In laboratory sciences, scientists need to communicate exactly what happened in each experiment, what patterns were discovered, and what conclusions were drawn from the data.  As a scientist, you need to be able to communicate effectively so that others will understand what was discovered through your actions in the lab.  To achieve this, students will be asked to use a specific laboratory format.

GUIDELINES:

1. Type your report on the computer. If you have no computer, come to study hall, arrange with Mrs. Bergh after school, or use the school library. Save your work (using Rich Text Format) so you can modify it.
2. Print the report on 8.5”x11” white paper using black ink or Times Roman font (or similar). If you need to print your report at school, send your report to your e-mail or save it on CD or flash drive, using Rich Text Format.
3. Always use a straight edge for underlining and making graphs and tables
4. Pages can be numbered a & b (example: 3a & 3b) if more pages are needed to complete a section.

TITLE PAGE

1. Title (all capital letters, centered and underlined). Center vertically and horizontally.
2. Your name, name of members in lab group, due date, and class period in the upper right corner of the          page.

Pages 1, 2 &3 need to be completed before doing the experiment. Page 3 is important! You need a “recipe” to follow while doing the experiment and a place to write observations.

Page ONE of lab report:

INTRODUCTION

1. Explain why the experiment is being done (purpose).
2. Give background information necessary for the reader to understand the lab. This is the same information you will need to understand in order to draw conclusions from the data you record.
3.  Discuss the control and variable. Clearly explain which is which.
4.  State the problem that will be answered.
5.  State the hypothesis you will test. The hypothesis is written as an “If…..then…”  statement.
6.  Explain why you think this hypothesis is the answer to this problem.
7.  Describe the data that will be collected in order to support your hypothesis.

Page TWO of lab report:

APPARATUS:
  
1. List and draw the items/tools needed to perform the experiment. (e.g. 100 ml graduated cylinder).

MATERIALS:

2. List the consumable materials to be used. (e.g. bromothymol blue, Elodea plants).

Page THREE of lab report:

PROCEDURE:

1. A brief summary of the steps involved to do the experiment will be presented in a two-columned chart form. A description of each step in the procedure will be written on the left side of the chart. Safety precautions, observation and explanations of why the step is necessary will be written on the right side as you perform the experiment during class, not after the experiment is over.

Procedure:                                                                         Observations:

1.  Place 50 ml of bromothymol blue solution into the beaker.  Get the initial color and pH of the solution.	Safety: Be sure not to let the bromothymol blue get in your eyes or mouth.  Color is medium blue, pH is 6.
2.  Using a straw, gently blow bubbles into the solution for one minute.	This is done so that carbon dioxide can be put into the solution.
3.  Take observations and get the pH of the solution.	The solution begins to turn a greenish-yellow.  pH is 4.

Page FOUR of the lab report:

DATA TABLES-EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN:

1. Data includes all measurements and/or observations made during the experiment.
2. All tables must be drawn using a straight edge. All tables must be titled.
3. Label the columns and rows of the data table. All measurements must have units.
4. There are to be no erasures or “white-outs” on data tables. Any errors made are to have one line drawn through them with a ruler.
5. The original data table must always be turned in with your report (page 4 is the experimental design.
6. If a better plan for a data table occurs to you after you complete the experiment, a revised data table may also be submitted as page 4b.
   
Page FIVE of the lab report:
RESULTS:

1. The data should be graphed whenever appropriate, using the type of graph that best suits the data. Each graph must have a descriptive title; axes must be labeled with appropriate units; and a key if more than one set of data is plotted. Points which describe a trend must be connected with a straight line or smooth curve.
2. Write a few sentences that summarize the data table and graphs. No opinions or conclusions-just facts.

Page SIX of the lab report:
CONCLUSION:

1. Restate the purpose for the experiment and use data to show that the purpose was fulfilled or not fulfilled.
2. Restate the problem and hypothesis. Use data to explain why your hypothesis was supported or not supported.
3. Give reasons for any errors that occurred (reread your observations to find these errors). How have the errors influenced the outcome of the experiment?
4. This is NOT the place for a description of the procedures or observations. This is for explaining the WHY’S of the experiment. There should be no opinions or comments (e.g. “this lab was fun”).
5. If there are any questions that the experiment creates that need to be answered, state them here.