IB Biology
Internal Assessment Lab Format
Do not “cram” sections together leaving me no room to make comments.
Do not complete sections out of order (like attaching graphs at the end)
The following titles and subtitles should be used for your lab report.
Planning (a)
Question – must be focused and not ambiguous in any way
 make it clear what you are investigating (use a little ‘how’ and ‘why’)
 The reader should be able to deduce the point of the investigation from this sentence alone.
 e.g. “Osmosis: investigating the effect of solute concentration on the weight of potato discs, when
submerged in a range of concentrations of salt solution for 2 hours”.
Hypothesis – make your prediction & then give a logical supported rationale
 Academic Honesty: remember to cite your sources of information properly
Variables – chart identifying Independent, Dependent, & Controlled Variables
Variables
Independent Variable
Dependent Variable
Controlled Variables
Units
Units
Range
Possible effect(s) on
results
Method for Control
Planning (b)
Diagram – draw & label a diagram which best shows the protocol you used
Procedure – write in paragraph form, passive voice, and past tense….be sure to emphasize how many times each data set is
being repeated (3 is minimum)
 Include details of how to measure your independent and dependent variables.
 Give precise details of values, units and equipment
 Make sure you are collecting enough data – how large does your sample size need to be?
 How many times will you repeat your investigation to ensure reliable results?
Data Collection
Raw Data Table - Make sure this is raw data only.
Data table design & clarity is important.
A title should be given (Raw Data Table is not a data table title, it is a lab report section title) Make sure that all columns, etc. are
properly headed & units are given.
Do not “split” a data table (putting part of a table on one page and finishing it on another).
Uncertainties can be given within column headings for equipment precision and as footnotes beneath data tables for other types of
uncertainties.
Solute
Concentration
(± 0.5%)
0
Trial
1
2
3
Initial Weight of
discs
(± 0.5g)
Final Weight
of discs
(± 0.5g)
Data Processing & Presentation
Overview – this is a short paragraph section that gives an overview of how and why you decided to process and present the
data in the form that shows up later in this section.
Sample Calculation – neatly lay out and explain one example only of any one type of manipulation that was done to the raw data to
help make it more useful for interpretation. Make sure you have checked all your calculations to avoid any silly mistakes.
Presentation – this is typically one or more data tables (of your now processed data) and one or more graphs of this processed data.
Once again, the design & clarity of data table(s) is important and the quality of graphs is also very important. Give careful consideration
to the choice of graph style(s) that you choose to do.
Think about doing a scatter plot or perhaps a box/whisker plot or any number of other creative graphing styles rather than just a simple
line graph.
Make sure that you follow good standard rules for doing graphs (valid title, axis’ labeled including units, etc.)
Solute
Repeat
Weight Change
% Weight Change
Mean % Change
Concentration
(g)
(g) (+/- 1%)
(+/- 1%)
(± 0.5%)
1
0
2
3
Conclusion & Evaluation
Conclusion - This is a paragraph section in which you get a chance to discuss the results of your experiment. Start by addressing
whether your data seems to support or refute your hypothesis. This should be discussed and not just stated. Specifically refer to your
graphs to give support to this discussion. Avoid the use of the word “proof” or “proves” within your conclusion, as your data will not
prove anything.
 Interpret your results, based on the data collected and with reference to your hypothesis or background
information.
 What (if any) general trends do you observe? What do they suggest?
 Are there any anomalous (unusual) results? What might be their significance?
 Does the data you collected support your hypothesis? Why/ Why not?
 What does your data suggest about the outcome of your research question?
 Do other sources of information or investigations support your findings? (Cite your sources!!)
 How could you develop this investigation for further study?
Limitations of Experimental Design – this paragraph section discusses how well your experimental design helped answer your
experimental question. What worked well (and why) and what did not work well (and why). This must be a worthwhile evaluation of
the method chosen, rather than a superficial commentary on poor lab techniques and sloppy work. “I should measure more accurately”
is a problem with your practical skills, rather than the method of investigation.



Did you record any anomalies in your practical work? How did they affect your results and what did you
do to minimize their adverse effects?
What weaknesses were present in the method chosen for the investigation and how could they have
affected the outcome?
Did anything occur during the investigation to comprise the reliability of your results?
Suggestions for Improvement - this section should be used for two purposes.
1) what minor improvements could be made to the design features that you just mentioned in the previous section
that would perhaps lead to better results next time
2) what suggestions do you have for other possible experimental designs that may work better for answering this
question