LABORATORY NOTES

            Scientists and engineers record laboratory data in bound notebooks with pre-numbered pages. These books serve as a permanent record of the work, and can serve as legal evidence in priority disputes. For each laboratory experiment you will turn in laboratory notebook containing your lab notes and a typed lab report.  Each laboratory experiment will have two written records.

1. Laboratory notes kept in your laboratory notebook

2. Formal typed laboratory report 

LABORATORY NOTES IN ESSAY BOUND BOOK

A.  Data Table: (measurement must include units always) Record all your raw data in tables. Titles AND units should be given in the headings of the tables.  All qualitative observations made during the experiments should also be recorded in a data table IN significant figures.  Raw data and observations will always be recorded in a bound laboratory notebook..  Data will be recorded in blue or black ink, not pencil.  Errors can be lined out.

Your instructor may require you to obtain his initials on your data sheets prior to leaving the lab.  MUST BE DONE BEFORE BEGINNING LAB.

            B.  Description of Procedure:  You should have an outline of the procedure you used and diagrams of the experimental procedure to refer to when writing the procedure section of your laboratory report.

FORMAL REPORT TYPED

Title of Experiment (must be descriptive)

I. Introduction  (Rough draft  is done before lab on notebook paper)

A.  Research Question:  , “What problem was I given in this lab, and how do I intend to solve it?” 

B.  Hypothesis:  B.  Hypothesis or Predicted outcome:  For many labs you will need to make a prediction instead of formulating a hypothesis.  If the lab question is not determining a relationship between two variables you will make a prediction instead of a hypothesis.  If you are identifying a property of a substance or identifying an unknown you will need to clearly state the possible outcomes but may not be able to predict a result.   You should support your prediction.   Explain the logic and chemical concepts used to make your prediction.  Write a hypothesis, describing the anticipated relationship between the independent and dependent variables.  A hypothesis should predict the outcome.  A hypothesis is like a prediction.  It will often take the form of a proposed relationship between two or more variables that can be tested by experiment:  “If X is done, then Y will occur.”   (Examples:  “The pressure of an ideal gas will be inversely proportional to its volume if the temperature is held constant” or “The rate of the reaction should increase if the temperature and/or the concentration are increased”).  You must also provide an explanation for your hypothesis.  This should be a brief discussion (in paragraph form) about the theory or “why” behind your hypothesis and prediction.  For example, why should raising the temperature of a reaction increase the rate?  Why does the pressure of the gas increase when the volume decreases?  (Notice that if you omit the explanation, you can only earn a score of “partial” on this second aspect).  Include balanced chemical equations if necessary to explain your hypothesis.   Explain the logic and chemical concepts used to develop your hypothesis or your expected results.  

      C.  Discussion of Variables and Expected Results:  You should identify and list all reasonable variables, and briefly state why each one is relevant.  Then identify which variable(s) is/are independent variables (ones that you will manipulate and change) and which are the dependent variables (the ones that will respond to what you did).  If there is a control you should identify the control and describe the purpose of the control. 

II. Procedure (you will refer to your Lab notes to write this section)

            A.  Included a list of materials, equipment and chemicals used during the experiment. 

            B.  In narrative form describe how you gathered your data.  It should be written in past tense.  Describe how the independent variable was varied, how changes of the dependent variable were monitored and if the experiment contained a control how the control was maintained. 

            C.  Diagram the experimental set up.

III. Data Collection and Presentation

            A.  Data Table: (measurement must include units always) Record all your raw data in tables. The tables should be numbered and have captions in which you briefly describe the contents of the tables and how you recorded the results. Titles and  units should be given in the headings of the tables.  All qualitative observations made during the experiments should also be recorded in a data table.   

IV:  Data Processing (the calculations and graphs do not need to be typed but must be included in the type report)

            A.  Calculation Tables:  When performing calculations your work must be shown and units must be included.  Answers must be reported in the correct significant figures and included the uncertainty.  Organize calculations in clearly labeled tables. Identical, repetitive calculations do not have to be repeated.  SHOW CALCULATIONS.  If you are doing the same calculation for multiple sets of data a single sample of the calculation is all that is required.

            B.  Graphs:  If you use graphs, they should have a caption in which you describe the contents of the graph. The axes of the graphs have to be labelled (ALL graphs are titled / each axis is labeled with what is measured and unit used for example: Time, sec.)

            C.  Diagrams or drawings

V. Conclusion and Evaluation: 

                        A.  The conclusion is a discussion of how the lab data and experimental results demonstrates a particular chemical principle or reveals a relationship between variables.  Conclusions should be clearly related to the research question and purpose of the lab.  Explain your data.  Describe what it means and what it illustrates.  Identify and describe any relevant patterns within the data.   Interpret the data or observations in light of your hypothesis or your own expectations. 

B.  Compare your results with literature values if possible.  Make meaningful comparisons where appropriate. Identify and critique procedural mistakes that could have affected the data.  Discuss the agreement or disagreement between your expected results and the experimental results. 

C.  Answer questions.  Number your answers

REMEMBER:

1.      Use a bound or spiral ruled notebook for laboratory notes. 

2.      Laboratory  reports must be typed

3.      Use ink only for laboratory notes except for sketch of your laboratory set-up

4.      Cross out mistakes in your laboratory notes with a single line only (you may need to retrieve this info.)

5.      All measurements must include a unit and in sig figs

6.      Graphs are titled and axis labeled

7.      Pages cannot be removed from notebook

8.      Title and show all work for every calculations

9.       Report all data and derived values in significant figures