1. HOW TO WRITE FORMAL LAB REPORTS

2. LAB REPORTS ARE BASED ON THE SCIENTIFIC METHOD
Scientific Method: the series of steps followed to solve problems. It includes the following:
Collecting Data
Formulating Hypotheses
Testing Hypotheses
Stating Conclusions

3. SCIENTIFIC METHOD
Observation: seeing something that causes a question to be posed
Hypothesis: idea or explanation based on an observation
Prediction: forecast of what will happen in an experiment
Experiment: used to test a hypothesis
Analysis/Conclusion: confirms/disproves hypothesis
Communicate: publish or write your results

4. WHAT ARE THE STEPS? Name and Lab partners Period Title
Purpose and Hypothesis
Procedures
Data
Data Analysis
Conclusion

5. DOING A LAB TOGETHER
ALL LABS START WITH SOME SORT OF QUESTION OR OBSERVATION WE WANT TO TEST.
Question: How long can the average person hold their breath out of water?
Before we start, we make a hypothesis:
Let’s make some predictions
How long do you think?
Will there be a difference between male and female?

6. STEP1: NAME At the top of your lab report, write your name.
In the future, if you do a lab report, you would also write the names of all of your lab partners

7. Below your name, write what period this is
STEP2: PERIOD
Below your name, write what period this is

8. STEP3: TITLE OF LAB What do you want to title this lab?
It should give a good idea about what the lab is investigating.
Most labs we do will provide a title

9. STEP4: PURPOSE
The purpose of the lab tells you why you are doing the lab.
It should never be longer than 1 or 2 sentences.
Example: The purpose of this lab is to determine how long the average person can hold their breath out of water.

10. STEP 4 (CONT): HYPOTHESIS
After you have completed your purpose, you will include a hypothesis.
It should be no longer than 1 or 2 sentences describing what you think will be the results of the lab.
Example: Because we are young and fit, I predict the average time people can hold their breath is 25 minutes.

11. STEP5: PROCEDURES
The procedure is the part of the lab where you explain how you did the lab.
It should be in steps.
Example:
Have a time keeping device ready.
Start to hold breath while you start the timer.
Stop the timer when you breathe.

12. PROCEDURES (CONT)
Normally for an experiment, you would need a control group and an experimental group.
For this experiment, all subjects are being tested so there is no control group.
What would be an example of a control for this experiment? Be sure to tell me what the independent variable is.

13. EXPERIMENTAL CONTROLS
Control group: the standard used as a basis for comparison in the experiment
Experimental group: exactly the same as the control group, except for one difference that is being tested
Independent variable: the difference in the experiment
Dependent variable: what changes because of the independent variable

14. EXAMPLE Holding breath experiment (different environments):
Control group: Classroom
Experimental group: Underwater
Independent variable: where you are at (underwater, can change it to anything outerspace, on a mountain, etc)
Dependent variable: time holding breath

15. DATA
The data part of the lab tells you what you observed or measured. In this experiment, this is where you have your dependent variable (time)
You will NEVER do any calculations or math in data.
Example:
Time breath was held
Person seconds
Person seconds

16. COLLECT DATA
For your lab report we are going to collect classroom data.
Everyone is going to time how long they hold their breath. (this is for science, so be honest)
We will create a data table to show the different times

17. DATA ANALYSIS
This is the part of the lab where you summarize the data.
It is often necessary to do math, create a graph or make a chart.
Example:
To find the average we add the times and divide by the number of people
ALWAYS SHOW YOUR WORK ON LABS
How could you show data with a graph?

18. CONCLUSION
The conclusion is where you summarize the results of your lab by ANSWERING THE PROBLEM IN THE PURPOSE:
What was the purpose?
What is the answer?

19. CONCLUSION EXAMPLE
From my calculations, an average person can hold their breath for _________seconds.
In most labs for class, we know the expected answer.
If your answer is different, then you will have to explain possible reasons why
Example:
Some people breathed during the experiment.

20. THEORIES
After many experiments that verify a hypothesis, it may become a theory.
Nowadays, you can see the results of many experiments because experiments are published and reviewed all over the world.
Other scientists review the results in a peer review

21. ASSIGNMENT (10 points) You will design your own experiment. You will:
Come up with some problem.
Determine the procedures.
Collect at least 3 pieces of data.
Analyze the data with a graph or math.
Write a conclusion answering the problem.
You MUST turn in a formal lab report to get full credit. If you are having problems coming up with an idea, get one from me before you leave.