Tips for Writing Good Scientific Lab Reports!

What makes a good scientific question?  It cannot be answered with “yes” or “no”.  It doesn’t use the words “I” or “you” (or any form of them).  It can be researched through experimentation

What makes a good scientific hypothesis?  It answers the question.  It explains why you think this is the answer.

How do you write a good scientific procedure?  You use a numbered list.  You include EVERY step that you did.  The first step is, “Gather your materials”.  The last step is, “Clean up your materials”.

How do you make a good scientific observation?  You are sure to include a written description (that has one sentence for every sense used to observe).  You are sure to include a labeled diagram.  You have used your 4 senses and any appropriate scientific tools to make the observation.

What needs to be included in a data table?  You need to have a title and labels for the rows and columns.  You need to include units (cm, seconds, etc).  You have used a ruler.  It is neat, organized and easy to read.

What are the rules for making a graph?  It has a title.  It has axis labels (ex. number of students, airplane distance, etc).  It has variable labels (dependent and independent).  It has even and equal intervals and begins at 0.  You have used a ruler.  It is neat, organized, and easy to read

How do you write a good scientific conclusion?  You have completed all the “Good Conclusion Recipe” steps.  The answer to #1 is the first paragraph.  The answers to #2-4 are the second paragraph.  The answers to #5-7 are the third paragraph.  Your conclusion sounds scientific! (use vocab!)