North Carolina State University
©2004 Labwrite Project
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How to use
LabWrite
Resources
Special
Features
Labwrite
Stage
PreLAB: Getting started
Questions to answer before doing the lab:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
What scientific concept(s) is this lab about?
What are the objectives for this lab?
What is the overall purpose of the lab?
What is your hypothesis for the lab experiment?
What reasoning did you use to arrive at your hypothesis?
InLab: Doing the lab
A guide to completing the lab and managing
lab data:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Setting up the lab
Getting ready to collect data
Preparing a table or spreadsheet for recording your data
Conducting the experiment
Visualizing the data
Making sense of your data
PostLAB: Writing your lab report
A step-by-step guide to
help you write each
section of your lab
report:
LabCheck: Making sure it’s right
LabCheck is made up of the LabChecklist &
the Evaluation Guide:
• Use the labChecklist to check off all the
items that need to be in your lab report.
• Use the Evaluation Guide to view the
criteria your instructor will use to grade
your lab report.
LabChecklist
Lists all the items
that need to be in
your lab report
LabCheck Evaluation Guide
Lists the criteria your
instructor will use to
grade your lab report.
You can also click
on the links to get
help for improving
your lab report.
Start with a LabWrite stage
From the main homepage, click
on a stage. This will take you to a
stage homepage where you can
select what you need.
What you’ll see when you click a
stage, for example PreLAB :
For labs not
driven by
hypotheses, or
labs you designed
yourself, use the
websites and
handouts from
this location
For hypothesis-driven
labs, use the materials
under “Standard
Laboratory Experiment.”
Choose Tutor for an
interactive mode to write
your lab reports on-line.
Choose Self-Guide for
the standard website.
The Handout is for
printing and filling in.
Using the Self-Guide Mode
• Structured so that you can use PreLab, InLab, or
PostLab with any word processing program
• Has pop-up windows with definitions of important
terms
• Has “more help” links that give you more
information
• Takes you to resources you may need
• Has “printable” versions of all materials
Self-guide: Step-by-step instruction
One question or step at a
time guides you through
your work.
Additional information
provides support when
you need it.
Self-guide: Pop-up definitions
Click on highlighted
words to bring up a
pop-up window with
a definition
Self-guide: More help
When you click on “MORE HELP”
links, you’ll find additional
information as shown below:
Self-guide: Resources
Resource links will
take you to a specific
resource you may need
to accomplish a task.
You may also go to any
resource from the main
homepage menu.
Self-guide:
Printable versions
Click on “Printable Version” on a Self-guide
Page to view and print a hardcopy of any materials
you may need. More Help and Pop-ups are included.
Using handouts
• Handouts give you the opportunity to fill in
your answers to the PreLab and InLab by
hand or by copying into a word processing
program.
• Handouts are located on the home pages for
each stage or next to the printer icon in the
self-guide pages.
Using the Tutor
• The Tutor offers an interactive interface that
prompts you step by step through all the
stages of labwrite.
• This is what the interface looks like:
Clicking on Tutor
• When you click on “Tutor” from any stage
home page, you’ll see the window below. Type
in the name you would like for your lab work
and lab report and click “submit.”
Retrieving an existing file
If you have already created
a lab report file, click
“Browse” and find the file
on your computer. Click
on the file to choose it and hit
“Open.”
Retrieving an existing file
When you find your file, Tutor will list it in the “existing labwrite file”
window and you’ll have to click submit. Doing so will take you to
where you left off in the tutor. Notice that Tutor saves your work in
“.xml” You will only be able to open Tutor files in the Tutor mode.
Once done with Tutor, you can save in “MS Word” or other text program.
Working with Tutor
• Once you have created or retrieved a file, you are
ready to use the Tutor.
• Tutor will show a question or a phrase in the
“prompt window” to let you know what you have
to do.
• You can click “MORE HELP” for additional
information.
• You’ll be able to type in your answers in the “text
box” and save your work.
• Tutor will keep track of your progress.
Working with Tutor
• You’ll have to save your work periodically. Tutor
will remind you sometimes. Click “SAVE.”
• You can view your work by clicking “VIEW.”
• You can export your work to a text file by clicking
“EXPORT.”
• Clicking “EXIT” will remove you from Tutor. You
may lose unsaved work.
Tutor Elements
Stage
More
Help
Prompt Window
Click here and type your text...
EXPORT
File
Name
SAVE
List of
completed
work goes
here when
in postLab
VIEW
EXIT
Stage
Resources
Progress Dial
Tutor Prompts
• Use the “step arrows” to go from one
prompt to the next. In postLAB, you’ll have
several prompts for each section of the lab
report. Prompts are listed as 1 of 6, 2 of 6,
etc.
Tutor Prompts
• Click “MORE HELP” in the prompt box to get a popup window with more information:
Using Resources in Tutor
Clicking a resource link, whether
from a prompt or from a resource
tab on the bottom of the Tutor interface,
will open up a new window with the
resource you need.
Viewing your work in Tutor
As you complete each
labwrite stage, you’ll
be able to view your work
when you click on “VIEW.”
You may also print from
“VIEW” by choosing File->”print”
Viewing your lab report in Tutor
As you complete
sections of your lab
report, you’ll be able
to view your report in
progress when you
click on “VIEW.”
You may also print
from “VIEW” by
choosing File->”print”
Saving your work in Tutor
• Every time you click “SAVE,” Tutor downloads a
temporary .xml file on your computer. You will
not be able to open this file, but you can save it.
You’ll see the following
window. Click
“Save this file to disk”
and then click “OK.”
Saving your work in Tutor
• When you “save a file to disk,” you’ll be
asked to select where you want to save it.
Select where you want to save
it, and then click “Save.” Do not
change the file name at this point.
Saving your work in Tutor
• If you had saved your file before, Tutor will ask
you if you want to replace the existing file when
you try to save. The window will look like this:
Click “yes” to save the most
current version of your work.
do not change the file name at
this point.
Saving your work in Tutor
• Once you’re done saving your file, you’ll get a
“Download complete” window that looks like the
one below:
Click “Close” to finish saving
your work file. The file
is saved on your computer for using
in Tutor. You will not be able to
open the file until you export it as
a text document.
The “EXPORT” function
• Click on “EXPORT” on the Tutor:
Exporting your work to a text file
• “EXPORT” will save your file in “rich text
format (rtf), which you can open in “MS
Word.” You’ll get a window like this one:
Click “Save this file
to disk” followed by “OK.”
Exporting your work to a text file
• Next, you’ll see the window below. Make sure to
select where you want your file saved.
When naming your file, make
sure to leave “rtf” at the end
of the file name. Click “Save”
when you’re done.
Exporting your work to a text file
• When you are done saving your work in the
“EXPORT” function, you’ll get the
following window:
You’ll now be able to click
“Open” to see your work in
a text format. This will be a regular
text file that you can modify and
print.
Exiting the Tutor
• Click “EXIT” to leave the Tutor. It will prompt you
as follows:
Click “Yes” just to be
sure.
Exiting the Tutor
• Next, Tutor will ask you to save your work
again. You’ll see the following window:
Click “OK” just to be
sure. This will save
your work in .xml so
that you may retrieve
it when you need to
continue working in the
Tutor mode.
Exiting the Tutor
• You’ll have to save as you did before by
selecting where you want your file saved.
Click “Save” when you’re
done. Remember not to
change the file name here.
Exiting the Tutor
• When you click “Save,” it will ask you if
you want to replace the existing file. Click
“Yes” to save the current version of your
file.
Exiting the Tutor
• When you’re done saving, you’ll get a
“download complete” window:
Click “Close” to finish saving
your work file. The file
is saved on your computer
for using in Tutor next time.
Exiting the Tutor
Once you’re done saving
under the “EXIT” function,
you may safely close your
browser window to finally exit
the tutor. Click File->Close or
just click on the upper right
hand box
Clicking on “Tutor”
• When you click on “Tutor” from any stage
home page, you’ll see the window below.
Type in the name you would like for your
lab work and lab report and click “submit.”
Retrieving an existing file
If you have already created
a lab report file, click
“choose file” and find the file
on your computer. Click
on the file and choose it.
Retrieving an existing file
When you find your file, Tutor will list it and you’ll have to click
submit. Doing so will take you to where you left off in the tutor.
Notice that Tutor saves your work in “.xml”
You will only be able to open Tutor files in the Tutor mode.
Once done with Tutor, you can save in “MS Word” or other text program.
Working with Tutor
• Once you have created or retrieved a file, you are
ready to use the Tutor.
• Tutor will show a question or a phrase in the
“prompt window” to let you know what you have
to do.
• You can click “MORE HELP” for additional
information.
• You’ll be able to type in your answers in the “text
box” and save your work.
• Tutor will keep track of your progress.
Working with Tutor
• You’ll have to save your work periodically. Tutor
will remind you sometimes. Click “SAVE.”
• You can view your work by clicking “VIEW.”
• You can export your work to a text file by clicking
“EXPORT.”
• Clicking “EXIT” will remove you from Tutor. You
may lose unsaved work.
Tutor Elements
Stage
More
Help
Prompt Window
Click here and type your text...
EXPORT
File
Name
SAVE
List of
completed
work goes
here when
in postLab
VIEW
EXIT
Stage
Resources
Progress Dial
Tutor Prompts
Use the “step arrows” to go from one prompt
to the next. In PostLab, you’ll have several
prompts for each section of the lab report.
Prompts are listed as 1 of 6, 2 of 6, etc.
Tutor Prompts
Click “MORE HELP” in the prompt box to
get a pop-up window with more information:
Using Resources in Tutor
Clicking a resource link, whether
from a prompt or from a resource
tab on the bottom of the Tutor interface,
will open up a new window with the
resource you need.
Viewing your work in Tutor
As you complete each
labwrite stage, you’ll
be able to view your work
when you click on “VIEW.”
You may also print from
“VIEW” by choosing File->”print”
Viewing your lab report in Tutor
As you complete
sections of your lab
report, you’ll be able
to view your report in
progress when you
click on “VIEW.”
You may also print
from “VIEW” by
choosing File->”print”
Saving your work in Tutor
• Every time you click “SAVE,” Tutor
downloads a temporary .xml file on your
computer. The download list will look
something like this:
Files will be named with the
name you chose for your
labwrite work, the number
of the file, and “labwrite.xml”
These files should be kept until
you are sure that you’re done
with Tutor for a particular lab.
Exporting your work to a text file
• There are two ways you can save your work
to a text file for printing and turning in:
– Click on “EXPORT” to save your file in “rich
text format (rtf).
– Click on “VIEW,” and hit file-> “save as.”
Name it as you’d like. It will save it as .html
file, which you can open, copy, and paste into a
word document.
The “EXPORT” function
• Click on “EXPORT” on the Tutor:
You’ll get a file on your desktop that looks like
This:
Replace the numerical file number
with the name you want for
your report. Open “MS Word”
or other text program and hit
file-> “open” to open it from there.
Exiting the Tutor
• Click “EXIT” to leave the Tutor. It will
prompt you as follows:
Click “yes” just to be
sure. This will save
your work in .xml so
that you may retrieve
it when you need to
continue working in the
Tutor mode.