Osmosis Lab Report Guidelines – Results and Discussion
As you write, focus on quality and accuracy. Both sections should flow together, but also be able to stand on
their own. The entire work should make sense and leave the reader with the thought “That was well written
and interesting.”
All items are worth 3 points:
1
2
3
4
Item is attempted but
Item is thorough or
Item is both thorough
Item is thorough, correct
neither thorough or
correct
and correct
and contains additional
correct
relevant info or is
explained
_____ your name, class, and date submitted
_____ A title using the variables. Anything with “lab” or “report” in it is unacceptable
_____ grammar/spelling
Results
_____ tables, graphs, illustrations clear and understandable
12 pts tables, graphs, illustrations labeled with a descriptive caption: what is the reader looking at, the reader
should be able to easily read the table or figure even if they haven’t read the rest of the report;
include date, place, size of study group – 1 table, 1 graphs, 2 labeled pictures
_____ tables labeled as Table 1, 2, etc. . . and captions are found above tables
_____ graphs, illustrations labeled as Figure 1, 2, etc. . . and captions are found below figures
Discussion
_____ each table and figure should be specifically named and referred to
_____ the information in each table and figure should be described
_____ the information in each table and figure should be interpreted: what do results suggest- relate to
background info on osmosis and hypertonic, hypotonic solutions
o does the change in mass after placement in corn syrup(hypertonic) suggest that water entered
the egg, left the egg, or remained balanced?
o does the change in mass after placement in de-ionized water(hypotonic) suggest that water
entered the egg, left the egg, or remained balanced?
6 pts restate your hypotheses and how the results support or do not support the hypotheses (do not use the
words: proved, right, wrong, correct, incorrect)
_____ form new hypotheses if originals are not supported
_____ how reliable are the results: base on background info and possible sources of error, including how this
experiment deviates from the real-life environment of cells
6 pts explain why this experiment was important: why understand osmosis
_____ identifies independent and dependent variables