ILM Posted December 5, 2010 Report Share Posted December 5, 2010 Hello,From your experiences may you give me some tips and advices in making the lab report. Reply Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wombat123 Posted December 5, 2010 Report Share Posted December 5, 2010 I second this call for help. My teacher is really unclear with the expectations for lab reports. A piece of advice I can offer though is to make sure you have all your uncertainty calculations done and done well. Reply Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drake Glau Posted December 5, 2010 Report Share Posted December 5, 2010 (edited) Make sure your background information is relevant to the topic you are testing. Hypothesis should be in an "if, then, because" statement. Your list of materials should include EVERYTHING, materials, chemicals, all of it. Make a chart to display your variables and constants. Make sure your procedure/methods are specific in every way and try and emphasize on the parts that display how you plan to control your variables. When creating charts and/or graphs, remember units and uncertainties. If there are any calculations done and results put into charts include the equation you used and a sample workout. Label your charts and graphs (1.1, 2.1, etc) to make your conclusion a little easier to explain. Your conclusion should be based off of your results only, I don't care what your book said, that's not your results. During your conclusion you can reference charts and graphs by the 1.1 2.1 labeling you did earlier now . Where you get to compare what your book or sources say is in your evaluation where you need to point out AT LEAST 2 weaknesses and a few things you could have maybe done better to obtain more accurate results. Found % error, gives a nice quantitative value for how bad or how good your experiments was in getting results . If you have a giant % error, find out why and list these errors (for enthalpy for example some reactions evolve gas which can mess with your results because stuff is leaving the system). Remember to take qualitative data as well, explain what you observe during the reaction, "science is observation" . Hypothesis - Like before, if then because, make sure your because explains how the "if" variables will affect the "then" variables. "If I increase the mass of a ball rolling across a 180 degree plane while keeping the force applied constant then the ball will accelerate slower because according to newtons 2nd law f=ma meaning a=f/m therefore more mass would cause the a (acceleration) value to become smaller" that was just off the top of my mind but I hope it explained what I'm trying to say. This needs to come back up in your conclusion, right off the bat, state whether your obtained data support or refute the hypothesis (basically answering your question you started with).Oh, thought of a few more. If you are using different concentrations of solutions show the math you used and put it in plain language what to do to make the solution. Don't just show show 200mL H2O, 2g of NaHCO3, explain that they need to dissolve 2g of NaHCO3 in enough water to make the 200mL. In other words, act like whoever is reading your reports is a complete idiot even though they aren't Include some sort of best fit line and equation and either the REMS or r^2 value, another number you can use for your conclusion, be sure to explain what it itself means and what the value you obtained means. In your methods, sometimes a nice diagram can be useful (like when you're doing circuits in physics and explaining how to set one up is a PAIN lol). You can use this for explaining how to set up a ring stand with all the stuff on it, or setting up a burrete to avoid confusion of where stuff is to be placed.Also in methods IB likes safe people, if you're working with anything dangerous POINT IT OUT, explain to use gloves because the HCl you are using can burn you, explain if you need a mask (I don't know why you would do an experiment like this but I guess you can) because some reaction is evolving some high concentration of SO2 or w/e. Also at the end of your data collection section, or even the beginning of your conclusion explain what your results mean, not everyone knows what some numbers mean. Point out trends as well. Then go into the supporting/refuting hypothesis part.Also during your conclusion you might want to bring in some other concepts that are relevant. If your rate of reaction went up when you increased the concentration of a reactant, explain how collision theory was the like culprit. Or why your seed didn't germinate because you submerged it in water (this is kind of how my bio IA went...) and you need oxygen for cell respiration In your evaluation after you're done with all the errors and weaknesses and stuff you might explain an idea for another experiment you would like to try to test why your results were the way they were. If you noticed that when the concentration of a salt solution increased its conductivity, maybe you want to test if it works the other direction or something along those lines.Edited to throw the other post into this one so it's all one big chunk of advice for whoever reads it. Edited December 6, 2010 by Drake 6 Reply Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wam Posted December 9, 2010 Report Share Posted December 9, 2010 Hey guysI am doing my first ever write up and I am completely helpless. Can you please give me ideas on how to do this ? Thanks Alot ! Reply Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
suggaplum Posted December 9, 2010 Report Share Posted December 9, 2010 Introduction-Background Information- Research Question- Variables (independent, dependent, controlled)Method- Hypothesis- Equipment- MethodResults- Results Table- Data Processing- Data Manipulation & Analysis (Graph)Conclusion- Conclusion - Evaluation- BibliographyThats the basic outline. PM me if you want any more info 3 Reply Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scarletta Posted December 9, 2010 Report Share Posted December 9, 2010 I am not fully sure whether it is required in the criterion, but usually a suggestion for improved investigation should be added to the conclusion partThis is where you plan what could be investigated further. Reply Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Markee Posted February 27, 2011 Report Share Posted February 27, 2011 Introduction-Background Information- Research Question- Variables (independent, dependent, controlled)Method- Hypothesis- Equipment- MethodResults- Results Table- Data Processing- Data Manipulation & Analysis (Graph)Conclusion- Conclusion - Evaluation- BibliographyThats the basic outline. PM me if you want any more infowhat should be on the Background Information? ? ? Reply Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drake Glau Posted February 27, 2011 Report Share Posted February 27, 2011 "Make sure your background information is relevant to the topic you are testing" Anything that you think is relevant to what you are researching. It's kind of like the "because" part of your hypothesis or it could also be the "so what, why are you testing this?" part Reply Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Markee Posted February 27, 2011 Report Share Posted February 27, 2011 "Make sure your background information is relevant to the topic you are testing" Anything that you think is relevant to what you are researching. It's kind of like the "because" part of your hypothesis or it could also be the "so what, why are you testing this?" part But you know that person who posted an outline of it right? If that's the case, why is Background information before Hypothesis? If you don't mind, could you possibly make me a similar outline but, comprehendable? Or if you could as well, show me a link if there is such a forum for a sample of a chemistry coursework? If it is ok. Reply Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drake Glau Posted February 27, 2011 Report Share Posted February 27, 2011 (edited) Click on the "Here" part in my sig and find the lab link, Maha has a good thread that I have listed in there Mmmmk it doesn't talk about the background information The background information is to give information so the reader/grader knows something about the topic because you just throw variables in their face. It'd be like telling you that "If I include a heterogeneous catalyst to a reaction then the rate of the reaction will increase because it is providing an alternative energy pathway and an increase in contact probability between the particles of the reactants thus causing an increase in rate". But the person might not know what a heterogeneous catalyst is, or how energy pathways work in this sense, or how increasing surface area will increase the rate. They have to be educated before they know what you're trying to do Edited February 27, 2011 by Drake Glau Reply Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Markee Posted February 27, 2011 Report Share Posted February 27, 2011 Click on the "Here" part in my sig and find the lab link, Maha has a good thread that I have listed in there Yeahoo! Thanks bro! I owe you one Click on the "Here" part in my sig and find the lab link, Maha has a good thread that I have listed in there Mmmmk it doesn't talk about the background information The background information is to give information so the reader/grader knows something about the topic because you just throw variables in their face. It'd be like telling you that "If I include a heterogeneous catalyst to a reaction then the rate of the reaction will increase because it is providing an alternative energy pathway and an increase in contact probability between the particles of the reactants thus causing an increase in rate". But the person might not know what a heterogeneous catalyst is, or how energy pathways work in this sense, or how increasing surface area will increase the rate. They have to be educated before they know what you're trying to do lol! So it is like uhm, an introduction to your coursework and it is like in extended essays, that part wherein you put them jargon and define them right? Reply Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drake Glau Posted February 27, 2011 Report Share Posted February 27, 2011 Yea, something like that It's jut to get the reader to understand what's going on so they aren't lost when you start throwing numbers at them, pulling conclusions, explaining things. No one wants to read something they have no knowledge of, especially a science report Reply Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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