1. Writing Lab Reports The Fun and Easy Way…
I hope you enjoy this! Ms. Guarino Instructional Technology Specialist

2. Who doesn’t enjoy writing a perfect lab report?
Well, the fact is that most people don’t enjoy it because they don’t understand what is required.
This presentation is intended to help you understand exactly what you should do to write a thorough, clear lab report for your science classes.
It is accompanied by some worksheets that will also be useful!
So view the presentation and take notes, as the
presentation includes a puzzle quiz which you must
complete and hand in to your teacher!

3. I am a good science student.
Basic Components
I am a good science student.
There are SEVEN basic components of a lab report.
SEVEN
Components
Purpose
Hypothesis
Materials List
Procedures
Observations (Data and Results)
Conclusion

4. No, you cannot reply “Because my teacher made me.”
Your Purpose
I am a brilliant science student.
My teacher is a genius.
Your purpose should answer this question: Why did you do this lab?
It should be a sentence or two that describes the objective (the single most important goal) of your experiment.
No, you cannot reply “Because my teacher made me.”
Here are some prompts (sentence starters):
The purpose of this lab is to determine…
The purpose of this lab is to investigate the effect of … on …
Why is the Purpose important? The purpose or objective of the experiment is important because it is usually analyzed in the conclusion.

5. I am a good science student.
Your Purpose Again
I am a good science student.
Alternate Method
If you know the single question that the experiment is intended to answer, turn the question into statement.
Examples:
Question: Which items are elements, compounds and mixtures?
The purpose of this lab is to determine which items are elements, which are compounds and which are mixtures.
Question: How do we identify chemical reactions?
The purpose of this lab is to determine how to identify chemical reactions.
Turn that question into a statement!
Turn that question into a statement!

6. Your Hypothesis An hypothesis is an educated guess.
I am a good science student.
I am wearing guess jeans.
An hypothesis is an educated guess.
It’s a chance to offer a single sentence theory.
What should you do?
State what you think will or should happen based on your prior knowledge.
What prior knowledge?
Chances are, you know more than you think!
I guess this won’t hurt a bit…

7. Your Hypothesis
I am not A MAD SCIENTIST.
Example: The purpose of this lab is to determine which items are elements, which are compounds and which are mixtures. What might happen? I’m no scientist, but I think that…
Elements, compounds and mixtures will exhibit different properties.
Example: The purpose of this lab is to determine which mixtures are heterogeneous and which are homogeneous. What might happen? I’m no scientist, but I think that…
Heterogeneous mixtures might include solids and liquids, whereas homogeneous might include two items that are in the same form (two liquids, for instance).
WARNING: Don’t write the part that is blue!

8. Your Materials
I am not A MAD SCIENTIST.
What will be used to successfully complete this investigation?
Your materials should be written in a list.
Like a good recipe, it may include specific
amounts or quantities that you use.
The materials should be listed in the approximate order they will be used.
Highlight any hazardous materials.
Why is this so important? It’s important because a scientist must be able to replicate (repeat) the results of an experiment several times in order to test his/her results.

9. Examples of Materials NEVER CONFUSE THE TWO. MATERIALS FOR A RECIPE
I am not A MAD SCIENTIST.
It’s a good thing.
MATERIALS FOR A RECIPE
MATERIALS FOR A LAB
4 eggs
1 cup of sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 cup heavy cream
3 tablespoons butter
9 inch cake pan
Pencil
Graph paper
Hydrochloric acid
Sodium Carbonate
Potassium chromate
Copper sulfate
NEVER CONFUSE THE TWO.

10. Your Procedures
I am not a monster.
What steps have you followed in order to complete the experiment?
Procedures should be written as a numbered list.
Procedures should be written in sequence (in the order in which they take place).
Procedures should be written in the command form.
Procedures should include enough detail so that someone else could read and then replicate your experiment EXACTLY.
What is the imperative or command form?
Visit the next slide for examples!

11. This lab is making my brain scream.
The Imperative
This lab is making my brain scream.
The imperative form is a command.
Each “command” will start with a verb.
They should be numbered.
1. Mix the salt and the water until…
2. Observe the reaction after the …
3. Heat the solution until…
4. Repeat steps two and three until…
5. Identify the components of the…

12. Observations
Boy, am I hungry.
“As the mixture reached degrees Fahrenheit, yellow smoke began to rise from the beaker. The liquid began to form crystals that darkened to brown after 45 seconds. The temperature had reached degrees. It smelled like buttery movie popcorn…”
Watch what happens and describe it in great and specific detail.
What kinds of details?
Color, size, amounts, reactions, changes, sounds, odors, textures.
Your observations section must also include your data (measurements) and the results.
Your DATA may take many forms, any of which MUST allow the viewer to see and understand the data AT A GLANCE. What forms?

13. Data and Results Data may take many forms. What kinds of forms? Charts
Boy, am I hungry.
Data may take many forms.
What kinds of forms?
Charts
Tables
Graphs
Illustrations (pictures, images)
The purpose of your table or graph is to summarize your findings and to reveal trends in your data. Make sure you choose a form that makes the data easy to understand! Data can be in a chart OR in a table accompanied by a graph!

14. OH BOY, I hope it’s peach pie!
Data Formats
A PIE chart?
OH BOY, I hope it’s peach pie!
LINE GRAPH
BAR CHART
PIE CHART
TABLE

15. Conclusion
I’m tired. My neck hurts.
I’d like to take a nap…
The conclusion of your lab should answer the question “What did you learn?” It may be a brief paragraph of six or seven sentences!
To answer this question, you should refer to:
whether or not your data supported your hypothesis
The data supported our hypothesis in that the…
key points in your discussion questions
The experiment revealed that…
applications of your findings in everyday life
The findings of this experiment are relevant to everyday life. For instance…