetal 1Metal 2Dice Density Density is something that is found via a calculation so it must be in the results table! Table of contents

E QUATIONS AND C ALCULATIONS These are to be done on the LEFT side of the page Pg. 5 Results Table Marbl e Metal 1 Metal 2 Dice Densit y.5g/ml2g/L Equations/calculations Density of Marble Density=mass/volume Density=5g/10ml Density of Marble =.5 g/ml Density of Metal 1 Density=mass/volume Density= 10g/5L Density of Metal 1= 2g/L ALWAYS INCLUDE UNITS!!! Table of contents

C ONCLUSION This should include the following What you learned EXAMPLES from lab supporting that you did indeed learn Pg. 6 Conclusion I learned from this lab the difference between accuracy and precision. For example I understand now that a 10 ml graduated cylinder is more accurate than a 100 ml graduated cylinder. ETC…………………. Table of contents

E XAMPLE OF A P OOR C ONCLUSION I learned a lot. This lab taught me how to measure things using different lab materials. Characteristics of a Poor Conclusion “I learned a lot” is stated No examples from lab You state that the lab has taught you something yet you do not back it up with evidence It is two sentences and seemingly has no effort put into it Table of contents

C HARACTERISTICS OF A G OOD C ONCLUSION Includes the following Very detailed about what was learned and accomplished in lab Gives more than two examples of evidence of something learned Use complete sentences Discusses if the objective was met Discusses the outcome of the hypothesis, if it was proven or not and supporting evidence to prove this statement Discusses percent error and the values that they found Table of contents

S OURCES OF E RROR Include at least three reasons why you have a percent error Do not include calculator error! Discuss the possible effects this error could have had on the results Pg. 7 Sources of Error: 1.When we transferred water from the graduated cylinders some could have spilled out or been left behind in the container. This could have caused a lower level being read out of the next graduated cylinder causing error. Also do not forget to show percent error in the calculations section! Table of contents

R ESOURCES Help with writing conclusions #Conclusions #Conclusions discussion-section-lab.html discussion-section-lab.html Simple How To for Lab Reports a-Simple-Lab-Report a-Simple-Lab-Report