Report Writting Guidelines

 

Please include the following sections in your practical report:
	Section	Criteria	CheckList
1	Date	The date the practical was conducted (not the date that it was due)
2	Author	Who conducted the experiment?Your name first and then your partners in alphabetical order.
3	Title	The title of the experiment
4	Aim	What was the purpose/goal of the experiment?When creating your aim keep this in mind:-          What results you are collecting -          What conclusions you will be making
5	Hypothesis	An educated guess about your results-          What: do you believe is going to happen?-          Why: relate your ‘guess’ to a key concept e.g. particle theory -          How: will this be demonstrated in your results e.g. qualitative and quantitative observations e.g. order, colour, appearance   (Ensure that your hypothesis links to your Aim)
6	Materials	-          List all equipment, including quantities/amounts, that was used in dot point form
		VELS 3.50 ‘Justification for equipment used’-           What was the role or function of each equipment used in the practical (this can also be found in its own paragraph in the discussion)
7	Method	List in order, exactly what you did in the practical (step-by step format).An example of table that results are recorded in.
		Before the prac:  based on teacher’s explanation and demonstration, with reference to the textbook, create a draft of the method that you will follow during the prac.
		After the prac: Review your draft copy of the method and add any details that you have missed
		VELS 4.25 ‘Justification of procedures’ Explain why certain steps in the Method section are important.VELS 4.75 ‘ involving measurement, including identification of procedures and equipment which would improve accuracy of results’ e.g. important in achieving the aim, increases accuracy in collected data (errors and mistakes)
8	Scientific drawing	VELS 3.25 Cross sectionof all the scientific equipment that was used in the practical.All equipment must be labelled and drawn using a pencil. All labelling must be with straight lines, left, right, up or down
9	Safety	A detailed list or table that identifies : Safety rules  in the science lab during your experiments                           e.g. wear your lab coat at all times
		Reasoning: If the safety rule was followed, how does it prevent someone from being hurt, what is the hazard? e.g. hair catching on fire
		Safety measures:What should be done if an accident does occur                                 e.g. rinse your eyes in the eye bath

10	Results	VELS 4.25 ‘accurate collection and recording’Allquantitative and qualitative data that was recorded during the prac-          Individual data -          Group data -          Lined/ruled table and graphs -          Describe all the qualitative observations made during the experiment Please ensure that all data is fully labelled with descriptive headings and labelled axis/columns/rows If there are more than one data set on the one graph, use keys/symbols or different coloured lines to represent the different data
11	Results summary	VELS 2.25 ‘recognition of simple patterns’VELS 2.50 ‘recognition of trends evident’VELS 3.75 ‘ analysis of data’ -          Describe the trends and patterns that are evident in the graphs e.g. similarities and differences between two or more data, describe the slopes/ shapes, speed and plateaus of the graphs -          Describe all the qualitative observations made during the experiment that assist the quantitative data recorded -          How does this qualitative data assist your results as a whole?
		VELS 2.50 ‘ what went well and where difficulties were encountered’ -          Describe any inaccurate data, errors or mistakes that has been identified after the prace.g. reading error, human reflex error
		VELS 4.75 ‘ involving measurement, including identification of procedures and equipment which would improve accuracy of results’-          Explain the actions that was taken to increase data accuracy with reasoninge.g. creating an scientific average, plus & minus, not using inaccurate data
		VELS 3.75 ‘justification of data collected and the equipment used’-          Provide justification/reasoning and explanation of how this accurate data is collected and its importance in drawing the conclusion
12	Discussion	VELS 4.50 ’accurate analysis and interpretation/consists with aim’-          What do your results show about the prac?  Relate back to the data points in your results section and provide ‘evidence’ for your explanations.-          Are these results consistent with your aim?
		VELS 2.50 ‘ what went well and where difficulties were encountered’ -          What worked well in the prac?-          What difficulties have been encountered, if any -          Have these difficulties affected your results in any way, how? Again relate back to important data points as ‘evidence
		VELS 2.75 ‘record variables’VELS 3.75 ‘identification of relationship between variables’-          Can you justify the results that were found?  Discuss the control method that was used, the number of variables that were involved (controlled, experimental, uncontrolled)
		VELS 2.75 ‘characteristics of a fair test’-          Based on these measures, was this experiment a fair test? Please explain your reasoning-          If no, how did these measures affect your results? How could you alter this prac to become a fair test?
14	Conclusions	VELS 4.75 ‘ justified conclusions drawn from experimental data’A summary of what you have found out. It should be half a page and relate to the aim and hypothesis. E.g. This is what I predicted…. This is what I found ( relating back to data)……. This is what I have learnt…..-          If you did the experiment again, what would you do differently to further test the experiment? -          How will this modification to the experiment be beneficial to your understanding of this experiment e.g. results
The Final report may be hand-written or typed on computer and printed. The assessment criteria will follow the VELS progression points system. See VELS handout for more detail. To get maximum marks, follow the guidelines in this handout, use key terms and correct science language where possible and consult the VELS progression points sheet

 

Prior to completing your final copy I recommend that you create dot points on the following pointers and discuss your findings with class mates and/or your teacher.

 

Ensure that in your results summary you include

-          Description of data trends

-          Qualitative data

-          Why you believe this data to be inaccurate e.g. a possible error or mistake has occurred this can be seen in the data …

-          How an average and plus & minus has assisted your results

-          Justification: why is my data important e.g. raw data, average, plus & minus etc.

	Average	Plus & Minus
How?	Identify any data that you believe is inaccurate. Put a single line through inaccurate data. Add all the data that you have collected, not including inaccurate data. e.g. 2 + 4 + 3 + 2 + 3 = 14 Divide this number by the number of data you added together e.g. 14 divide by 5 = 2.8 Round this number to 2 decimal places e.g. 2.80	Identify any data that you believe is inaccurate. Put a single line through inaccurate data. Identify the lowest and highest numbers. E.g. 10- 20  Work out the difference, divide the difference by two. (if this is a decimal round it up to the next full number)  e.g. 10 divided by 2 = 5 Add this number to the lowest number  e.g. 15 What do we need to minus to get to 10 – 5 What do we need to add to get to 20 – 5 Answer is : 15 +/- 5
Assistance?	An average provides the researcher with a larger scope of the population and reduces inaccuracy.	Provides a condensed range of data that is collected

 

-          Variables and Fair test

Type	Controlled Variables	Experimental variable	Uncontrolled variable	Control
A.K.A	Constant	Independent		Normal situation
	Dependent
What?	Something that is kept the same thought the entire experiment  e.g. same size beaker, same type of flame, same amount of chemical is added	This is the variable that is being tested. In any ‘fair test’ experiment, there is only ONE variable that is being tested at one time. This is done to see the direct effect of changing this one variable. e.g. amount of salt	A Variable that should been controlled but did change throughout the course of the experiment. This can be through human error or mistake. e.g. using a blue flame instead of a yellow flame This can directly affect your results and their accuracy	A control is not exposed to the experimental variable. It is used to compare its results against the experimental results. This comparison assists in drawing a conclusion to determine if there is an affect caused by the experimental variable. Without the control it is difficult to justify or prove your results

 

When deciding if your experiment is a fair test keep these in mind

-          The amount of data that is collected e.g. time, individual, group

-          The accuracy of the data e.g. errors/mistakes, average, plus & minus

-          If you repeated these measures would you collect the same or similar results

-          Only one variable is changed