1. Mrs. Triemer’s “How-to” Guide Part 2

2. Conduct your Experiment As you do the testing, take photos that you can use later on your display board.

3. Analyze your Data Remember how we asked you to make sure you had QUANTITATIVE data? That’s so you could use your data to make a graph. Judges LOVE graphs!

4. Graph your Data

7. The written report has 3 parts - the lab report, the bibliography, and the abstract (short summary) that goes at the beginning of the lab report. GOOD NEWS! You have already done the bibliography and part of the lab report! Write the Report

8. The report should be between three and ten typewritten pages (plus the bibliography). You must use MLA style. That means there are certain rules for formatting: 1 inch margins, double spaced, 12 point font, etc… http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/747/01/

9. Write the Report Each of these parts should have its own heading and section in the report. 1. Purpose (insert the background research paragraphs you did in this part) 2. Hypothesis 3. Materials 4. Procedure 5. Data 6. Analysis 7. Conclusion 8. Bibliography

10. Write the Report You should include a graph of your data as a figure in the data section, but the data must also be explained in the text of your report.

11. Edit the Bibliography Your bibliography should be in MLA format. Cite ALL resources Reverse indented alphabetical order.

12. Write the lab report first, and then use the report to do the abstract. Write the Report

13. Write the Abstract This is a summary (no more than 250 words) of your entire experiment, including your purpose, hypothesis, basic procedure, results, and conclusions. The abstract must be written as a formal narrative, 2-3 paragraphs, and in the third person (don’t say I or you). The abstract is the very first page of your actual bound report – the report does not have a “Title Page.”

14. Create the Display Board You should include the following on your display board: Title and Purpose Hypothesis and Variables Materials Procedure (photos are great!) Graph(s) of the data Conclusions

15. Create the Display Board Don’t: Cut up your report and paste it to the board; no one can read that! Distract from your results; words, glitter, colors… Use small print Include anything that can’t be replaced

16. Create the Display Board This is the part where you should go all out! Be creative! (But make sure your board is attractive and not distracting!)

17. Create the Display Board

20. Pictures and experimental apparatus don’t have to be included, but they do make the display a lot more interesting, impressive, and convincing. Do not include items that can’t be replaced if broken or lost.

21. Create the Display You will have three elements present when the judges view the project. 1.The display board 2.The written report 3.The logbook