BIO LABS

Lab Report Assistant

Dear Science Student, As you will learn from reading your manual, a formal Lab Report represents the culmination of your experimental activities. It summarizes your actions, observations, and conclusions, as well as demonstrates to your instructor that you have performed the experiment and what you have learned from doing so. In addition, the Lab Report usually forms the basis for your laboratory grade. To facilitate your report writing and to take some of the formatting drudgery out of preparing the formal report, a Lab Report Assistant section has been added to this DVD. When you open one of these files you will see the Experiment Name at the top of the page. For each lab experiment, relevant procedural sections including necessary questions to be addressed and tables that should be integrated into the report are included. An MS-Word document is provided so that you can copy and paste questions and tables into your lab report document. This will save you time and trouble plus allow you to input data directly into the pre-formatted tables.

Before writing a lab report, it is helpful to understand what instructors usually believe constitutes a good lab report and to know the criteria they often use to evaluate students’ reports. On the following page is a copy of a standard lab report grading rubric that is used by many science instructors. Invest a little time to study it and understand how instructors usually allocate points when grading reports. Familiarize yourself with the six standard sections of a lab report and the criteria on which they are evaluated. This will not only help you write the A+ reports you deserve, it will also help you focus your attention on the more relevant aspects of your experimentation activities so that you can better learn and address them in your report. Understanding science is foundational to understanding ourselves and the world we live in plus essential to making the informed decisions that will preserve our planet for future generations. Apart from such lofty goals, it is fun and exciting to study science, perform hands-on labs, and experience first-hand how nature and the universe work. All the staff at Hands-On Labs wishes you a wonderful science learning experience as you work with the LabPaqs we have designed to enrich your course.

Science Laboratory Report Grading Rubric  Developed by Peter Jeschofnig, Ph.D.  

   

  TOTAL OUT OF 100 POSSIBLE POINTS ________ 

  Unsatisfactory  Borderline  Satisfactory  Excellent  Score 

Title Page  Total = 5 pts. 

Missing more than two  items, title, or names        0–2 points 

Contains title and all  names; but missing two  items      3 point 

Contains title and names;  but missing one item        4 points 

Contains title, author’s and  partner’s names, course  name, experiment number,  and report dates    5 points 

 

Abstract  Total = 10 pts. 

No abstract; incomplete  purpose and/or  incomplete results    0–3 points 

Includes adequate  purpose or results, but  not both    5 points 

Contains purpose and  results, but incomplete      8 points 

Contains clear purpose  statement and complete  results    10 points 

 

Purpose/  Hypothesis 

Total = 10 pts. 

Incomplete purpose or  hypothesis statement;  incomplete or missing  scientific principles or  variables    0–4 points 

Adequately states the  correct purpose/  hypothesis, but missing  scientific  principles/variables    6 points 

Adequately states correct  purpose/hypothesis, but  either missing scientific  principles or variables      8 points 

Clearly states the correct  purpose/hypothesis and  states scientific principles to  be tested and the variables  involved    10 points 

 

Procedures  Total = 10 pts. 

Unclear or missing  instructions; most steps  are missing, incomplete, or  disorganized      0–4 points 

Vague instructions; some  steps missing, not well‐ organized        6 points 

Includes a clear set of  instructions; a few steps are  missing; reasonably well‐ organized      8 points 

Clear, concise with step‐by‐ step explanations;  experiment can be  replicated; includes  materials in methods    10 points 

 

Data/  Observations  Total = 25 pts. 

Data is missing,  incomplete, inaccurate, or  has material defects;   no data tables when  required; missing graphs;  most or all observations  missing; incomplete or no  calculations; few questions  answered      0–12 points 

Data presented, but  poorly organized,  inaccurate, or missing;  graphs display inaccurate  data or are not labeled;  poor or incomplete  observations; poor or  incomplete calculations;  some questions answered      16 points 

Data presented clearly and  neatly; most charts, tables,  diagrams, and graphs are  labeled and accurate;  observations are detailed  and reasonably accurate;  most calculations are shown  and correct; most questions  are answered      20 points 

Data is presented clearly  and legibly; all charts,  tables, diagrams, and graphs  are labeled and accurate;  appropriate graph type is  used; observations are  detailed and accurate;  calculations are shown and  correct; all questions are  correctly answered    25 points 

 

Results/Analysis  Total = 20 pts. 

Explanation of data is  missing or inaccurate;  error analysis incomplete,  missing, or wrong        0–8 points 

Incomplete description of  data; three or more  important observations  are missing; error analysis  incomplete or partially  correct    12 points 

Results stated correctly in  complete sentences; no  more than one or two  important observations are  missing; error analysis  present and correct    15 points 

Complete descriptions of  what occurred; data is used  accurately in reporting/  analyzing the results; error  analysis present and correct      20 points 

 

Conclusions  Total = 20 pts. 

 

Conclusion is missing or  does not fully explain the  objectives of the lab;  relevant terminology  missing; no practical  application given; missing  discussion of scientific  principle; too short (only  one to two sentences)    0–8 points 

Conclusion explains the  objective, but data is not  used accurately to  support it; limited  terminology use; too  short ( two to three  sentences)        12 points 

Adequate explanation  paragraph that includes  supporting evidence and  data, but missing the “big  picture;” little scientific  error; good usage of  terminology; four to five  sentences      15 points 

Well‐written and logical  explanation paragraph  supported by data that  addresses the objectives,  scientific principles, and the  “big picture;” includes  scientific error reasoning for  unanswered questions; six  or more sentences    20 points