Section of the report
What goes here?
Student Name
The student’s first and last names.
Date
The date on which the experiment was conducted.
Title
The name of your lab or experiment.
Purpose/Problem
Introduction
What question are you trying to answer? What problem do you want to
solve? This is the reason why you are doing the experiment and should
be stated in the form of a question.
Tell what you already know about your purpose/problem. Provide any
background information that you already have either from research or
from your teacher.
Hypothesis
The answer to your problem. Should be written as a statement that
addresses the purpose/problem.
Variables
List the independent and dependent variables. Also, list the constant
variables (those things that can influence the outcome of the
experiment, so should not change throughout the experiment).
Materials
List all of the materials, chemicals, and products that you use to do the
experiment. Include the amount of each that is used.
Procedure
A numbered list of the steps that explain how to do the experiment.
Data tables, charts, and
graphs
Recording information in tables, charts, and graphs helps you to
organize the data that you observe in the experiment.
Observations
Conclusion and Inferences
Ms. C. Brooks
Describe the observations that you make during the experiment. You
should write down as many quantitative and qualitative observations
as you can.
The conclusion should be written in paragraph form.
 State whether or not your hypothesis is proven or disproven.
 Explain why you accepted or rejected your hypothesis using the
results from the experiment.
 Discuss any possible errors or mistakes that occurred and how they
could be corrected if the experiment is done again.
Johnston MS
2011-2012
Vocabulary
1. Hypothesis – an explanation or answer for a scientific problem. Your hypothesis is a
response to the purpose/problem in the experiment.
2. Variable – those factors or conditions that exist in an experiment and can be changed or
can cause change.
3. Independent (manipulated) variable – the condition in the experiment that is changed
by the scientist. There should be only one independent variable in an experiment.
 When graphing data in a bar graph or line graph, the independent variable is
written on the x-axis.
4. Dependent (responding) variable – the condition in the experiment that changes as the
scientist manipulates or changes the independent variable.
 When graphing data in a bar graph or line graph, the dependent variable is
written on the y-axis.
5. Constant variables – those factors or conditions in an experiment that could change and
affect the outcome of the experiment. These factors or conditions must be “controlled”
or held “constant”; not allowed to change.
6. Quantitative observation – a numerical measurement. (Examples: 25.0 cm, 267 g, 4
boys, 77oF)
7. Qualitative observation – an observation made using the 5 senses (sight, smell, taste,
touch, and hearing). (Examples: color changed to blue, a lot of students, has sharp
edges, produces a foul odor)
8. Inference – an explanation for a specific observation.
Examples:
Observation
Ms. C. Brooks
Inference
Ms. Brooks is tall.
Ms. Brooks’ parents are tall.
HISD students must carry clear or mesh
backpacks.
Pamela always wears a pink jacket and
pink tennis shoes.
Carrying mesh or clear backpacks
helps to protect students and staff.
Johnston MS
Pink is Pamela’s favorite color.
2011-2012