Name: _______________________
Lab Write Up Expectations
Title (1 point): The title should be at the top of your lab report. It should describe the lab so that someone with
no science background can understand what the lab was about. Be creative!
Problem (1 point): The problem should follow the title and be written in the form of a question. This question
should ask what you are trying to find out by conducting the lab.
Introduction (3 points): This section should follow the written problem and be in paragraph form. Describe the
purpose of this lab and your testable hypothesis. Make sure to include some background information as to why
a lab activity such as this one is important (this helps build reader interest). At least three different/unrelated
pieces of background information must be supplied. For example, if you were investigating the eating habits of
your pet hamster, Hammy, you might describe what hamsters usually eat, what the niche of a hamster might
be, and why a hamster is considered a rodent.
Procedure (3 points): Create a short paragraph describing the steps involved in this lab. Steps must be
written in sentence form (no lists) and must not contain “we,” “I,” “us,” etc. Science writing should be as
objective as possible. Identifiers (such as names and “I” statements) add bias that should be avoided. No “I”
statements should be used anywhere in the report.
Data (5 points): In this section, you will create a table showing the data that you collected throughout the
experiment. You will also create two graphs of different formats exhibiting these data. The choice of graphs and
information you graph are up to you. However, make sure that the information you graph is important to the lab
and that each graph exhibits different data (for instance, you would not create a bar graph showing how much
of each food type your hamster ate and then a pie chart showing food broken down by percentages).
Analysis: (3 points): In this portion of the lab report, you will describe in paragraph form what your graphs and
table show. For example, if your table showed that dried corn was the most-often-eaten hamster food, you
would comment on this here (you would also include at least three actual data values, such as how much
Hammy ate). You must also use research to support the analyses you come up with. If you found dried corn to
be Hammy’s favorite, you would use data collected from paper sources or the internet to support what you
found. This is extremely important. Make sure that you discuss your research in your report.
Conclusion (3 points): Your conclusion must be in paragraph form, and in this section you discuss whether or
not the hypothesis created was supported and why or why not. Explain at least two sources of error that may
have influenced the results achieved.
Works cited (1 point): Make sure that a works-cited section is included listing your references. Be sure to
follow proper bibliography rules and make sure you use at least two references.
The lab must be typed or neatly written. It must include all of the elements, with enough detail to meet the
criteria listed above. Be clear and concise, but do not be too brief.
The rubric for this lab report can be found on the following pages. Use this rubric to evaluate your work before
handing it in.
Name: _______________________
Science Lab
Title
if a title is included but does not
address the report topic, half a
point will be deducted
1 point
Appropriate title included in report
0 points
No title included in the report
Problem
Half a point will be deducted if the
problem is not written in question
form or is not specific enough
1 point
Appropriate problem included in the
report (only one problem should be
supplied)
0 points
No problem included in the report
Introduction
Half a point will be
deducted is only a
minimal amount of
background
information is
supplied (less than 3
pieces) or there is a
lack of proper depth
3 points
Introduction is in
paragraph form,
describes purpose,
gives hypothesis,
and shares detailed
background
information (at least
three pieces of
information)
2 points
Introduction is in
paragraph form,
describes purpose,
and gives
hypothesis, but does
not provide
background
information (or any
combination of two)
1 point
Introduction is in
paragraph form and
either describes
purpose or gives
hypothesis
0 points
Introduction shares
no relevant
information or is not
in paragraph form
Procedure
Half a point will be
deducted for a lack
of depth in
procedure
3 points
Share in paragraph
form and written as
full sentences (no
listing), and there
are no “I”
statements
2 points
Steps are in
paragraph form and
written as full
sentences (no
listing)
1 point
Steps are in
paragraph form,
some of the
procedure is listed
0 points
Procedure exists
entirely in list form
Data
Half a point
will be
deducted for
one missing
label/unit
One point will
be deducted
for two
graphs
showing the
same data
5 points
one table and
two graphs
included,
with all
aspects
labeled;
information
graphed is
relevant,
neat, and
concise
4 points
One table and
two graphs
included, two
to three
labels/units
missing, or
lack of
relevance and
neatness
3 points
One table and
two graphs
included, yet
few to no
labels
2 points
One table and
one graph
included
1 point
One table or
one graph
included
0 points
No tables or
graphs
included
Name: _______________________
Analysis
If data values are
presented but less
than three are
mentioned, half a
point will be
deducted
If research and data
values are included
but there is a lack of
detail half a point
will be deducted
3 points
Analysis is in
paragraph form and
includes detailed
and correct
description of data
(be sure to mention
at least three data
values); research
used to support
analyses
2 points
Analysis is in
paragraph form with
detailed description
of data
1 point
Analysis is in
paragraph form with
very little detail in
description of data
0 points
Analysis is not in
paragraph form or
no description of
data
3 points
Conclusion is in
paragraph form with
description of
hypothesis result,
reasons/explanation
why results were
received, and at
least two sources of
error included
2 points
Conclusion is in
paragraph form with
description of
hypothesis result,
reasons results were
received and less
than two sources of
error included
1 point
Conclusion is in
paragraph form with
description of
hypothesis result
included
0 points
No appropriate
conclusion given
Inaccuracies in
analysis will result in
a half-point
deduction
Conclusion
Incorrect reasoning
behind hypothesis
explanation will
result in a half point
deduction
Work cited
Half a point will be deducted for
improper citations or only one
source used
1 point
Appropriate bibliographical
information included with at least
two sources used
The mark I believe I should receive is a ______ because:
Teacher Comments:
0 points
No bibliographical information
included