DESIGN
ASPECT 1: DEFINING THE PROBLEM AND SELECTING VARIABLES
Background Information:
Problem Question:
Hypothesis:
Hypothesis Explanation:
Variables
Dependent:
Independent:
ASPECT 2: CONTROLLING VARIABLES
Controlling Variables: (use a table format)
Experimental Control:
ASPECT 3: DEVELOPING A METHOD FOR COLLECTION OF DATA
Apparatus and Materials:
Procedure:
Safety:
DATA COLLECTION AND PROCESSING
ASPECT 1: RECORDING RAW DATA
Qualitative:
Quantitative:
ASPECT 2: PROCESSING RAW DATA
Explanation of Calculations:
Sample Calculations: (include any null and alternative hypothesis)
Processed Data: (usually in table form)
Types of Possible Error: (Only put here if a lab does not have Conclusion and Evaluation, if does have
Conclusion and Evaluation put error in Aspect 2 below)
ASPECT 3: PRESENTING PROCESSED DATA
Conclusion and Evaluation
ASPECT 1: CONCLUDING
ASPECT 2: EVALUATING PROCEDURE
ASPECT 3: IMPROVING THE INVESTIGATION
REFERENCES AND CITATIONS
Degrees of precision
If you use a ruler, graduated in millimetres, to measure an object (e.g. the length of a leaf) you will probably
find the edges of the object lie close to a millimetre division but probably not right on it. Recording the leaf is
"4.5cm-and-a-bit" long is not very useful. The accepted rule is that the degree of precision is ± the smallest
division on the instrument, in this case one millimetre. So the leaf in this example is 4.5cm ± 0.1cm. The
degree of precision will influence the instrument that you choose to make a measurement. For example if you
used the same ruler to measure an object 0.5cm long the degree of precision (± 0.1cm) is 20% of the
measurement, this is very large error margin and, so, it is not very precise. Therefore, we must choose an
appropriate instrument for measuring
Presenting Tables in Lab Reports
Table 1. Effect of temperature on the growth of Oak trees seedlings (±.5° C. ±1 mm)
Temperature (± .5° C)
Growth in 48 h (±1 mm)
10
15
22
33
1. Title must have a table number before title.
2. Headings must include units in parentheses.
3. Do not include units in the table beside the numbers. Show uncertainties.
4. There should only be horizontal lines in the table. Do not use vertical lines to divide the columns,
put spaces between the columns to keep them separate.
Presenting Graphs in Lab Reports
Figure 1: Effect of temperature on the growth of Oak
seedlings
Growth in 48h (mm)
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
Temperature (Celsius)
1.
2.
3.
4.
Title must have a figure number before title.
All units must be in axes titles in parentheses. Do not forget axes labels.
Avoid using color. Use different line patterns for separate plots on same graph.
Must have a key for all lines in graph.