Lab Portfolio Formatting
Topics – Expt. Design
The IB Portfolio
The IB portfolio includes evidence for all
laboratory work sessions: 40 hours SL
or 60 hours HL .
a) All lab work b) problem solving c) dry
labs d) formal labs e) partial labs
FORMAT
Word process (1.5 space) Times new roman 11
point font
Microsoft Excel for: Graphs, tables, statistics
Word can do tables if you have trouble
Include in your portfolio: lab handouts,
instructions, notes, log of lab activities, writeups.
Quick Tips
Treat each lab as practice for the internal assessment
Maximize use of time in class
Turn in only COMPLETE labs
Always think about what your results actually mean
The process is just as important as the end product.
REMEMBER TO KEEP YOUR PORTFOLIO UP TO
DATE – QUARTERLY NOTEBOOK CHECKS !!
IB Internal Assessment
Internal Assessment consists of 2 complete
labs (Bio = 1 full and 2 partials, Enviro = 4
partials)
You will complete 2 required labs with an option
of a 3rd (science fair)
Internal Assessment is 23% of your final IB
Biology or IB Environmental score
Remember: You have full control over this
portion of your IB test score
Use the following as a format
guide for your IA
Remember: Samples will differ slightly
from this format
Everything underlined here should
appear as an underlined heading in
your lab – Refer to the hand out for
reference
Name
Class / Period
Lab Partners
Dates
School
planning
execution
Use a meaningful, descriptive title of your
own creation
IBES IA #1
Running title: What is the effect of some
factor on some aspect of the environment?
Factor can be natural or anthropogenic
Background
*Information that lead to your question
*Background info and Observations
*Include at least two parenthetical
references e.g. (Campbell, p. 245) or
(Platt, 2001)
*Must have enough info to support
problem and hypothesis
*FUNNEL THE READER INTO YOUR
EXPERIMENT
(1/2 page maximum)
Design
Problem: Frequently a question
What is the effect of ___________
on __________?
e.g. What is the effect of
seasonal changes in rainfall on the
reproduction of tree frogs?
Aspects of the Environment
Brainstorm: Period 1
Biodiversity
Waterway health, conditions etc
Worm Predators
Urban development
Weather Stability
Global Warming
Nuclear waste disposal
Beaver Dam numbers
Increase in CO2
Whale Migrations
Giraffe Reproduction
Land pollution, degradation
Bird populations / diversity
Nonnative species / Invasive species
Forest Area
Deforestation
Gopher Population
Soil – volume, nutrients, pH,
Coral Reefs
Resources / depletion
Squirrel Diet
Overpopulation / Human population
Ozone Volume
Fish Population
Cuban Tree Frog colors
Mountain building / land features
Turtle shell density / patterns
Kangaroo pouch volume
Honey badger migration
Malnutrition
Ice cap volume, area
snake shedding schedule
Increased water levels, sea levels
Australian wind patterns
cloud density or formations
species depletion
size of raindrops
development of alternative energies
yellowstone deer populations, species diversity
human reproduction rates
spread of disease / eboila /
global food supply
Aspects of the Environment
Brainstorm: Period 2
Rainforests – area, health, productivity
Biodiversity
Ozone volume
Animal species
Global food supply
Water quality
Standard of living
Agriculture
Depletion of resources
Ice shelves – area, thickness,
National Parks
Marine life, Oceans
Amount of space
Population growth
Quality of food
Death rates,
Genetics
Aspects of the Environment
Brainstorm: Period 3
Polar ice caps – size, thickness
Populations of species
Habitats, Ecosystems
Plant growth
Poison dart frogs
Biomass
Yellow Squirrel banana paw paw populations
Migration patterns
Reproduction
Species mutations
Humidity
Rate of erosion
Food production
Factors that could have an
effect: Period 1
Anthropogenic
Overfishing
Ecotourism
Oil spills
Human life span
CFCs
Pollution
Nickel mining african children
Human population
Burning fossil fuels
Recession
Malnutrition
Mercury in waterways
Species depletion
North Koreen nuclear proliferation
Medical discoveries
Biomagnification
Photochemical smog
Coal mining in west virginia
Gold mining in colorado
War
Eutrophication
Natural
UV radiation
Hurricanes, earthquakes,
Shark attacks in a year
volcanoes
Rain
Factors that could have an
effect: Period 2
Anthropogenic
CO2 emissions
CFCs
Pesticides / runoff
Methane gas
Beach erosion
Whale hunting
Nuclear waste
Population growth
Deforestation
Cows in India
Food waste
Ecotourism
Eutrophication
Natural
Beach erosion
Wildfires
Hurricanes (specific or
general)
Earthquakes
Volcanic ash
Population growth
Factors that could have an
effect: Period 3
Anthropogenic
Acid rain
Pollution
Deforestation
Population
Eutrophication
Food supply
Cetacean Slaughter
Greenhouse
Waste production
Species depletion
Coral Bleaching
Radiation
Tragedy of the Commons –
Ozone depletion
Natural
Temperature
Precipitation
PH
DO
Ocean currents
Natural Disasters
Sunlight – Insolation
UV radiation
Albedo effect
Hypothesis:
Based on preliminary info
Be as quantitative as possible
State as If…Then… & Because
e.g. If there is less than 20 cm of
rain in a particular season then tree frogs
will not reproduce.
This will happen because 20cm of
rainfall is the minimum to leave standing
water in pools for the eggs to float.
Variables
(list them as follows)
Independent variable = Parts of the experiment
that the scientist changes
= e.g. amount of rainfall frogs receive
Dependent variable = Variable that is being
measured (its changes are measured) and how it is
measured
= e.g. size of eggs produced (measured in
cm with calipers)
Controlled variable = What is kept the same
throughout the experiment – include as many as
possible & be sure you explain how and why here
= e.g. temp, food supply, age, time of year,
etc …
Materials
• must be a COMPLETE list
• with an explanation of how each item is
used in the experiment
• Be specifics on sizes, concentrations, etc.
• (include safety equipment)
Experimental Set up
Photographs with labels showing ongoing
experiment with all apparatus including safety
equipment
A drawing is acceptable if it is detailed and
complete
Procedures:
numbered steps – complete enough to be
replicated exactly by another person
Include replications
Must include method of data analysis,
technology used and tests completed
Safety: steps taken for safety in the lab
e.g.
Data Collection and Processing
All results should stand alone
Raw Data Table
organize in excel or word chart with lines  sig.
figs., labels, replicates, units, titles, uncertainties
Raw Data Graph
typically a bar graph showing individual
measurements – remember title, axis labels, units,
scale,
Observations
qualitative observations made during experiment
Data Processing
Overview – explains how you will analyze the
data (T-test – 1 or 2 tailed - or Linear
regression)
– Explains why you chose that test
Calculations
– Sample calculations for each manipulation you do
of the raw data
– Minimum will include – mean, standard deviation, Ttest or Linear regression
– Include formula with your #’s plugged in – if
repetitive may include “…”
– Need even if using excel or calculator for it
Presentation
Another 2 tables –
•
1. descriptive stats (mean, med. mode), Standard
Deviation, other stats, etc.
2. Statistical test results
•
•
•
•
T-test = df, T value, p value
Linear Regression = df, critical r value, r value
must be your own presentation not an excel output
table
Graph correct type (bar graph for T-test,
scatterplot with trendline for Linear Regression)
•
label axes, units, title, central tendency and range
Example of graphs
Graphs/Figures
Type meaningful title
Label axes with units
Do 1 representation of raw data
Do 2nd for the transformed data (means with error
bars).
e.g. Frogs:
a) One graph showing pairs of individual frog data
(rainfall, eggs per frog)
b) One showing Average rainfall (as bar graph) and
Average eggs produced (bar graphs)
c) One showing scatter plot of X (rainfall) and Y (eggs)
plots with trend line, r value, linear equation
Conclusion (Discussion for IBES)
(must have 3 things) (about 1/2 page)
1. Compare results to initial hypothesis –
Were you right or wrong?
2. Restate numerical information important to
your conclusion – graphs and stats info
What do your results show or mean?
WHY did the expt. turn out the way it did?
3. You must include a biological explanation for
the results you found
Citations must be used here as well – what was
supposed to happen? Why was yours the same or
different (at least 2 references)
IBES - Conclusion
½ Page maximum
You need to frame your work in the
context of a broader environmental issue
– You studied pH in a pond effecting plants 
in your narrative you need to Talk about acid
rain
– You studied populations of trees in a forest 
in your narrative you need to talk about
biodiversity
Evaluation
(about 1/2 page)
•
Critically evaluate the quality of your data,
procedures, etc.
• Variability? Reliability? Error Sources?
• You must discuss standard deviation as a
numerical estimate of error or variability
• Systematic Error – based on your manipulation
• Random error – nature is variable
Improvements:
• Suggest improvements for procedures &
data collection
Must have at least 3 improvements
relating to evaluation issues
• E.g. increased sample size, increased
number of replicates, longer sampling
times, better controls (same age, gender)
etc., better accuracy in measurement.
• DO NOT design a different experiment
(toads, different time of day, food
available). Work with what you have
started with.
Works Cited
Minimum of two references – probably
4
Use proper MLA format, refer to
handout or reference the internet
END OF LABORATORY REPORT
Skills Assessment
The following will be assessed by the teacher during the lab
activity and from the write-up. It reflects 12/48 points on
your final IA grade
1 Manipulative skills: Graded Summatively across all labs
6 points total
Were all instructions followed?
Were procedures carried out efficiently with Proper recording of lab
activities?
Was everything done in a safe Manner?
2 Personal skills: Assessed on Jan 9th at Group 4 and
included everything this activity encompasses
6 points total for this one activity
Worked effectively within a team
Recognized and encouraged contributions of others
Self motivation and perseverance
Ethics – honesty, integrity of data, citing of sources
Attention to environmental impact
Skills Assessment Automatic
Deductions
1 Manipulative skills:
Safety concerns
does not demonstrate proper techniques
not recording data during or by the end of the lab period
Failure to approach lab activities with due diligence
failing to clean up after lab
Not analyzing data properly
Perpetually late labs
Improper citations
2 Personal skills / Group 4
Safety concerns
Problems with completing activities on time line
lack of effort or behavioural issues
Any cheating or plagarism will result in a grade of 0
on the entire lab
Did I mention that …
Any cheating or plagarism will
result in a grade of 0 on the entire
lab
Thoughts on Experimental
Design
Designing a Good Experiment
1. Replication – do it enough to show that
the result is not a chance occurrence
2. Control & Constants – ensure that you
know what is the cause of the effect you
see
I.V. is the manipulated
variable (treatments)
Designing a Good Experiment
3. Data collection – plan for the type of data
you want to collect
Be precise and meticulous in your
collection of data
4. Data analysis – is your result significant?
Statistical tests, graphical analysis, what
does it actually show (beyond the #’s)
Designing a Good Experiment
5. What does it all mean
Why did it happen
THINK ABOUT THIS, Its your chance to
use your knowledge to explain a new
phenomenon
Don’t be afraid to research similar
experiments and reference them