Name
Date
Section
Descriptive Lab Report
Each section should be completed in paragraph form (no lists).
Do not use fragments or partial sentences.
Write complete thoughts, as if you are having a conversation with the reader.
Title:
Background
What was investigated or examined?
Purpose
What were you attempting to do?
Procedures
What methods did you use to complete this investigation?
Results
What happened?
Findings
What important concepts or theories are reinforced by your results? What experimental
errors might have been made that could have influenced your results?
1
Things to Remember:
 You may work together collecting your data in the lab. You NEVER work together writing your lab
report or give your lab to another lab partner to copy.
 Performing labs and collecting data can be a partner or group activity - writing the lab is ALWAYS an
individual activity.
 If you quote other sources of information, you must say where you found the information. “the Internet,
or “Google”” is not good enough. You must give the web address of the source, or the name and author
of the book.
 Plagiarism is NOT tolerated. It is NOT your work.
 NEVER change your data! Your accuracy and honesty is crucial. Your grade is not determined by your
data - instead it is based on your accuracy and attention to detail, and how you interpret your data.
2
Criteria
Title
4
YES and in addition,
You have a specific title
and mentioned
3
YES
You have a title & may
mention some materials
2
YES but,
Your title relates to the
experiment
1
Not Yet
Your title does not
make clear what the
S
3
Background
Purpose
Procedures
Results
Findings
Quality of
Report
materials and what was
done with them
(.10 x 40)=
4 pts
You accurately &
expertly described what
is known about the
content you investigated
so someone could easily
decide if this report
would interest them
and what was done with
them
(.10 x 30) =
3 pts
You described what is
known about the
science content you
investigated so someone
could decide if this
report would interest
them
(.10 x 40)= 4 pts
You clearly described
the problem or reason
for doing the experiment
(.10 x 40)=
4 pts
You clearly described all
of the procedures with
enough details so anyone
could repeat this
experiment and get the
same results
(.10 x 40) =
4 pts
You described in detail
what you observed,
measured and/or
happened along with a
sound, scientific
explanation of the cause
(.20 x 40) =
8 pts
You summarized what
was learned in the
experiment and
explained how possible
errors could have
affected the results and
future research about
this question
(.20 x 40) =
8 pts
Your report is
“Museum Quality”,
and without
spelling/grammar errors
(.10 x 30) = 3 pts
You described the
problem or reason for
doing the experiment
(.10 x 30) = 3 pts
You described all of the
procedures with
enough details so
anyone could repeat
this experiment and get
the same results
(.10 x 30) = 3 pts
You described what you
observed, measured
and/or happened and
explained the cause
(.10 x 40)=
36-34 pts
A+ (98%)
22-21 pts
C+ (78%)
33-32 pts
A (95%)
20- 19 pts
C (75%)
4 pts
experiment was about
(.10 x 20) =
2 pts
You described the
science content you
investigated but it
would be hard for
someone to decide if
this report would
interest them
(.10 x 20) =
2 pts
You gave a partial
reason for doing the
experiment
(.10 x 20) =
2 pts
You described some of
the procedures but
someone would need
more details to repeat
this experiment
(.10 x 20) =
2 pts
You mentioned what
happened but didn’t
really give a good
reason for it
(.20 x 40) =
8 pts
You summarized what
was learned in the
experiment and
identified at least one
possible source of error
that could have affected
your results
(.20 x 40) =
8 pts
Your summary is
pretty good but did not
give enough
information or details
(.20 x 30) =
6 pts
Your report is neat,
legible and with very
few, if any,
spelling/grammar
errors
(.20 x 20) = 4 pts
Your report is okay but
it could be neater; you
made some errors
in spelling /grammar
(.10 x 30) =
31-30 pts
A- (90)
18-16 pts
C- (70%)
3 pts
(.10 x 10) = 1pt
Your description
about the science
content is inaccurate
or incomplete;
someone would not be
able to tell if this
report would interest
them
(.10 x 10) = 1pt
It’s not clear why you
did the experiment
(.10 x 10) =
1pt
Your description of
the procedures is
incomplete, missing or
unable to be
performed by
someone else.
(.10 x 10) = 1pt
If you mentioned
what happened, but
it’s unclear what it
meant or what caused
it
(.20 x 40) =
8 pts
Your summary is not
clear enough or is
inaccurate
T
S
T
S
T
S
T
S
T
S
T
(.10 x 20) =
Scoring Key
29-28 pts
B + (88%)
15-14 pts
D + (68%)
2 pts
(.20 x 10)=
2 pts
Your report looks
rushed and
unfinished; you did
not notice the
errors made in
spelling/grammar and
it’s hard to read
(.10 x 10) = 1pts
27-26 pts
B (85%)
13-12 pts
D (65%)
S
T
25-23 pts
B- (80%)
<12 pts.
D- (63-60%)
4
Comments:
5