Honors Biology Laboratory Report Format

This format is to be used for formal laboratory reports. All reports must be typed, using 10 or 12 point font. Include your name, name of partners, date, class and section. Laboratory reports are done individually; data is shared amongst groups, not interpretations. Correct grammar and spelling are expected. All writing is done using the passive voice and the past tense.

Title

• Reflect on the factual content of the paper. • Use fewer than 10 words. • Describe your specific investigation. o For instance “The Effect of Road Salt on Lentil Seed Germination and Growth” rather than “Seed Experiment”

Abstract

Provide a brief overview of the report in your own words

The abstract should contain 5 parts (as outlined in abstract rubric)

o Purpose, Hypothesis, Procedure, Results, Conclusion

Be specific about results - do not use phrases like "it worked". Be very careful NOT to copy text from the lab handout.

The abstract should be one paragraph and contain scientific terminology

Problem

• State the problem specifically in question form. o For instance, “What is the effect of road salt on the germination and growth of lentil seeds?”

Hypothesis

State the hypothesis using the "If, then. because" format.

• Predict the results based on the problem stated. • Gather preliminary research and information before writing the hypothesis in order to ensure that the problem is testable and relevant. o For instance, “If salt is added to soil, then lentil seeds will not germinate because salt will dehydrate the seed”

Introduction

• Provide background information, previous research or formulas the reader needs to understand the problem. • Do NOT provide a summary of the procedure • Address the following: o Why was the study performed? What is the specific purpose? o What knowledge already exists about this subject? ▪ Answers to these questions can be derived from observations of nature or from the literature using your own words or citations.

Materials and Equipment

• Include a list of materials. • Include a separate list of equipment. • Include a sketch of your set-up (if required) • Should be a bulleted list

Procedure

• Write the procedure in step form (1, 2, 3...etc.) • Describe your experimental procedure in sufficient detail that someone else could exactly duplicate your experiment. • Use complete sentences and write in the passive voice and past tense. • Summarize the procedure from the lab manual or handout using your own words.

Data and Observations

• Organize data in an easy to read form. Use data tables whenever possible; each table should have a descriptive title. • Give all appropriate observations made, both qualitative and quantitative. • Use the correct metric units for all measurements. • Do not interpret, synthesize, or draw any conclusions. Simply report what you observed or measured. • Also can include pictures or drawings of results

Analysis & Discussion

• Answer all questions asked on the lab handout; use question numbers provided on the handout and be sure to use complete sentences. • Include the appropriate calculations and graphs (graph paper or spreadsheet). Each graph should have a short descriptive paragraph (legend). • Indicate and discuss at least two sources of error. Be specific, and explain why each is a source of error. Also, explain how these errors may have affected your results.

Conclusion

• Present a brief conclusion that ties together the reason for doing the exercise and results obtained. • Refer back to the hypothesis. • Use complete sentences. • Use specific examples from your processing of the data or data and observations to support your conclusion. • Discuss the wider significance of your lab work and suggest possibilities for further research. XI. Works Cited • Reference at least two different sources. (i.e. your textbook, other recent books, pertinent articles from magazines or journals, encyclopedia articles, websites). • Use proper citation format.
BEFORE YOU SUBMIT YOUR WORK, DOUBLE CHECK!

Laboratory Report Checklist

1. Label all parts of your laboratory report following the provided laboratory report format.

2. Re-read your report to check for accuracy, grammar, and spelling errors. Be certain that you say what you mean and mean what you say.

3. Avoid the use of personal pronouns. Make certain that you have written in the passive voice and past tense. For instance, "The sodium chloride solutions were prepared," rather than "Prepare the sodium chloride solutions" or "I prepared the sodium chloride solutions."

Avoid the use of slang or contractions.

4. Use the scientific names of organisms whenever possible. The correct form for a scientific name is illustrated by Homo sapiens or Homo sapiens; the name of the genus is capitalized and the epithet is lower case, and both are underlined or italicized. If you refer to a specific organism multiple times, your should list the entire name the first time, but can abbreviate the genus afterwards. (Ex: Homo sapiens the H. sapiens)

6. Give a title to every table, data chart, and graph. Whenever possible, record information in the form of a chart with each column/row correctly labeled. This goes for observations as well.

7. Write a short descriptive paragraph (legend) for each graph.

8. Use at least two references in writing your laboratory report. Cite all references according to the format provided in both the work cited section and as footnotes within the text of the lab report.

Academic Honesty in Writing Laboratory Reports

1. Laboratory reports are written individually. Lab partners will share the same data and observations, but each student will write his/her own report. Students may not submit identical lab reports. Students should write the name of their lab partner(s) on their lab reports. If students do submit the same report, both students will receive a zero on the assignment.

2. References should be used in evaluating lab results, but care must be taken to paraphrase the information found in resources--including the course textbook, encyclopedia articles, reference books, magazine and journal articles, and websites.

The best way for students to avoid plagiarism is always to paraphrase when taking notes. Paraphrasing involves a complete restatement of the author's language, so that the original wording and key phrases are no longer similar to the original source. Direct quotations should be infrequent in lab reports and must be indicated with quotation marks and a page citation.

3. References and other resources used in writing the lab report should be listed in the Works Cited, even if the information that they contain has been paraphrased. Also, in the body of the report, if information from a certain source is used, it must be cited as a footnote at the bottom of the page.

Examples of Plagiarism:

• Turning in a friend’s laboratory report and saying it was yours. • Using another person’s data or interpretation without acknowledgement. • Copying an author’s exact words and putting them in your laboratory report without quotations marks • Using wording that is very similar to that of the original source, but passing it off as entirely your own.

Adapted from Writing Papers in the Biological Sciences (McMillan 1997).

Abstract Rubric: Biology Department

Statement of Purpose/Question
|0 |1 |2 |
|No statement of purpose made in the abstract. |-Abstract contains a statement of purpose, | -Abstract contains a clear and concise |
| |but it is unclear or not pertinent to what |statement of the purpose which accurately |
| |was done in the lab. |describes why the lab was performed and uses |
| | |appropriate scientific terminology and |
| |-Abstract contains a statement of purpose, |vocabulary. |
| |but does not use science terminology or | |
| |vocabulary. | |

Hypothesis:
|0 |1 |2 |
|No hypothesis statement made in the abstract. |-Hypothesis statement was made but it was not |-Hypothesis is well written, pertinent to the |
| |written in the correct “if/then” format. |lab, and written in the correct “if/then” |
| | |format. |
| |-Hypothesis statement was not relevant to the | |
| |lab being conducted. | |

Procedure: (How was the lab performed?)
|0 |1 |2 |
|No description of the lab procedure was |-Procedure was written in the abstract but is |-Procedure is well written and contains all of|
|mentioned in the abstract. |missing significant steps that are critical to|the important steps that were carried out in |
| |understanding the experiment that was |the lab without mentioning unimportant |
| |performed. |details. |
| | | |
| |-Procedure sentence contains superfluous |-Mentions the data collection methods used. |
| |details that are not necessary for | |
| |understanding how the lab was performed. |-Concisely written without omitting anything. |
| | | |
| |-Procedure does not mention the data | |
| |collection methods used. | |

Results:
|0 |1 |2 |
|No results are included in the abstract |-The abstract contains results from the lab, |-The abstract clearly describes the pertinent |
| |but important information is missing. |data that was collected from the lab without |
| | |including specific details and numbers. |
| |-Abstract contains an overabundance of | |
| |information and numerical data rather than a | |
| |general statement describing the collected | |
| |data. | |

Conclusion:
|0 |1 |2 |
|No conclusion statement included in the |-Conclusion statement is unclear and not |-Conclusion clearly and concisely expresses |
|abstract. |necessarily related to the lab that was |what was discovered during the lab using |
| |performed. |correct terminology |
| | | |
| |-Conclusion statement makes claims that cannot| |
| |be substantiated by the collected data. | |
| | | |
| |-Conclusion fails to use appropriate | |
| |terminology to explain the results. | |