Writing (and grading of) Lab Reports

Lab reports are the written result of a lab activity and will, along with what the teacher(s) observe during the lab, form the grade for the lab activity. Sections 1-3 and the data tables can and must be completed before class to save time time for the lab activity and to prepare for the lab itself. 

Depending on the experiment, you may also have a prelab quiz.  You will always know about these quizzes ahead of time.  Failure to pass the prelab quiz (your teacher will tell you the passing score value) will result in you not participating in the lab.  This is for your safety along with the safety of your peers.

The lab report should be neat.  Neatness is important. Use only black or blue ink and the front side of the paper. The back sides are to be used for temporary notes and calculations that can be referred to you as you write the lab and by me as I grade them.

The format of the lab report that I will expect you to follow includes :

1. Title - Should be descriptive indicating what was actually done in the lab. the titles given in the lab book can be easily improved upon. For example, the third experiment in the lab book is titled "Observing a Chemical Reaction." A better and more descriptive title would be "Observing a Chemical Reaction Between Aluminum and Copper (II) dichloride." ("Experiment 3" as a title is not acceptable).

2. Objectives - List the objectives of the lab as found in the lab text. These are the goals of the lab - what you are trying to accomplish.

3. Procedure - Make as short description of how you will accomplish the goals. This should be able to be done in two to four sentences. I do not expect you to write all the individual steps of the procedure as listed in the lab text.

4. Data - This section will be a recording of the data collected as the lab is performed. The data tables should be copied from the lab manual to your lab report before you come to class.

5. Data Analysis - In this section you will answer the questions listed in the section of the lab manual which is under the same title.

6. Results and Conclusions - In this section you will answer the questions listed in the section of the lab manual which is under the same title. You must also evaluate the information you gathered. Are there any anomalies (unexpected results) and if so why are they there? Do you accidentally spill part of a reactant altering the volume needed? Did you wait too long during part of the lab procedure? It is not wrong to make mistakes during a lab procedure. However, it is wrong to falsify or misrepresent results!

Lab Grading: 

The grade you receive for the lab will be based on :

   1. The completeness of the lab report based on the expectations listed above.

   2. The correctness of the information in the lab report.

   3. The honesty of the lab report - is the work your own?  

    4. The neatness of the lab report.

    5. The correctness of the lab procedure as observed during the lab activity.

    6. The following of the lab rules.

    7. The completeness of the clean up of your lab area (wiped and dried).