Lab Reports for Grade 11 and 12 Chemistry - Mc Guckin Science



| |Lab Reports for Grade 11 and 12 Chemistry

| |A good lab report does more than present data; it demonstrates the student's comprehension of the concepts behind the data.|  |

| |You need to organize your ideas carefully and express them coherently.  | |

| |The Title needs to contain the name of the experiment and the date. Titles should be straightforward, informative, and less| |

| |than ten words (i.e. Not "Lab #4" but "Lab #4: Sample Analysis using a titration of dilute HCl").  | |

| |The Abstract summarizes four essential aspects of the report: the purpose of the experiment, key findings, significance and| |

| |major conclusions. The abstract often also includes a brief reference to theory or methodology.  The information should | |

| |clearly enable readers to decide whether they need to read your whole report. The abstract should be one paragraph of about| |

| |100 words. Indent on both sides and use italics. | |

| |The Purpose or Question states the main goal or reason for the experiment. | |

| |The Hypothesis gives your predicted outcome of the experiment | |

| |Materials can usually be a vertical list or lists (not numbered.) Make sure it is accurate and complete. | |

| |Procedure describes the process in chronological order, in numbered steps. Use the past tense passive: “The beaker was | |

| |heated.” | |

| |Results are usually dominated by calculations, tables and figures. Graphics need to be clear, easily read, and labelled. | |

| |Report all values to the correct number of significant digits and report all of the units. | |

| |Sample Calculations gives the detailed mathematical calculations performed in your results section. Report all values to | |

| |the correct number of significant digits and report all of the units. | |

| |Reaction Equations give the balanced chemical reaction of all reactions in the experiment. | |

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| |Discussion is the most important part of your report, because here, you show that you understand the experiment beyond the | |

| |simple level of completing it. It is a chance for analysis and interpretation: | |

| |What do the results indicate clearly? What have you found? | |

| |Explain how you know what you know and why you are certain. | |

| |What important physical laws or theories have been shown here? How well has the theory been illustrated? Show your | |

| |understanding of the principles the experiment. | |

| |What ambiguities exist? What questions might we raise?  Find logical explanations for problems in the data:  | |

| |What is the significance of the results? How is this information applied to industry or everyday life? | |

| |Analyze experimental error and analyze the strengths and limitations of your experimental design.  Was it avoidable? Was it| |

| |a result of equipment?  If the flaws result from the experimental design, explain how the design might be improved. Do not| |

| |say "human error" or “We didn’t do it carefully.” Think of reasons why it was difficult or impossible to be more precise | |

| |based on the equipment and design of the experiment. Think of variables that you were unable to account for or control. | |

| |Was the experiment a FAIR TEST in terms of objective observation, one variable tested at a time and repetition? | |

| |Compare your results to expected results and compare it to similar investigations and accepted values. In some cases, it | |

| |is legitimate to compare outcomes with classmates, not to change your answer, but to look for any anomalies between the | |

| |groups and discuss those. If there were differences, how can you account for them? | |

| |Conclusion can be very short. Simply state what you know now for sure, as a result of the lab: | |

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| |References include your text book and any outside reading you have done. Use APA style. | |

This handout was adapted from information found below:

Laboratory Reports. (2002). Toronto: University of Toronto, Engineering Communication Centre. Retrieved August 20, 2010, .

Lab report Evaluation

|  |Excellent |Good |Satisfactory |Needs Improvement |

|Style and Components |All required elements are|All required elements|One required element is |Several required |

| |present and additional |are present. A few |missing, but additional |elements are missing. |

| |elements that add to the |errors in spelling, |elements that add to the |Several errors in |

| |report (e.g., thoughtful |punctuation and |report (e.g., thoughtful |spelling, punctuation |

| |comments, graphics) have |grammar. |comments, graphics) have |and grammar. |

| |been added. No errors in | |been added. Several | |

| |spelling, punctuation and| |errors in spelling, | |

| |grammar. | |punctuation and grammar. | |

|Results, calculations and Equations |Data is displayed very |Data is displayed |Data is displayed |Data is not displayed |

| |clearly, labelled and |clearly, labelled and|somewhat clearly, |clearly, labelled and |

| |calculations are done |calculations are done|labelled and calculations|calculations are done |

| |with the correct |with the correct |are done with the correct|with the correct |

| |significant digits and |significant digits |significant digits and |significant digits and |

| |units. |and units. |units. |units. |

| |Equations are balanced |Equations are |Equations have a few |Equations are not |

| |and correct and detailed |balanced and correct.|mistakes or are not |balanced or have many |

| | | |balanced. |mistakes. |

|Discussion |Report illustrates an |Report illustrates an|Report illustrates a |Report illustrates |

| |accurate and thorough |accurate |limited understanding of |inaccurate |

| |understanding of |understanding of most|scientific concepts |understanding of |

| |scientific concepts |scientific concepts |underlying the lab. |scientific concepts |

| |underlying the lab. |underlying the lab. |Limited analysis and |underlying the lab. |

| |Complete and thorough |Complete analysis and|interpretation of the |Weak analysis and |

| |analysis and |interpretation of the|experiment. Application,|interpretation of the |

| |interpretation of the |experiment. |error and limitations are|experiment. |

| |experiment. Application,|Application, error |somewhat explained |Application, error and |

| |error and limitations are|and limitations are |A few background sources |limitations are not |

| |carefully explained |explained. |are used / not cited |carefully explained. |

| |Several reputable |A few reputable |correctly/ not reputable |No background sources |

| |background sources were |background sources |sources. |or incorrect citations.|

| |used and cited correctly.|are used and cited | | |

| | |correctly. | | |

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