1. Science Fair Log Book
How to…

2. The book itself & how to write in it
1 per group
New, bound composition book
WRITE IN PEN!
NUMBER ALL PAGES
DATE ALL ENTRIES
NO WRITING ON THE BACK OF PAGES!
NO WHITE OUT!
If you make a mistake writing, cross out with single line.
This is a place where your thoughts and actual data go, it does not have to be perfectly neat.

3. Front Cover Names of all members Class Period of all members
Teacher: Washburn
Fall 2011

4. Table of Contents
Page number What’s on the page….
You may want to leave 2-3 pages for the table of contents…

5. First Entry Question: Hypothesis: Independent Variable:
Controls:
Materials:
Safety:
Step by Step Procedure:
This is hand copied from the group research plan

6. Experiment Day be sure to date it!
Make sure if ANY part of your procedure changes, make note
Data Tables need titles, headings, and metric units
Can include averages, standard deviation, differences, etc here or later in log book
Make sure you have multiple trials! (This should already by part of your lab procedure)
Take pictures of lab set up and results! (make 2 copies---will use for tri-board later)
Note any sources of error that may have occurred
Write down your thoughts in general about the experiment

7. After the experiment: analyzing data…
Show equations and calculations
Calculate averages or differences of your measurements (which ever makes more sense for your data)
Create hand drawn graphs that help visualize data.
Be sure the graphs are labeled!
Connect all points OR make a best fit line (which ever makes more sense for your data)
Be sure to go back and add the pictures of your set up and results

8. After the experiment: Conclusions
Log book should be a rough draft of your formal conclusion
Everyone in the group should have input!
Discussion of hypothesis
Recap of results compared to expected results
Appropriate calculation of variation between trails
Sources of error
Significance & usefulness of results
What could be done to improve experiment (besides being more careful or more trials)