IB Internal
Assessment
(Lab) Scoring
DCP- Aspect 1
Recording raw data
Complete/2
Partial/1
Not at all/0
Records appropriate quantitative and
associated qualitative raw data,
including units and uncertainties where
relevant.
Records appropriate quantitative and
associated qualitative raw data, but
with some mistakes or omissions.
Does not record any appropriate
quantitative raw data OR raw data is
incomprehensible.
DCP- Aspect 1: Recording raw data
What is “raw” data?
• Quantitative & Qualitative data that you
directly collect during the lab (BEFORE any
math is done)
– Mass
– Volume
– Temperature
– Observations (qualitative)
What needs to be included in
DCP- Aspect 1: Recording raw data?
•
•
•
•
•
Title of Data Table
Columns & rows completely labeled
Observations
Level of equipment uncertainty
Level of precision in recorded data remains
constant (same number of decimal places)
Title of Data Table; must be…
• Numbered
– Table 1: -------
• Descriptive: includes both DV & IDV as well as
detail
– Table 1: Initial & Final Mass of a Dialysis Tube
Containing Five Different Concentrations of
Sucrose Solution When Immersed for 20 Minutes
Columns & rows completely labeled; must have…
• Complete label for column (or row)
–
–
–
–
Correct  Concentration of Sucrose Solution
Incorrect  Concentration
Incorrect  Concentration of Solution
Incorrect  Solution Concentration
• Units!!
– (M) for Molarity
– Always use metric system (no “pounds” or “inches”)
• If Data table goes onto a 2nd page, you must
include complete column headings again
Concentration of
Sucrose Solution
(M)
Initial Mass (g)
Final mass (g)
0
0.2
0.4
0.6
0.8
1.0
NOTICE!! The units are ONLY at the
top next to the label. Units do NOT go
next to the data (#) being recorded.
Page 1
Concentration of
Sucrose Solution
(M)
Initial Mass (g)
Final mass (g)
Initial Mass (g)
Final mass (g)
0
0.2
Page 2
Concentration of
Sucrose Solution
(M)
0.4
0.6
0.8
1.0
Observations; must have…
• Detail
– If recording data over time (ex: each day for a
week), then you will have specific observations
every day
– Important for your conclusion! (sources of error)
• If you state it in conclusion, must be in observations
• Description
– Be specific as to what you see but do not draw
conclusions here
Concentration of
Sucrose Solution
(M)
Initial Mass
(g)
Final mass
(g)
Observations
0
Not sticky; bag has resistance; water
dripping from string
0.2
Etc.
0.4
Etc.
0.6
Etc.
0.8
Etc.
1.0
Very sticky; bag looks more wrinkly
Example 1
Example 2
Date
Numbers of
Days Passed
Height of
Plant (cm)
Observations
9/6/12
0
1.3
3 leaves (all green); stem straight
9/7/12
1
1.4
3 leaves (2 all green & 1 has a small brown
spot); stem straight
9/8/12
2
1.4
3 leaves (2 all green & 1 has a small brown
spot); stem straight; 2 small gnats flying around
9/9/12
3
1.6
A 4th leaf has sprouted; gnats not visible today
9/10/12
4
1.7
4th leaf green and the 1 brown spot is bigger
today (2 mm diameter)
9/13/12
7
2.1
2nd stem beginning to branch out; leaves are
the same
Equipment uncertainity
• IB Bio is different for error than IB Chemistry (yea!)
• IB Bio only requires that you look at the equipment you are
using when collecting data; list the uncertainty for that
equipment only (degree of precision is ± the smallest division
on the instrument)
– Ex for a scale: if the scale measures to the hundredths place, the
equip. uncertainty is +/- 0.01g (can be found on bottom of scale)
 0.05g error for scale + 0.05g error when massing an object = .1g
– Do NOT list for anything the teacher provides (example- if I make a
solution for you, do not include uncertainty of graduated cylinder)
• List that information in 1 place near your raw data table
+/- 0.1g
 0.05g error for scale + 0.05g error when
massing an object = .1g
56 mL +/- 0.5mL
+/- 0.01g
Table 1: Height of Wisconsin Fast Plant When Exposed to
#’d and descriptive Title
Blue Wavelengths of Light over 7 Days
Date
Complete column label with units
Numbers of
Height of
Observations
Days Passed
Plant
(+/- 0.1cm)
9/6/12
0
1.3
3 leaves (all green); stem straight
9/7/12
1
1.4
3 leaves (2 all green & 1 has a small brown
spot); stem straight
9/8/12
2
1.4
3 leaves (2 all green & 1 has a small brown
spot); stem straight; 2 small gnats flying around
9/9/12
3
1.6
A 4th leaf has sprouted; gnats not visible today
9/10/12
4
1.7
4th leaf green and the 1 brown spot is bigger
today (2 mm diameter)
9/13/12
7
2.1
2nd stem beginning to branch out; leaves are
the same
Uncertainty of ruler measurement: +/- 0.1cm
Uncertainty
(here or in column heading)
Observations- detailed
Table 1: Trial #1- Height of Wisconsin Fast Plants When
Exposed to Five Different Light Wavelengths over 7 Days
Height of Plant (+/- 0.1cm)
NOTE:
how to label
Observations
data when have 2
titles for a column
(height & color)
Date
Numbers
of Days
Passed
Blue
Light
Green
Light
Red
Light
Yellow
Light
White
Light
9/6/12
0
1.3
1.0
#.#
#.#
#.#
B: 3 leaves (all green); stem straight
G: -----R: -----Y:----W:-----
9/7/12
1
1.4
#.#
#.#
#.#
#.#
B: 3 leaves (2 all green & 1 has a small
brown spot); stem straight
G: -----R: -----Y:----W:-----
NOTE: data is all
showing
same#.## of#.#
#.#
#.#
decimal places
(“1.0” not “1”)
B: 3 leaves (2 all green & 1 has a small
brown spot); stem straight; 2 small
gnats flying around
G: -----R: -----Y:----W:-----
9/8/12
2
1.4
9/9/12
3
1.6
#.#
#.#
#.#
#.#
B: A 4th leaf has sprouted; gnats not
visible today
G: Etc…
9/10/12
4
1.7
#.#
#.#
#.#
#.#
B: 4th leaf green and the 1 brown spot
is bigger today (2 mm diameter)
G: Etc…
9/13/12
7
2.1
#.#
#.#
#.#
#.#
B: 2nd stem beginning to branch out;
leaves are the same
G: Etc…
NOTE: observations
for all colors each day
Practice scoring this table:
Complete/2
Mini-checklist:
•
•
•
•
•
Title of Data Table
Columns & rows completely labeled
Observations
Level of equipment uncertainty
Level of precision
Partial/1
Not at all/0
Records appropriate quantitative and
associated qualitative raw data, including
units and uncertainties where relevant.
Records appropriate quantitative and
associated qualitative raw data, but with
some mistakes or omissions.
Does not record any appropriate
quantitative raw data OR raw data is
incomprehensible.
DESIGN- Aspect 2
Processing raw data
Complete/2
Partial/1
Not at all/0
Processes the quantitative data
correctly.
Processes quantitative data, but with
some mistakes and/or omissions.
No processing of quantitative raw data
is carried out OR major mistakes are
made in processing.
DESIGN- Aspect 2 Processing raw data
What is “processed” data?
• This is the final data that you will use in order to
answer your original research question.
• If your question is looking to compare a rate, such as a
growth rate:
– Raw data: height (cm) for each unit of time(day)
– Processed data  amount of growth in cm per day
(cm/day)
• You will use math (or a computer will use math) in
order to convert your raw data into processed data.
– An average is NOT considered enough to be counted as
data processing (even though you will need to average
trials before continuing into “processing”)
In order to process your data:
• You need to consider what data you have & what you
want the data to look like in order to answer your
question.
• If you are doing the math, you must show 1 example of
each type of calculation.
– Should come between raw data and your presentation of
your processed data (table showing what you calculated)
• Also, in order to earn a “complete” for Aspect 2 in DCP,
you must use all of your data points while processing.
Which processing is the weakest?
• Background Raw data includes height of plant
every school day totally 10 data points over 12 days
(plant still grows over the weekend)
1. (final height – initial height) /12 days
2. Graph raw data & take slope of the line
Height of Fast plant (cm)
• trying to calculate rate of growth (cm/day)
Time (days)
3. Calculate rate of growth between each recorded data
point & then calculate the average
Score for Aspect 2 would be a “1”
Examples of scoring:
• Background Raw data includes height of plant every school day
totally 10 data points over 12 days (plant still grows over the
weekend)
3.5
3.5
3
y = 0.2103x + 1.0636
2.5
Height of Fast plant (cm)
Height of Fast Plant (cm)
3
2
1.5
1
0.5
y = 0.1604x + 1.1281
2.5
2
1.5
1
0.5
0
0
2
4
6
8
Time (day)
10
0
0
2
4
6
8
Time (day)
Didn’t take weekends into account;
Slope (growth rate)= 0.21cm/day
SCORE: 0  major mistake!
Took weekends into account;
Slope (growth rate)= 0.16cm/day
10
12
DESIGN- Aspect 3
Presenting processed data
Complete/2
Presents processed data appropriately
and, where relevant, includes error
bars and uncertainties.
Partial/1
Presents processed data
appropriately, but with some mistakes
and/or omissions.
Not at all/0
Presents processed data
inappropriately OR incomprehensibly.
Presentation= Table & Graph
• When presenting your processed data in a table, it can be a new table
or an extra column in an existing table.
• Just like all tables, it needs to have a complete title, column headings,
degree of precision, etc.
• Also need to take into account  SIG FIGS
– Don’t show your processed data to be more precise than the equipment
you used to collect the data
• FYI: If your lab dealt with counting living organisms, then IB expects
you to round to the nearest whole organism at the end in processing
& then present that number. Show BOTH unrounded & rounded!
– Sometimes the rounding of living organisms makes it look like there
wasn’t a difference (ex: 1.4 #/day vs. 0.6 #/day  both round to 1 #/day)
• Graphs are also numbered & have the same
title as your table
• Be sure you have the right type of graph
• When labeling bar graphs (Excel calls them
“column” graphs), take note of how to label
the x-axis:
0
Percent Change in mass (%)
0
-2
0
0.1
0.2
0.3
0.4
0.5
-4
-6
-8
-10
-12
-14
-16
Concentration of Sucrose Solution (M)
0.6
0.7
Average Rate of Fast Plant Growth (cm/day)
2
0
0.2
0.4
-2
-4
-6
-8
-10
-12
-14
-16
Wavelength/Color of Light
Complete label & unit below; ONLY numbers on x-axis line
0.6
ºC should not be part
of axis; it should only
be underneath next to
“temperature”
FYI: This person also included equipment uncertainty
here, but it isn’t necessary.
Asp 1- Scoring Practice: Why is this a “1/ partial?”
Where are the observations??
Should have table #!
Temp listed under “maggot #”
Asp 2- Scoring Practice: Why is this a “1?”
What if this student had only calculated an average?
An average is NOT sufficient math to be considered
processing! Therefore, there isn’t any processing.
Missing the example/sample calculation!
Asp 3- Scoring Practice: Why is this a “1/ partial?”
Units go at the top of the column only!
Processed data should ALSO be
in a table!
Units do not go on x-axis!
They go with the label