Lab Report Guidelines:

Each student must use a bound laboratory notebook in which most lab reports will be written. PAGES SHOULD BE NUMBERED IN ADVANCE. a) Your name and lab period should be on the outside of the book cover. b) The first page is the table of contents. Each experiment must be listed in the table of contents. Label it like this:           DATE          TITLE OF EXPERIMENT          PAGE c) All entries must be in black or blue INK only. You should have no extra papers or scratch work cluttering the work area. d) Skip 2 pages before your first lab report. You may use both sides of the page in your book, but make sure each lab report begins on a new page.

Formal Lab Report:

a) Each student must have read the experiment before coming to the lab. You are required to have: TITLE, DATE, LAB PARTNER(S), PURPOSE, HYPOTHESIS, PROCEDURE, and any required DATA TABLES prepared in your composition book before coming to the lab. I will check pre-labs regularly before you can begin the lab. If you are not prepared for the lab, you will not be allowed to do the experiment, and you will receive an F for that lab report. b) All entries must be legible, logically organized, with sufficient space to avoid crowding. Just draw a single line through errors. You may find out later that your were right the first time! NO WHITE OUT. Points will be taken off. c) Graphs must be completed on graph paper and must be done in pencil. Graphs should be neatly attached or glued into your lab book. d) The write-up is due in class the next class meeting after you finish the experiment. Each student must do a lab report, but frequently I will grade one lab per group and everyone in that group will receive the same grade. (Randomly selected) Formal lab reports are usually worth 20-30 points. They are a major part of your grade, so it is very important that they are turned in, and are on time. Late lab reports will only be granted a maximum of 50% of the points.

Informal Lab Report:

Informal lab reports are generally worth 10 points, and only need to include the TITLE, DATE, PARTNER(S), DATA, and answers to the DISCUSSION QUESTIONS. They also must be set up before coming to lab, and included in your composition book, unless specified otherwise.

Pre-Lab Handouts and Quizzes:

Occasionally I will have you complete a ÔPre-LabÕ Handout in addition to the pre-lab in your lab book. This handout may also be given as a quiz in class prior to performing the lab. Make sure that you have thoroughly read the lab instructions prior to coming to class!

Purpose //

1-2 sentence description of the "why" of the lab. Begin the purpose with... "The purpose of doing this lab exercise is..." Always write the purpose in your own words. (It is helpful to look at the "Objectives" of the lab when writing the purpose.)

Hypothesis //

Write a statement making an educated guess about the results of the lab. Always write the hypothesis in your own words.

Procedure //

The procedure should be four to five sentences explaining the steps of the lab. It should be written in full sentences - DON'T just list the steps!

Data //

Data is the information gathered in the lab during the experiment. Data may take the form of DATA TABLES, GRAPHS, DIAGRAMS, or WRITTEN OBSERVATIONS and MODELS. Each lab report will have specific instructions as to how to collect and record data. Data simply states WHAT YOU SEE not "WHY" it happens. Never explain how or why in the data. Data tables must have a title. Graphs must be done on graph paper and have a title and properly labeled axes. All graphs must be done in pencil. All drawings of specimens must be done in pencil. If drawing specimens from a microscope slide you must draw the specimen within a circle and label with total magnification and the name of the specimen under the circle.

Calculations //

Show ALL arithmetic, including additions, and subtractions, labeled completely. Please BOX your answers.

Discussion //

The Discussion is the answers to questions on the laboratory experiments. All questions are to be answered in FULL SENTENCES or no credit will be given for your discussion. The discussion questions try to answer the "HOW" and "WHY" for the experiment. The answers to these questions reflect your understanding of the experiment, so this is the most important part of the report and it receives the greatest number of points. Spend time carefully answering these questions.

Summary //

Was your hypothesis supported by the experiment? Explain in detail.

This lab report format will be used for all formal experiments. Note: please title each sub-section of your report, as I have done above (i.e. PROCEDURE: and then the information). After you have finished the experiment, the report is to be turned in at the BEGINNING of the next class meeting.