Jump to content

How to write a good biology lab report.


Mahuta ♥

Recommended Posts

  • 2 months later...

Hey everyone!

My biology HL teacher told my class that a hypothesis is not needed in the design lab IA and her reason is that the criteria does not explicitly state that you need one. I don't believe that because most of the guides I've seen on the internet mention a hypothesis and my labs in Chemistry SL do require the hypothesis. Is my biology teacher correct?

Thanks for the help!

  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...
  • 1 month later...

Thank you so much! My first biology report is due midnight, and I wasn't really sure about how to write it with the assessments CE.

Before we would just go through all the criteria: Hypothesis, materials, method, etc.

Although our teacher had gone through what the report needed to contain, I wasn't sure how to begin.

Thank you!

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

Thanks a lot for this amazing summarry. It is really clear and easy to understand, but I want to make sure that I understood the part of data presentation correctly. Data presentation is about how I present collected data and data processing, right? For example, when I give a graph, which shows percentage of plasmolysed cells (which falls into a data processing category), it is already data presentation, isn't it?

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...
  • 2 weeks later...

In an experiment, you have an independent and a dependent variable. If your independent variable is the salt you're using, then you should have one dependent variable (e.g rate of reaction or time requires for this to happen) and the rest are controlled variables ( concentration, temperature..etc). Basically, the only thing you're changing is the type of salt.

I am not sure I answered your question there, but telling me more about the reaction may all me to help you more.

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

Actually, you don't have to do it according to the SL syllabus if I am not mistaken. There is nothing in the syllabus that says that. Similarly, it doesn't have to be based on HL content either. As long as its something related to the syllabus as a whole, in other words..related to one of the topics covered.

Link to post
Share on other sites

In MYP we are given a guide on how to write a lab report:

Research Question - should include both independent and dependent variable and their measuring units

Prediction & Hypothesis - What you think will happen and why. Better to give some scientific reasoning to support hypothesis

Variables - Independent, Dependent, and Controlled. Explain the controlled variables and how they make the experiment "fair"

List of Apparatus

Diagram of Apparatus

Step-by-step method in third person that would enable any other person to do the experiment and get the same results

Results

Conclusion - did your results coincide with your hypothesis, why or why not? comment on the reliability, fairness of the data

Evaluation - improvements in experiment, strengths and weaknesses. Recommended to make a table involving source of error, how it affected the experiment, and procedural improvements

Link to post
Share on other sites

Hi, in my lab report I put a solute concentration in a test tube with a spaghetti straw that I had noted the weight of from before in 20 hours to see if the weight have changed or not. In my raw data table, I am including the initial weight of the spaghetti straws and the final weight after the solution. In addition, I am calculation the differences of the weight in both grams and percentage. Then I am calculating the mean percentage change. Is it correct to find the mean from the percentage change?

My second question is, am I supposed to calculate the standard deviation by using the numbers from the change in grams of percentage, or by using the numbers from the mean percentage change, or by using the initial or final weight of the spaghetti straws?

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • 7 months later...

Hey guys, i'm doing my first IA and it's a design lab.

Our teacher really didn't give us any helpful guidance relating to the investigation topic which is: Investigate a factor that effects transport across the membrane of a cell.

All I was wondering is if i'm on the right track with my brainstorm of factors, any help would be much appreciated :)

- manipulating the pH

- solute concentration

- number of channels

- size of channels

Thanks in advance!

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...
  • 5 weeks later...
  • 2 weeks later...

Hi ! I have a question regarding uncertainties and percentage error.. do we calculate the % error and show the working and is it required?.. and is the uncertainty applied to graphs and tables (as in stating the uncertainty in the table) .. or do we have to show the calculations of uncertainty ?

Thanks.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...