Name: Block:

[LAB TITLE]
Introduction: One or two paragraphs stating the background information required for the lab and definitions.
Do not talk about the lab itself!!!
*** You must cite your references throughout your lab, but especially here.***Works cites list at the end of the lab
APA FORMATTED CITATIONS WITHIN YOUR PAPER AND A PROPER WORKS CITED AT THE END

Competency
Communication
• Clearly and concisely communicates scientific ideas and information, using appropriate scientific language and conventions
• Contextualizes ideas and findings for a given audience and within our current scientific understanding
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Purpose: something that one sets out for oneself as an objective, the aim of the experiment; may be stated as a
question but must be a complete sentence and must cover the entire objective. Generally, this is only one
sentence long unless there is more than one purpose or question.

Hypothesis: Educated answer to the purpose. This should also be one sentence long. Make sure that the
purpose and hypothesis match each other. Also make sure that your data will enable you to support or reject
this statement.

Reason: This is going to be longer. You must explain your hypothesis using science. Make sure it’s an
explanation not just a statement and that you separate it from your hypothesis. CITE A SOURCE

Competency
Questioning
• Asks testable, increasingly abstract questions suitable for answering through scientific investigations
• Formulates multiple hypotheses
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Variables:
VARIABLE Details
INDEPENDANT What you are changing Specifically state the how you will vary this. Ex.
1g, 5g, and 10g weights
 DEPENDANT What you’re measuring Specifically what will you measure and how.
This is important since you will use this data to
accept or reject your hypothesis.
CONTROLLED List of all the variables you are not changing How will you ensure that these variables remain
so that they do not affect your results constant and how might each impact your data
if they are not controlled
EXPERIMENTAL not for all labs –Experimental Control is
CONTROL different than controlled variables, it is the
condition you set up to compare your other
results to ie. Plant with no fertilizer.

Materials: list of things you used in the experiment including quantities for each and details such as brand,
concentration.. Remember that others need to be able to replicate this so make sure they can.

Procedure: If you are designing the lab begin by listing the steps to follow in conducting the experiment. Make
sure you take into consideration things such as sample size, variables and controls etc. as well as
measurements and analysis of results. You MUST include instructions of how to collect the data and
what to do with that data including calculations, graphing and analysis.

*** If you are “designing” the lab you will have to write out the materials & procedure in full BUT if you are following the
procedure in a handout, you can simply reference it, and note and changes made!

Competency
Procedures and Evidence
•Designs a research protocol to collect evidence to support investigations
• Plans and uses appropriate investigative methods and materials to safely collect reliable data
• Uses a variety of tools to accurately collect and record data that reflect appropriate SI units, scientific notation, and significant figure
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Data: table of observed, and recorded data. Each table should be numbered (Table #1) and have a descriptive title.
This helps when you refer to your data in your discussion and conclusion. You should include both quantitative and
qualitative data. Make sure to also indicate the unit of measurement and uncertainty of those measurements.

Results: graph or diagram representing the labs results and or a table showing the calculated results – not all labs
have all of these but think about the purpose and conclusion. What are you trying to show…I will show you how to do
this on excel or you can do it on paper and inset it as a jpeg in your document.

Competency
Analysis and Evaluation
• Analyzes relationships and patterns among variables by performing calculations and constructing models (e.g., graphs, diagrams)
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Discussion Questions: Some of the time, you will find a question set to answer. Answer the questions.
 Suggestions for Improvement -
Analysis of Experimental Design in reference to the limitations given in the previous
-discusses how well your/the experimental design helped answer subsection, what realistic and useful improvements could be
your experimental question. What worked well (and why) and what made if you were to do this investigation again? More trials
did not work well (and why). only reduces random error. If you do not have any
fluctuation between trials this isn’t really an improvement.
-outlier points could be discussed (if there were any outlier points) as More time gets you no points. A “better” stopwatch, ruler,
well as possible reasons for those outlier points. etc. is too vague, and probably unrealistic. Use of calipers
instead of a ruler, use of a photogate instead of a stopwatch
- Human error is NOT Design Error. If you truly did not follow are real improvements. You MUST include however, if such
the procedure, then amend the procedure so you can talk improvements would change the conclusion of your lab.
about those design flaws here
This is not a place to suggest a new experiment with a
-Consider how each of the following may have impacted your results different independent and dependent variable. Restrict
and if they impacted your conclusion. Not all may need your improvements to the experiment you performed!!
improvements Suggesting a different way of measuring or controlling the
 Random errors (population is variable) and systematic variables is encouraged, as long as it is a real improvement.
errors (problems with your actual measurements) must Written reports are not an appropriate place to vent.
both be explicitly addressed.
 Accuracy and Precision
 Uncertainty and Variance of data

Competency
Analysis and Evaluation
• Evaluates experimental methodology, including sources of error and their impact on data, such as uncertainty
• Suggests specific ways to improve their investigation methods and data quality
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Conclusions: All conclusions have 3 parts & 3 paragraphs

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***I will tell you in advance which of these headings to include each time you write a lab.
This year, your labs will all be marked through TurnItIn. You can find all of the log-in information on the main page of my
website wvssearland.com.